AGENDA for SUNY Pandemic Symposium

      COMMUNITY COLLEGE ROLE IN PANDEMIC PLANNING

Key difference- Functions as a county agency- with responsibilities to both the college and the 
surrounding community

Community colleges can have significant positive impact on the community response to an emergency

* Develop coordinated emergency response integrated into the county plan
* Build a Public health information dissemination/health education campaign on prevention
* Ensure effective means of communication with the community
* Promote community awareness/facilitate preparedness/mediate risks
* Establish community resources for emergency use, point of dispensing
* Facilitate smooth recovery and return to business as usual


Key Concepts for planning

* Inclusive design -key stakeholders in college-wide committee
* Transferable process to ensure continuity 
* Targets-Prevention, mediation and recovery
* Education and preparedness- Empower the community
* Planned shutdown
* Structured recovery promoting flexibility
* Student participation


Considerations for planning

* Timeliness of Shutdown
* Staff/faculty /student absenteeism
* Policy to support social isolation as prevention
* Flexible policies for course completion/ extension
* Health withdrawals/leave of absences
* Financial implications-possible decrease in enrollment
* Managing loss –students and staff
* Develop flexibility in hiring part-time/per diem staff
* Linkage to community resources