UPDATE MAY 11, 2020

Dear Peralta Community College District Faculty, Staff and Students,

As you wrap up this Spring semester, you are no doubt trying to make plans for the coming Summer and Fall semesters. I would like to provide some information that may be helpful to you as you make your plans.

We continue to work closely with local public health officials and the State Chancellors Office while we serve the community and meet our mission. Like other community colleges across the state, Berkeley City College, College of Alameda, Laney College, and Merritt College will offer the majority of the courses and services this Fall 2020 semester as 100% online or hybrid (part online with limited face-to-face class time). Some courses that do not lend themselves to remote instruction easily, such as some career education laboratory disciplines, will be offered face-to-face where it is needed and safe to do so. Because we prioritize your safety, we recognize that there may be a small number of courses that will not be offered this Fall but we expect to offer them in Spring 2021.

Student services will continue to be offered online, including Admissions and Records, Financial Aid, and Counseling, to name a few.

We are making every effort to minimize disruptions to the educational mission as we support student success in achieving desired certificates, degrees, and transfer. In preparation for Fall 2020, we will make changes within classrooms and laboratories to observe public health directives and guidance such as increased hand washing, avoiding sharing equipment when possible, systematic classroom cleaning protocols, and recommendations on facial coverings and/or physical distancing. In the meantime, we will continue to engage in the necessary discussions with faculty and staff to ensure the best decisions in service of you and your goals.

This Summer and throughout Fall 2020 each college will be offering instructional workshops or classes for faculty and students to learn the basics of Canvas (the platform PCCD uses for online instruction). Based on the State Chancellor’s Office requirements and accreditation considerations, all your faculty will be using Canvas to serve you.

I hope this information is helpful as you make plans to complete your educational goals.  Please visit https://safe.peralta.edu/  for the latest status information and resources for students, faculty/staff, and the community.

Thank you and take good care,

Dr. Regina Stanback Stroud, Chancellor

Peralta Community College District

UPDATE 4/30/2020

Dear Peralta Community,

On April 29, 2020, the Alameda County Health Officer issued an order  extension of the shelter-in-place directive through May 31, 2020. While extending the duration, the revised directive also eased some restrictions. Construction activities and outdoor activities will be allowed to resume subject to conditions listed in the Order.

As restrictions are modified, it is critical to ensure that growth of cases can be sufficiently contained to protect the health and safety of our community. The Peralta Community College District college campuses and the district office will remain closed through June 30, 2020.  Personnel performing essential functions may be required to work on site while following all appropriate social distancing and safety measures.

Thank you to the many administrators, faculty and staff who have been working tirelessly to transition face-to-face instruction and student support services to online and remote modalities on this unprecedented scale.  The work you all have done is truly inspiring.

We will do all we can to keep this community safe and support student educational needs, during this pandemic and into the future.

Take good care,

Dr. Regina Stanback Stroud, Chancellor

UPDATE 3/27/2020

The Peralta Community College District college campuses and the district office will remain closed through June 30, 2020.  Personnel performing essential functions may be required to work on site.   

 Classes that can be conducted remotely will resume on Monday, April 6, 2020. Faculty will continue the excellent work of converting face-to-face classes into remote instructional formats. Also, important student services will be provided remotely.  Classes and services that cannot be transitioned to a remote format will not be able to proceed until the campuses reopen.  We will continue to explore the possibility of resuming instruction of programs that prepare essential sector critical infrastructure workers identified in Governor Newsom’s Executive Order N-33-20 but cannot be converted to a remote modality.  

Thank you to the many administrators, faculty and staff who have been working tirelessly to transition on this unprecedented scale.    

I realize this is a difficult situation. We will do all we can to keep this community safe and support student educational needs, during this pandemic and into the future.  

Take good care, 

Dr. Regina Stanback Stroud, Chancellor 

UPDATE 3/20/2020

Following Alameda County’s “Shelter-in-Place” order, Governor Newsom has now issued the same directive statewide.  The PCCD Emergency Management Team has been convening via Zoom every day to respond to the emergency and facilitate institutional and academic continuity.

I would like to thank those of you who have stepped up in support of the effort.  Your flexibility in these uncertain times has been invaluable as we navigate these paths. Your commitment and perseverance in service to students and the community is inspirational.

Over the next two weeks, faculty will continue the excellent work of converting face-to-face classes into remote instructional formats. Non-instructional faculty and staff will continue to provide important student services using remote formats.

Thank you to the many faculty and staff who have been working with us to transition on this unprecedented scale.  We will continue to disseminate information related to the many details that are being worked out in order to maintain institutional and academic continuity.

The health and safety of members of the Peralta community remains our top priority. We will continue to make sure our decisions are informed by the latest information from local, state, and national health authorities as well as the state chancellor’s office.

Chancellor Eloy Ortiz Oakley has projected, based on data from the California Department of Public Health, that the need for social distancing to prevent the spread of COVID-19 will continue well into June and perhaps beyond.   Vice Chancellor Siri Brown and her team, the college Vice Presidents of Instruction, the District and College Academic Senate leaders, Distance Education coordinators and leads are exploring options for laboratory, career education, and activity classes.  Thank you to the more than 35 science discipline faculty who participated in the Labster demonstration as they consider remote laboratory instruction.

We will continue to update you as the situation evolves. The latest updates from Peralta regarding COVID-19 are available at https://web.peralta.edu/health-services/coronavirus.

Peralta serves a diverse community of learners and we are committed to maintaining a welcoming environment of belonging. Please treat each other with respect and kindness in these challenging times. You are all important members of our community.

Thank you for the incredible job you are doing as we respond to the emerging information.

Take good care,

Dr. Regina Stanback Stroud, Chancellor

UPDATE 3/18/2020

• Spring Break is March 16-21, 2020
• All Classes canceled March 23-April 5, 2020
• Classes available via remote instruction will resume Monday April 6, 2020
• College campuses and district office closed March 14-April 6, 2020
• Staff and administrators are working remotely during Spring Break and to April 6, 2020
• Travel on behalf of the District is suspended

TO LEARN MORE VISIT https://web.peralta.edu/health-services/coronavirus/

UPDATE 3/16/2020

In light of the “shelter in place” directive issued earlier today by Alameda County, all classes at Berkeley City College, College of Alameda, Laney College, and Merritt College are canceled from March 23, 2020 to April 6, 2020.

All four college campuses as well as the District office, currently closed for Spring Break, will continue to be closed to April 6, 2020.

All employees will continue to work remotely while the college campuses and district offices are closed. Employees (including student workers) will maintain their respective schedule and continue to be paid during this time.

Additionally, travel on behalf of the district is now suspended, including previously approved travel plans.

Services for students will be available following Spring Break, beginning on March 23 through the April 6 campus closure period, but are offered online and not via in-person contact.

The latest updates from Peralta regarding COVID-19 are always available at https://web.peralta.edu/health-services/coronavirus/. Peralta serves a diverse community of learners and we are committed to maintaining a welcoming environment of belonging. Please treat each other with respect and kindness in these challenging times. You are all important members of our community.

UPDATE 3/13/2020

• Face-to-face classes at all four colleges are cancelled March 11-14, 2020
• Spring Break has been moved to March 16-21, 2020
• College campuses and the District Office remain OPEN to provide services to students and faculty

UPDATE 3/11/2020

At an Emergency Meeting on March 11, 2020, the Peralta Community College District Board of Trustees voted to approve the following changes to the academic calendar:

• Spring Break (originally scheduled as the week of April 13-18) has been moved to the week of March 16-21, 2020.
• Flex Day (a faculty training day originally scheduled March 19, 2020) will now be held on Monday, March 30, 2020.

These changes, made with appreciated support of the Peralta Federation of Teachers (PFT), are a response to the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) intended to increase social distancing and better protect our community.

Yesterday, on March 10, 2020, Chancellor Regina Stanback Stroud announced that face-to-face classes at Berkeley City College, College of Alameda, Laney College and Merritt College are canceled on Wednesday, March 11, Thursday, March 12, Friday, March 13, and Saturday, March 14, 2020.

Cancelling classes March 11-14 allows instructional faculty to attend trainings offered at their respective college and evaluate optional resources for potentially transitioning their classes to remote forms of instruction as needed. College administration will communicate times and locations for trainings.

Laney College will continue to follow the guidelines and best practices for institutions of higher education as recommended by the Alameda County Public Health Department, the California Department of Public Health, the California Community College Chancellor’s Office, and the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Faculty opting to use remote forms of instruction will begin doing so following Spring Break on Monday, March 23, 2020, and continue through Saturday, April 4, 2020 (faculty may continue to teach face-to-face, however, we strongly encourage faculty who can opt to use remote forms of instruction to do so).

Resources for faculty regarding remote methods of instruction are available at:

• Emergency Remote Teaching Resources
• Instructional Continuity  

Resources for students can be found here. 

Please note:  Laney College remains open. Administration and staff are expected to report to work unless they are ill. The aim of this approach is to maintain academic continuity and proactively take steps to protect the community by reducing the number of people gathered in public spaces.

UPDATE 3/10/2020

Face-to-Face classes at Berkeley City College, College of Alameda, Laney College and Merritt College are canceled on Wednesday, March 11, Thursday, March 12, Friday, March 13, and Saturday, March 14, 2020. 

UPDATE 3/9/2020

Laney College is working diligently to ensure that our students feel safe, healthy and informed about the latest information regarding COVID-19. We are working closely with the Peralta Community Colleges School District, and will continue to provide updates as they are released by the Alameda County Public Health Department, as well as The Centers For Disease Control. To view the PCCD’s latest release, click here.

Based on presently available information, Peralta CCD courses, operations, and activities will continue to occur as scheduled. That said, the District is also developing contingency plans in the event that we need to suspend operations or close the college campuses or district offices.

Students, faculty, or staff with questions about COVID-19 should contact the Laney College Wellness Center:

• https://laney.edu/health_center/
• College Nurse: (510) 464-3516

To view the college’s email communication dated 2/28/2020 click here.