NWIC Moves to Online & Remote Work
January 19, 2022
Please read an important update following the Lummi Public Health Team’s recent recommendation for a targeted shelter-in-place for the Lummi Nation and community due to the recent COVID-19 surge. Effective Wednesday, January 19, 2022, the College will be implementing the following changes:
- Remote-work schedule (minimum of four weeks)
- The College will be moving to a remote-work schedule for at least four weeks, Jan. 19 through Monday, February 14, 2022. This remote-work schedule will be monitored during this period of time and may be extended, if needed.
- The Lummi campus doors will remain locked for at least 4 weeks to the general public and any in-person interactions will be by appointment only. It’s important to note that the College is NOT closed during this remote-work period. All employees, whether full- or part-time benefited, are expected to be responsive and available during the regular business day and work week.
- Employees that request to be on campus during this time, please notify the Security and Custodial/Maintenance Department for tracking purposes and to maintain adequate cleaning protocols. Staggered schedules may be allowed with strict safety protocols and with permission from your supervisor and consultation with HR, COVID Safety Office, and Custodial/Maintenance staff.
- Additional requirements:
i. Employees must wear N95 masks while on campus.
ii. No NWIC sponsored travel
iii. No NWIC gatherings and or in-person meetings
- In-person/face to face classes will be converted to distance learning classes for the remainder of Winter quarter (through Friday, March 25)
- The rationale for this change is to minimize further disruption of classes for students and faculty for the duration of the quarter. Faculty/instructors are advised to work directly with Destiny Petroske and Rudy Vendiola, with support from the E-Learning Team, for guidance on this change. Extended campus sites: based on your respective Tribe’s current COVID-19 guidelines and contingency plans, please communicate with Angel Jefferson and Destiny to determine whether you plan to convert your in-person classes to distance learning or remain status quo for the remainder of the quarter.
- Essential Staff: The following areas/staff have been identified as Essential Staff for at least for the next 4 weeks—a minimum of 21 hours up to 40 hours per/week. Classified staff will submit timecards and contracted staff will submit a time and effort form.
- Purchasing and Receiving
- Accounting
- Security
- Maintenance
- Custodian
- Cooks
- Cashiers
- Eagles Market
- Mail Office
- Library
- Dorms staff (and to include RA’s)
- Residence Life Center/Dorms and Cafeteria
- The RLC will remain occupied at half capacity with current resident students for the remainder of winter quarter and academic year unless otherwise indicated. The Cafeteria’s services, however, will be restricted only to RLC students for the next four weeks.
- Athletics (Men’s/Women’s Basketball):
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- The next scheduled games for the Men’s and Women’s basketball teams is technically the 2022 AIHEC National Basketball Tournament, tentatively scheduled for March 23-26, 2022, hosted by Nueta Hidatsa Sahnish College (North Dakota). Although the AIHEC Athletic Commission has approved NHSC’s application to host the tournament, the next step is to confirm which TCU’s will participate. The NWIC Men’s and Women’s teams plan to participate in the tournament if the LPHT guidelines allow at that time. An official announcement will be made regarding the status of the tournament when that information becomes available.
Lastly, as a follow up to the all-staff COVID-19 update last Friday, the Lummi Nation’s definition of “Fully Vaccinated” for the purpose of quarantine guidelines during the Omicron wave is having received 2 doses of a Moderna or Pfizer vaccine AND a booster dose of any vaccine OR having received 1 dose of a Johnson and Johnson vaccine AND a booster dose of any vaccine. The College is also following this definition of fully vaccinated employees, unless an exemption has been approved by HR, and so please schedule an appointment for a booster dose if you have not done so already and submit a copy of your updated vaccination card to HR as soon as you can. Please contact your supervisor or HR if you have specific questions.
Please continue to keep the community and families in your prayers, especially the families who recently lost loved ones related to COVID-19. Continue to stay strong and support one another during this time.