STCC extends spring break, restricts public access to campus
SPRINGFIELD, Mass. – Springfield Technical Community College will extend spring break by an additional week and limit public access to the campus. Classes will resume March 30, pending further developments.
The decision to extend the break by one week will provide valuable time for faculty, staff and administrators for further contingency planning due to the dynamic developments related to COVID-19/coronavirus.
Online, hybrid, clinicals, where still available, and other alternative and remote courses will continue as scheduled.
To reduce the risk of the spread of COVID-19, the college will be closed to the public from March 17 through March 22. Additionally, all access to campus will be via the main entrance on Federal Street; all other gates will be closed. Campus will again be deep cleaned this coming weekend.
Furthermore, STCC will establish minimum staffing levels for this week and for the spring break extension. Massachusetts community colleges are fully committed to maximizing remote work, teaching and learning opportunities for the foreseeable future as administrators seek to ensure the health and safety of students, employees and communities.
Under curtailment, hours of the Rubenzahl Student Learning Commons (Building 19) will be reduced, and all services will cease at 5 p.m. this week and next.
STCC continues to offer essential support services to students, including the Center for Access Services (CAS) and the Ram Cupboard, a food pantry for students in need.
To promote social distancing and related practices encouraged by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), gatherings of any kind on campus that exceed 10 individuals in close quarters are canceled or otherwise postponed. This action will remain in place through March 30, or unless it is necessary to revisit or extend.
STCC will continue to make decisions informed by the most up-to-date, factual information issued by the CDC and Mass Department of Public Health. The college will provide ongoing updates at www.stcc.edu/coronavirus/
About Springfield Technical Community College
Founded in 1967 and located on 35 acres of the Springfield Armory National Historic Site, STCC is a major resource for the economic vitality of Western Massachusetts. As the only technical community college in Massachusetts, STCC offers a variety of career programs unequalled in the state. STCC’s highly regarded transfer programs in business, advanced manufacturing, healthcare, liberal arts, and STEM fields continue to provide the most affordable options for students pursuing a four-year degree. With an annual enrollment of about 7,000 day, evening, weekend, and online students, STCC is a vibrant campus rich in diversity.
For more information about STCC, visit www.stcc.edu. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter (@S_T_C_C) and Instagram (@stccpics).
MEDIA CONTACT:
Denise Hurst, dhurst@stcc.edu, office: (413) 755-4197, cell: (413) 330-1030