Because of your resilience and hard work, MCC is educating and inspiring thousands of students this fall. At nearly the halfway mark of the fall semester, our work continues and, thanks to you, MCC is doing its part to keep our community safe.
First Positive Cases on Campus On Friday, October 16, for the first time, MCC was notified of two positive COVID-19 cases of individuals who were on campus within the past seven days. Those individuals are isolating off campus. MCC Health Services and county representatives completed contact tracing and notified persons who may have been exposed and directed them to quarantine. (If you did not receive a call, you were not exposed to the individuals who tested positive.)
Testing Requirements for Employees Who Come to Campus If you are assigned to work regularly on campus, you are now required to be tested every two weeks or within 14 days prior to coming to campus. A schedule is being developed to facilitate employee participation in <a href="https://www.monroecc.edu/coronavirus/pooled-covid-19-testing/">pooled testing</a> at the Brighton Campus. Sessions run from 9 a.m. - 1 p.m. on alternating Tuesdays and Wednesdays. This week, pooled testing will be offered 9 a.m. -1 p.m. Wednesday, October 21; next week testing will be offered on Tuesday, October 27. If you would like to begin participating this week or next, contact MCC Public Safety at (585) 292-8310 to schedule your appointment and for next steps. More information is available on our <a href="https://www.monroecc.edu/coronavirus/pooled-covid-19-testing/">pooled testing web page</a>, including how to register on the SUNY Upstate Medical University website and <a href="https://www.monroecc.edu/fileadmin/SiteFiles/GeneralContent/coronavirus/documents/COVID_Pooled_Testing.pdf">how to prepare for your saliva test</a>. The test itself takes less than 10 minutes.
As of November 1, employees assigned to work remotely who need to come to campus unexpectedly or whose last testing date was more than 14 days prior, may enter campus if they successfully complete the screening questions on the <a href="https://www.monroecc.edu/covid/">MCC self-assessment</a>. However, those employees must also participate in the next scheduled pooled testing opportunity on campus or be tested at an alternative testing site, such as the New York State Department of Health (NYSDOH) drive-through site, within one week. The NYSDOH site recently expanded and is free to all New Yorkers (<a href="https://www.monroecc.edu/coronavirus/nys-covid-19-testing/">learn more</a>).
If employees anticipate coming to campus throughout the semester, even if this is not on a regular schedule, they should maintain a pattern of regular testing every two weeks. If you are tested at an alternative site, such as the NYSDOH drive-through testing site, be prepared to demonstrate the results of your test either using your smart device or a hard copy.
Additional things to remember and know:
<ol>
<li>Controlled campus population density equates to fewer SUNY-mandated COVID-19 tests (individual and pooled) and significant cost savings for the College. We need to keep the number of students and employees coming to campus as few as possible.</li>
<li>Do not come to campus unless you are assigned to teach and work on campus or have received permission from a President's Cabinet member.</li>
<li>MCC administrators are reviewing department plans this month to further minimize the number of employees who are assigned to work on campus.</li>
<li>Your help to encourage students who take on-campus classes/labs to participate in pooled testing is needed and appreciated.</li>
</ol>
While weekly participation in pooled testing sessions has grown to more than 350 completed tests per session with zero positives, we need to double the number of participants in order to satisfy SUNY-mandated testing requirements. Student awareness and participation in pooled testing is key.
MCC Dental Hygiene students--working in partnership with Health Services, Public Safety and Technology Services--have helped make our pooled testing process seamless and safe. The students ensure those being tested have used hand sanitizer, are socially distanced, have a unique testing code and appropriately conduct the saliva test.
Thank you for your patience and support as SUNY-mandated COVID-19 testing requirements for students and faculty/staff continue to evolve this fall. As we safely approach the halfway mark for the fall semester, we must stay vigilant to keep our students and each other safe.

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MCC Daily Tribune

First Positive COVID-19 Cases on Campus, Employees Who Come to Campus Must Get Tested Regularly

Weekly Testing and Keeping Campus Population Density Low Benefits MCC

Because of your resilience and hard work, MCC is educating and inspiring thousands of students this fall. At nearly the halfway mark of the fall semester, our work continues and, thanks to you, MCC is doing its part to keep our community safe.

First Positive Cases on Campus
On Friday, October 16, for the first time, MCC was notified of two positive COVID-19 cases of individuals who were on campus within the past seven days. Those individuals are isolating off campus. MCC Health Services and county representatives completed contact tracing and notified persons who may have been exposed and directed them to quarantine. (If you did not receive a call, you were not exposed to the individuals who tested positive.)

Testing Requirements for Employees Who Come to Campus
If you are assigned to work regularly on campus, you are now required to be tested every two weeks or within 14 days prior to coming to campus. A schedule is being developed to facilitate employee participation in pooled testing at the Brighton Campus. Sessions run from 9 a.m. - 1 p.m. on alternating Tuesdays and Wednesdays. This week, pooled testing will be offered 9 a.m. -1 p.m. Wednesday, October 21; next week testing will be offered on Tuesday, October 27. If you would like to begin participating this week or next, contact MCC Public Safety at (585) 292-8310 to schedule your appointment and for next steps. More information is available on our pooled testing web page, including how to register on the SUNY Upstate Medical University website and how to prepare for your saliva test. The test itself takes less than 10 minutes.

As of November 1, employees assigned to work remotely who need to come to campus unexpectedly or whose last testing date was more than 14 days prior, may enter campus if they successfully complete the screening questions on the MCC self-assessment. However, those employees must also participate in the next scheduled pooled testing opportunity on campus or be tested at an alternative testing site, such as the New York State Department of Health (NYSDOH) drive-through site, within one week. The NYSDOH site recently expanded and is free to all New Yorkers (learn more).

If employees anticipate coming to campus throughout the semester, even if this is not on a regular schedule, they should maintain a pattern of regular testing every two weeks. If you are tested at an alternative site, such as the NYSDOH drive-through testing site, be prepared to demonstrate the results of your test either using your smart device or a hard copy.

Additional things to remember and know:

Controlled campus population density equates to fewer SUNY-mandated COVID-19 tests (individual and pooled) and significant cost savings for the College. We need to keep the number of students and employees coming to campus as few as possible.
Do not come to campus unless you are assigned to teach and work on campus or have received permission from a President's Cabinet member.
MCC administrators are reviewing department plans this month to further minimize the number of employees who are assigned to work on campus.
Your help to encourage students who take on-campus classes/labs to participate in pooled testing is needed and appreciated.

While weekly participation in pooled testing sessions has grown to more than 350 completed tests per session with zero positives, we need to double the number of participants in order to satisfy SUNY-mandated testing requirements. Student awareness and participation in pooled testing is key.

MCC Dental Hygiene students--working in partnership with Health Services, Public Safety and Technology Services--have helped make our pooled testing process seamless and safe. The students ensure those being tested have used hand sanitizer, are socially distanced, have a unique testing code and appropriately conduct the saliva test.

Thank you for your patience and support as SUNY-mandated COVID-19 testing requirements for students and faculty/staff continue to evolve this fall. As we safely approach the halfway mark for the fall semester, we must stay vigilant to keep our students and each other safe.

Katherine Douglas
Office of the President
10/19/2020