Significant planning is underway to assist with The Claremont Colleges’ response to COVID-19. There is much activity occurring on each campus. This document is meant to summarize the consortial-level responses. There are two sets of consortial-level activities underway. First, three new consortial-wide response and planning groups have been established. Second, each intercollegiate committee (and in some cases their subcommittees) are actively responding and planning as well. Below is a summary of the purpose, membership and deliverables of each group.
Coronavirus Response Group (CRG)
Purpose
This group was established to serve as the “clearing house” for all issues related to the COVID-19 pandemic. It first began meeting in early March on a daily basis and now meets three (3) times a week. The TCCS CEO provides an update on all other consortial-wide groups/meetings including the Presidents, BFAC, SDC and ADC meetings. The group’s focus is sharing and providing coordinated responses as appropriate. The membership includes executive level staff from each of the institutions, plus the TCCS CEO, VP of Student Affairs, key Student Health Services staff and the Director of Communications. Each institution provides an updates on current activities and responses to COVID-19. The TCCS Director of Communications monitors federal, state and county media for the latest COVID-19 updates and provides media recaps to the group.
Membership
- Rob Goldberg – Pomona, Vice President, COO and Treasurer
- Leslie Negritto – CGU, Vice President for Finance & Administration & Treasure
- Denise Nelson Nash – Scripps, Vice President and Secretary of the Board of Trustees
- Sharon Basso – CMC, Vice President for Student Affairs and Dean of Students
- Anna Gonzalez – HMC, Vice President for Student Affairs and Dean of Students
- Jamie Jorgensen – Pitzer, Chief of Staff and Chief Legal Counsel
- Kelly Esperias – KGI, Vice President of Institutional Development and Partnerships
- Stig Lanesskog – TCCS, Chief Executive Officer
- Laura Muna-Landa – TCCS, Director of Communications
- Janet Smith Dickerson – TCCS, Vice President Student Affairs
- Eric Clark – TCCS, SHS Staff Physician
- Louise Haas – TCCS, SHS Administrative Services Manager
Deliverable
This group will continue to meet through the pandemic and share both individual college and TCC-wide issues and responses to the crisis.
Housing Planning Group (HPG)
Purpose
This group will be working to plan for housing capacity based on social distancing guidelines, isolation of confirmed and presumptive cases of Covid19 and isolation for students who have been exposed but are asymptomatic. The group will work to quantify and provide data around housing availability on campus as well as to identify opportunities for additional housing in the community.
Membership
- Avis Hinkson-Pomona, Vice President for Student Affairs and Dean of Students
- Sue Layden- CMC, Senior Associate Dean of Students for Student Success
- Anna Gonzales- HMC, Vice President for Student Affairs and Dean of Students
- Charlotte Johnson- Scripps, Vice President for Student Affairs and Dean of Students
- Mike Segawa- Pitzer, Vice President for Student Affairs
- Stig Lanesskog- TCCS, CEO
- Colin Tudor- TCCS, Sec. to Board & AVP of Community Relations
Deliverables
Student housing needs for each college (each college has the primary responsibility to secure their own housing), but the group can assist with identifying and securing housing in the community. The HPG will work together to identify potential isolation spaces for TCC-wide use.
Safety Planning Group (SPG)
Purpose
The SPG is tasked with researching, evaluating and making recommendations for a variety of issues impacting the reopening of The Claremont Colleges. The immediate focus of the SPG is:
- Contact tracing of COVID-19 cases
- Personal protective equipment (PPE)- securing the appropriate types and quantities
- COVID-19 testing- identifying the test type, testing protocols and securing the number of tests needed for students and perhaps faculty and staff
- Isolation protocols for those with COVID-19 and those exposed
- Communications- recommending protocols for when there are cases and summarizing a code of conduct for students, faculty and staff, based on the recommendations of the other subgroups.
- Social distancing protocols and enforcement practices
- Rapid response/action – ensuring TCC can respond to evolving issues and directives
- Density/space planning for facilities
This group meets weekly on Mondays; however, the eight categories above will be discussed in subgroups with individual chairs to guide discussion and approach. The current composition of the subgroups can be found here: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1FA7FzuqWf6TUOpCJlnkPGSg4NWA9-npWf-ckyZmkHAQ/edit?usp=sharing
Membership
| Pomona | Bob Robinson, Asst Vice President, Facilities Avis Hinkson, Vice President for Student Affairs and Dean of Students |
| Scripps | Anjila Lebsock, Safety Operations Specialist Charlotte Johnson, Vice President for Student Affairs and Dean of Students |
| CMC | Dianna “DT” Graves, Asst VP and Dean of Students Christine Costanza, Director of Office Administration & Special Projects |
| HMC | Anna Gonzalez, Vice President for Student Affairs and Dean of Students |
| Pitzer | Mike Segawa, Vice President for Student Affairs Laura Troendle, Vice President of Finance, Administration and Treasurer |
| CGU | Alejandra Gaytan, Director, Human Resources Quamina Carter, Assistant Vice President and Dean of Students |
| KGI | Cheryl Merritt, Asst Vice President of Human Resources & Employee Engagement |
| TCCS | Stig Lanesskog, Chief Executive Officer Janet Dickerson, Vice President of Student Affairs Stan Skipworth, Asst Vice President Campus Safety Laura Muna-Landa, Director of Communications Dr. Eric Clark, Staff Physician Dr. Prateek Jindal, Director of Student Health Services (effective July 1, 2020) Louise Haas, Administrative Services Manager Jay Brakensiek, Environmental Health and Safety Manager |
The group will seek additional expertise, both within TCC and externally, as required.
Deliverable
Each subgroup has been asked to develop recommendations for their particular area of focus for the SPG by June 1. These recommendations will also be shared with the CRG and the presidents.
Intercollegiate Committees
Several of the existing intercollegiate committee are also conducting essential planning activities. In some cases, their subcommittees are also engaged. Below is a high-level summary of the planning and activity under each intercollegiate committee.
Academic Deans Committee (ADC)
The ADC is actively engaged with academic continuity scenario planning. The deans are considering multiple academic calendar and academic content delivery scenarios. Based on the guidelines that will be placed on The Claremont Colleges, the deans are considering how the academic content can best be delivered safely to students, while considering the impact on faculty.
The ADC works closely with the Registrars regarding potential academic calendar options and the classroom and other space implications of alternate academic content delivery scenarios.
Deliverable
The ADC has delivered the presidents with initial academic continuity options and will continue to work with the Registrars regarding the implications on the academic calendar and space.
Business and Financial Affairs Committee (BFAC)
The BFAC is actively assessing the financial impact of the crisis on each of its institutions. It is also evaluating and sharing information about the various stimulus and other COVID related programs that may assist with the financial impacts of the crisis. BFAC is also evaluating the insurance and risk management implications of COVID-19.
The BFAC works closely with Human Resource Committee (HRC) and the Facilities Managers Committee (FMC). HRC continues to evaluate the HR policy implications of COVID-19, including revised FMLA and other guideline/law changes. The FMC is evaluating impacts on facilities and cleaning practices. The Dining Hall managers are also collaborating on practices to keep students, faculty and staff safe.
Deliverable
The BFAC and their subcommittees keep their individual presidents upraised about the financial, risk management, HR and facility impacts of COVID-19. They also share and collaborate as appropriate on matters that jointly impact the campuses and provide those recommendations to the presidents as well.
Student Deans Committee (SDC)
The SDC is actively evaluating and planning for the Student Life environment in the fall. Based on the number of students who are on campus and the type of social distancing practices that are required, the needs will be modified. The SDC is planning for populating the residence halls, planning for orientation activities, determining how best to deliver student programing, providing meal delivery, etc. The SDC is also working closely with TCCS Student Affairs regarding Student Health Services and MCAPs and how those models may be modified for the fall.
Deliverable
The SDC will execute its residence hall plan based on the guidelines provided by LA County Public Health and/or other governing bodies. In addition, it will plan for student life experiences for its students individually and collectively across TCC. The SDC will also partner with TCCS Student Affairs regarding the student health and mental health services offered in the fall.
The Emergency Managers Group (EMG)
The charge of the EMG is to actively and directly support several operation-level systems including logistical solutions for housing, food services, security, medical services support and communications to the COVID-19 effort. This intercollegiate committee is composed of the designated emergency managers of each of the colleges, along with the TCCS Emergency Services Manager and Director of Campus Safety. Each campus has also appointed an alternate representative to participate in this committee.
Membership
- Jamie Jorgensen, General Counsel for Pitzer College
- Theresa Lauer, Director of Facilities for Harvey Mudd College
- Brittany Raygoza, Title IX and Clery Coordinator for Keck Graduate Institute
- Quamina Carter, Dean of Students for Claremont Graduate University
- Robert Robinson, Assistant Vice President of Facilities for Pomona College
- Cherise Haase, Emergency Services Coordinator for Claremont McKenna College
- Anjila Lebsock, Safety Operations Specialist for Scripps College
- Stan Skipworth, AVP/Director of Campus Safety
Deliverable
The EMG will continue to support the operational-level aspects of the response to COVID-19 in conjunction with the other consortial-level planning groups.
