TO:   Members of the North Central Michigan College Community

FROM:   Dr. David Roland Finley, President, North Central Michigan College

Campus colleagues,

Please read the following May 21 COVID-19 Campus Community Update in its entirety.

Employees who have not been asked by their supervisor to return to campus should plan to continue working remotely until we have announced our tiered reopening plan.  This announcement will occur after Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s “Stay Home, Stay Safe” executive order expires on May 28.  As such, we will not all be returning to campus on Friday, May 29.

It is the aim of North Central Michigan College to help lead our region’s economic recovery amid the challenges of the Covid-19 pandemic.  While we made the transition to online teaching and telework in mid-March, our focus has turned to safely reopening the College to employees, students and community members, in that order.  As such, I am announcing the following update.

Comprehensive Return to Work Plan for College Employees is Under Development

North Central has operated with eight essential employees on-site since mid-March.  Beginning May 18, some College employees with job duties that require their physical presence on campus returned to work in a limited capacity with staggered scheduling.  These employees worked with their supervisor and HR on a safe return-to-work plan.

Our comprehensive return to work plan must ensure that we are sensitive to our team members’ unique circumstances, while continuing to provide our students with the personalized attention they expect from North Central.  The complexity of this situation cannot be overstated, and our plan must be thoughtful and prudent.  The anticipated completion date for this plan is June 8; however, this date may be altered pending changes to Gov. Whitmer’s executive orders and/or the recommendations of our local health officials.

As outlined in my April 9 update,  all full- and part-time employees who are scheduled to work through June 30 will continue to be compensated as usual.

North Central is continually monitoring and evaluating College operations based on the latest information and recommendations from local, state and national health experts and officials regarding mitigating the spread of Covid-19.  To streamline communications, the North Central website remains the vehicle for all Covid-19 updates. 

The College will keep the public informed as this issue evolves, working to respond in ways that ensure the health, safety and well-being of our campus community.

Thanks again for your good work on behalf of the learners at North Central.  Enjoy the holiday weekend!