Delgado Chancellor Announces Instructional Transition Plan for Coronavirus Disease Event

March 13, 2020

Delgado Community College Chancellor Larissa Littleton-Steib, Ph.D., has announced the college’s instructional transition plan to ensure students’ safety and continued educational success during the COVID-19 event. The plan is subject to change as circumstances may require.

Text of a letter sent by Chancellor Steib to the Delgado students, faculty and staff in the evening of March 12 explaining the college’s concerns and actions is below. The letter and other communications by the college related to the COVID-19 event are online.

March 12, 2020

Dear Delgado Students, Faculty, and Staff:

While I am happy to report that there are no confirmed cases of Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) connected to our campuses and sites, yesterday evening (March 11) Louisiana Governor John Bel Edwards and New Orleans Mayor LaToya Cantrell declared a public health emergency, which initiated a number of precautionary measures to prevent the spread of the virus.

To that end, the safety of our students, faculty, and staff remains paramount. However, we must balance safety with ensuring instructional continuity and the continued progress of students toward their academic and career goals. Please understand that migrating face-to-face classes to online/alternative instruction creates challenges to students and faculty if not implemented successfully. Not every student has access to the necessary resources or a reliable Internet connection, and not every course can be transitioned easily to an online environment. This is not a one-size-fits-all situation for all students and programs. We must consider the various needs of our students. Many of our students plan to graduate, transfer, take professional licensure exams, or accept job offers pending completion of this semester. It is imperative that we make decisions that ensure our students have the ability to complete on time.

In my most recent communication with you, I informed you that we were preparing to implement a comprehensive plan to ensure continuity of students’ educational progress. We are now ready to move to an online/alternative instructional environment. All classes at Delgado will continue as usual through Monday, March 16, the final day of mid-term exams. This ensures minimal disruption for students at this critical point of the academic semester.  The goal is to maintain the Spring 2020 Academic Calendar as much as possible.

On Tuesday and Wednesday, March 17-18, there will be no classes to allow faculty training/transitioning, preparations, and testing of the new online/alternative instructional delivery method. During these days and until further notice, all Delgado locations will remain open and operational, and all faculty and staff will continue to work their normal scheduled hours. Also, all libraries and learning labs (such as computer, writing, and math) will remain open ensuring student access to support services.

Online/alternative instructional delivery of all face-to-face lecture classes will begin Thursday, March 19, until further notice. This includes all classes for the Minimesters scheduled to begin on Tuesday, March 17. Here is the timeline:

• Friday, March 13 – Normal schedule (midterm exams)
• Monday, March 16 – Normal schedule (midterm exams)
• Tuesday, March 17 – No classes (College open and operational—faculty and staff report to work)
• Wednesday, March 18 – No classes (College open and operational—faculty and staff report to work)
• Thursday, March 19 – All lecture classes delivered through online/alternative instructional delivery until further notice

As Delgado is a comprehensive institution with diverse programs, we understand that there are classes that are not conducive to a complete online/alternative environment. Students will receive direct communication from their program areas or divisions specific to completing requirements for clinicals, labs, and technical and clock-hour programs. Students in face-to-face lecture courses will receive guidance from their instructors on transitioning to this new instructional delivery.

In addition, all college-sponsored events at Delgado locations through April 15 are subject to cancellation. We are considering all the factors involved in either canceling, postponing, or conducting them virtually. Scheduled events after that date are unaffected at this time but are also subject to change.

I encourage all Delgado students, faculty, and staff to follow the instructions of public health officials. To be assured you have the facts, pay close attention to official announcements from Delgado via email, Delgado Alert, and especially on our website and official Delgado social media. Those are the only reliable sources of information from the College.

Please know that Delgado is committed to taking all necessary actions to ensure your safety and a positive completion of this semester.

Sincerely,

Larissa Littleton-Steib, Ph.D.

Chancellor

Delgado Community College will celebrate 100 years of service to the New Orleans region in 2021. The oldest and largest community college in Louisiana, Delgado provides instruction online and at seven locations. Delgado offers students the most comprehensive array of education and training services available in the New Orleans region. Additionally, Delgado has articulation agreements with most of the state’s four-year colleges and universities that allow students to transfer their Delgado credits to bachelor’s degree programs. As well as offering degrees and transferable college credits, Delgado provides diplomas and certificates in many professional and technical areas. Workforce development is a priority at Delgado, hence the college’s well-known motto: “Education that works!” www.dcc.edu