Message Regarding Governor's Stay at Home Order
To Faculty and Staff,
This afternoon, Governor Brad Little issued an executive order directing all residents to immediately heed current State of Idaho public health directives and “go home and stay home.” The governor’s stay-at-home order is effective immediately and lasts 21 days. Exceptions to the stay-at-home order include essential critical infrastructure sectors and those designated as critical to protect the health and well-being of Idahoans.
In the immediate hours following the order, NIC leadership worked to determine the impact on our college’s workforce and operations.
The governor’s mandatory 21-day stay-at-home order stipulates that educational institutions are essential services, for the purposes of facilitating distance learning or performing essential functions, provided that social/physical distancing of 6 feet separation per person is maintained.
This means North Idaho College now moves to Phase IV – Close Campus and Sites. (Status: Guidance and/or direction from government or authorized health agency to cease physical operations.)
The intent of Phase IV is to continue operations with limited on-site presence.
Personnel Status: During closed site operations, employees are either “on duty, working remotely” or “on duty, essential core functions positions working at college buildings.”
The stay-at-home order will increase the number of our employees working from their homes, and reduce the number of employees working on-site.
Those who are currently still working on campus and have the ability to work from home should connect with their supervisor immediately to begin telecommuting.
Employees who perform essential core functions for NIC (and cannot perform their duties via telecommuting) may work with their supervisor to access college buildings so they can continue to do to the work that is critical for the continuity of on-campus/ on-site operations for North Idaho College.
These essential core functions include:
- Faculty (needing to prepare labs and record courses for online instruction)
- eLearning
- Security
- Dining Services (food delivery for residence hall students)
- Residence Life Manager
- Facilities Operations
- Information Technology
- Controller (emergency purchasing and processing authority)
- Accounts Payable
- Payroll
- Communications and Marketing
- Human Resources
- Area Agency on Aging
- Head Start Central Office
- President’s Executive Council and Critical Response Team (CRT)
NIC will continue to update its COVID-19 website. Bookmark and check often, www.nic.edu/coronavirus for all the latest information.
Even though NIC students are currently on a two-week spring break, students will receive an email explaining the stay-at-home order and available NIC resources. Classes will resume using distance-based instruction on Monday, April 6.
It’s amazing to experience everyone’s willingness to work together during these trying times. As President MacLennan stated in his message earlier today, the Cardinal spirit is thriving.
Take care. Be well. (Sending this communication on behalf of NIC’s Crisis Response Leadership Team.)
LAURA RUMPLER
Chief Communications and Government Relations Officer