President's Messages

And we are back!

From:  President
Sent: Monday,March 7, 2022

Dear College Community,

Two years ago on March 7, 2020  we were four days into the beginning of the Spring semester.  We didn’t have to worry about vaccinations, uploading to CUNYFirst or access passes. To get on campus, all you had to do is show your KCC ID.  We had already started to hear rumblings about a virus.  We had no idea that in a few days the Coronavirus would make its way to the United States and change our lives in dramatic ways.  We moved quickly.  Professors moved their classes online and college services were all remote.  In a few short weeks, the city would shut down and from where we stood the future looked bleak.

A year ago  on March 7, 2021, we were two days into the beginning of the Spring semester.  The vaccine had just become available a few weeks before, and everyone made their way to vaccine sites or clinics to get their first dose. The majority of KCC classes and college operations were  still online, but with the leadership of the Forward Committee started to make plans for an increased return to campus in the fall.  New York City was also trying to get back to normal, but so much had changed  and we wondered if we would ever find our way back. 

Today is March 7, 2022 and we’re baaaaaaaaaaaaaaack !  In a year we experienced a new variant; the need for a second dose and a booster shot; implementation of a mask mandate and other COVID protocols.  Infections rates increased and then recently declined significantly. This semester we have even more in-person classes.  We still need to upload our vaccination information to CUNYFirst, access our Cleared4work pass to get on campus, get booster shots, participate in random testing, and adhere to quarantine protocols, but effective today, the temporary mask mandate has been lifted as a requirement. We remain respectful and supportive of those members of our community who choose to wear a mask (and may ask you in their presence to do so too) and also urge all those who have medical exemptions or religious exceptions to wear a mask. 

Despite our best and consistent efforts to communicate with students, this week you can anticipate that students may arrive late to class.  Many students, from what we experienced this weekend, do not regularly access their KCC email and have not downloaded their access pass as they are required to do in order to gain access to the campus.  Please help to spread the word to students about checking their emails on a regular basis so that they can remain abreast of important information. 

As you can tell, I woke up this morning thinking about how far we have come and I am more grateful than ever to be at this place with all of you as we do this incredible work of transforming lives. 

Have a great day!

Claudia V. Schrader, Ed.D.
President