A Message from Interim President John P. Galovic
March 11, 2020
Dear Members of the Notre Dame College Community,
I write to you today with the announcement of significant measures to protect our community from COVID-19 (Coronavirus). We are at a pivotal time in our region to make a positive impact to prevent the spread of the COVID-19 virus. Yesterday, Governor Mike DeWine made the recommendation to Ohio-based higher education institutions to transition face-to-face classes to virtual learning for the foreseeable future in an effort to combat the spread of Coronavirus.
It is important to reiterate that there are no known cases of Coronavirus on Notre Dame College’s campus at this time. However, following Governor DeWine’s recommendation and given the proximity of confirmed cases in Cuyahoga County, we have made the following decisions:
All in-person, face-to-face classes will be cancelled for the remainder of today as well as tomorrow (March 12, 2020) and Friday (March 13, 2020).
Spring Break will be extended through Sunday, March 29, 2020.
Classes will resume on Monday, March 30, 2020, using our Moodle learning platform.
Current online courses (D4 term) will continue as scheduled.
Information for Students:
The campus will remain open through the extended Spring Break and throughout the duration of the semester.
Students are encouraged to use the extended Spring Break to prepare for virtual learning. This includes making arrangements to be able to access Moodle on a regular basis. Computer access will be available on campus.
Residential students are strongly encouraged to return to their permanent address until face-to-face classes resume (more information will follow via NDC email).
At this time, students who cannot make arrangements to return home will be permitted to stay in the residence halls. Residence Life will send follow-up information via Notre Dame email.
As planned, dining services will be closed from 8:30 p.m. on Friday, March 13, 2020, until 4:30 p.m. on Sunday, March 22, 2020. Further information will be sent via Notre Dame email.
Students who ultimately remain on campus should practice social distancing and intentional hygiene measures.
Information for Faculty:
Faculty members are permitted to use their offices and classrooms.
Faculty are expected to use the extended spring break to prepare for a virtual classroom experience.
Updates for faculty will be forthcoming from IT and the Office of Academic Affairs.
Information for Staff:
The College remains open and staff are expected to report to campus.
In the coming days, Human Resources will issue a follow-up communication to staff members providing more clarity.
For All Notre Dame Community Members:
If you are exhibiting symptoms of COVID-19 (a fever of 100.4 or higher, respiratory issues like a cough or shortness of breath) or you have been in direct contact with an individual diagnosed with COVID-19, please do not come to campus. Instead, call your healthcare provider and the Cuyahoga County Board of Health at 216-201-2000, and follow the CDC guidelines for self-quarantining.
Effective immediately, all indoor campus events are cancelled through and including April 13, 2020. Event organizers should inform guests and attendees that their events are cancelled.
Student athletes, we are monitoring the situation with guidance from the NCAA and Mountain East Conference. Please watch for communication from the Athletic Department.
No new events should be scheduled on campus through at least April 14, 2020.
College-sponsored international travel is suspended until further notice.
Non-essential College-sponsored domestic travel is suspended until further notice.
Our goal with these measures is to proactively limit the potential transmission of the virus in our community. Certainly, these decisions will be disruptive, but they have been made with the health and well-being of our campus community in mind. Members of the community can submit specific questions to pr@ndc.edu. Please be sure to monitor your email regularly as additional information becomes available.
John Galovic, Ed.D.
Interim President
Notre Dame College