cONTRIBUTORS Office of The President College Operations Office Communication Services Continuing Education Dean of Health Sciences Student Services
IN THIS
ISSUE
02
OFFICE OF THE PRESIDENT
03
C O L L E G E O P E R AT I O N S O F F I C E
06
C O M M U N I C AT I O N S E RV I C E S
07
C O N T I N U I N G E D U C AT I O N
08
D E A N O F H E A LT H S C I E N C E S
10
S T U D E N T S E RV I C E S
Continuing to Adapt
Committed to Campus Safety
Collaboration is Key
Center for Healthcare Professionals
Hitting Enrollment Targets
Responding to Students’ Needs
VOL. 01, ISSUE 02 | DECEMBER 2020
C O L L E G E F O R H E A LT H S C I E N C E S
OFFICE OF THE PR ESIDE N T Continuing to Adapt by Dr. Phillip Nicotera, M.D., M.S.Ed. President It has been a couple of months since my last column and we still find ourselves dealing with the coronavirus. I am sure we all thought things would be different by now, but we are continuing to adapt to a still ever-changing situation. We all face these challenges on a daily basis and find our own personal ways to move forward.
students in four programs for one week. Also, we have been bringing Certified Nurse Aide (CNA) students at other campuses throughout the district, and as of the writing of this, we have completed 80% of the CNA students. By the beginning of September, we were moving students toward completion; more importantly, we had a very successful collaboration between faculty and College Operations.
Coleman College has come together to bring some normalcy, while Every day I am proud at the considering our values of professionalism and diligence of safety and maintaining In October, students our core business of returned for their the faculty, staff and students. educating and serving hands-on classes, and our students. It has been extremely difficult for during the first week, we had more than 100 our students to halt their progression and not classes with close to 300 students, and it is still know when they would be able to complete. It ongoing. In mid-October, we started bringing became clear that we would need to find the back some student services. right combination to bring our students back, while maintaining safe standards. Coleman College has led the way to successfully bringing back some sense of normalcy. Our goal was to begin slowly, bringing back small numbers of students and faculty for short Please keep up the good work, and I wish periods of time. We started on Aug. 4 bringing everyone a successful completion of the fall in approximately 60 students in five programs for semester. one week, and then on Aug. 24 with about 50 02 | DECEMBER 2020
Coll e g e Ope r at ion s Committed to Campus Safety by Dr. Diana Castillo, Ed.D. College Operations Officer Guided by our HCC Mission to protect the safety and well-being of our students and employees, Coleman College and all campuses have continued our collective work to keep students
• Limited FTF computer access and instructional support • Adult education literacy (at specific campus locations)
on track for course success and completion. Our efforts largely focused on providing temporary
Our objective also includes HCC’s commitment
access to faculty offices and just enough time to
to retain full-time and part-time employees,
retrieve essentials, while keeping certain services
reduce turnover, increase morale, help
like HESI testing completely online.
employees focus on work and facilitate future return to normal operations. Normal operations
On Oct. 5, College Operations management
are critical to the overall success and financial
teams across the district planned the re-
stability of the institution in order to continue
introduction of limited student and instructional
to generate revenues that help us retain
support services in a face-to-face (FTF)
employment.
environment for any student that needs that support. Most of these services are available by
The facilitation of future return to normal
appointment, but specific services that began,
operations is underway for Spring 2021. We
including some services to walk-in students
move forward with cautious optimism. A
include the following:
modified plan to pilot the Flex Campus section
• Financial aid
is under review, which means our buildings may
• Advising, admissions and career services
possibly reach 2/3 capacity. Our focus will remain
• Availability of quiet study space for students
on increased safety and screening protocols,
needing this type of environment • Limited FTF tutoring (at specific campus
while we prepare for the return of staff for FTF work.
locations) 03 | DECEMBER 2020
COLLEGE OPERATIONS [CONTINUED]
Key factors to safety first will focus on what we call “layered protection.” The college campuses have all achieved a great deal of success by ensuring training of all screeners, ensuring safety at our general entrance checkpoints, appropriate enforcement of wearing masks, hand washing, the use of PPE and social distancing in classrooms and labs.
Student Protocol Students self-report exposure or that they have tested COVID positive by using the daily PreScreening URL link sent to them by HCC email. The student must open the link and fail the questionnaire. This is the official manner to report. When this step is taken, the student is automatically Another key component is the continued
placed on a restricted list managed by an HCC
involvement of faculty, staff and administration
Call Center. The Call Center serves as the
to work carefully to ensure timely COVID-19
clearinghouse for students.
contact tracing and notification that enables HCC’s Legal Department, Risk Management Department and college administration to quickly resolve and report any potential COVID
COVID Call Centers For students: 713.718.8400 For employees: 713.718.2300, option 4
cases and ensure appropriate and timely disinfection of areas. Two protocols must be
Both HCC COVID Call Centers contact the
followed to quickly report COVID positive
student or employee, collect end of the
cases and complete the Post-COVID Safe
quarantine period documentation and clear the
Return to Class.
student or employee to return to campus.
04 | DECEMBER 2020
HCC Faculty & Staff Protocol for Reporting Confirmed or Possible COVID Cases • It is imperative that faculty or staff immediately report a potential, presumptive or confirmed COVID exposure or case. When reporting any type of information shared by email, text or phone (even if the student is not certain if they have COVID or have been exposed to someone else regarding potential exposure), the person collecting the information must get it right the first time. • The chain of command for reporting is to your direct supervisor. Supervisor reports to appropriate dean, dean to COO and college president. • The team then quickly assembles incident details and coordinates with HCC’s Incident Command, Legal Department and Risk Management Department to determine the appropriate communication protocol that will be used. Every case is different. • Faculty or staff reporting any case must maintain confidentiality. Please do not discuss the case with anyone else and especially, not the students.
• If you are unsure whether to report something, go ahead and report it. It is better to be on the safe side. The following chart can serve as a guide for reporting specific details.
COVID CASE
QUICK REFERENCE GUIDE WHO
Name of student, student ID, email address, telephone number.
WHAT
What is the student reporting? Did they contact COVID? Are they exposed to someone with COVID? Are they having symptoms? Describe in detail. Provide dates of when the student may have been exposed, when they tested and when they received their positive results.
WHEN
Report the date and time of last point of entry and exit to HCC specific campus location, what classroom number, lab, floor, building, etc.
WHERE
Class and CRN number of where student was last present (to help determine level of cleaning and to help administration quickly contact any other students, faculty or staff that need to be notified)
WHY
An explanation of student describing what may have occurred.
INCIDENT DESCRIPTION
Detail any other information provided by student; attach email communication, if appropriate, or any details taken by faculty member.
05 | DECEMBER 2020
COM M U N IC AT ION S ERV IC ES Collaboration is Key by Adrena Dow Director of Communications As a result of Communication Services’
perspective students and the community to
continued partnership and collaborative efforts
embrace HCC and its educational opportunities.
with Deutser, a well-known, local business
Click here to watch.
consultant, HCC will start off the upcoming year with a revitalized, system-wide marketing
If you’d like targeted marketing created for your
campaign spotlighting a unique focus on our
program, contact us and share your thoughts
esteemed faculty and dedicated staff.
of how we can help. Coleman Communications always welcomes the opportunity to collaborate
The messaging of the Spring 2021 campaign
and work collectively toward our common
is clear and simple – “For everyone, anytime,
goal of increasing enrollment, recruitment and
anyway. Online. On campus. Or both.” And,
retention of our students.
despite the challenges we’ve faced with the pandemic over the course of the past months,
Here’s how you can submit a request. Click here
we’re continuing to find innovative ways to
and visit hccs.edu/colemanrequests.
promote our college, strengthen our marketing efforts and connect with our community. Some of the key elements showcased include: radio and
Follow Us
Don’t forget to follow us on social media. We’re
television ads, billboard signages, streaming and
always posting the latest information about
digital marketing and paid social media.
Coleman programs, events and campus updates.
You may be surprised to see some familiar faces
www.facebook.com/hcccoleman
lending their hidden talents in the new ads. Take a sneak peek at our HCC superstars who shared personal testimonies and encouraged
www.instagram.com/hcccoleman www.linkedin.com/in/adrena-dow226793184
06 | DECEMBER 2020
CON TI NU ING E DU CATION Center for Healthcare Professionals by Prashant Harjai Program Manager Did you know the Center for Healthcare Professionals (CHP) at Coleman College offers health continuing education (CE) to students and professionals working in the health care field? Our partnerships with credit programs are created to offer mirror courses and professional readiness courses that assist students in their educational goals. We also partner with organizations to develop and deliver education to meet healthcare continuing education needs of learners, organizations and the community. Here are just a few of the many classes we offer that you can refer to health care professionals: Spanish Healthcare Interpreter Assessment Training (click here) Have you been approached by a high school graduate or students that have earned their GED and speak Spanish related to careers in health care? For as little as $199 tuition and just 16 weeks of training, they can enroll into Healthcare Assessment and Training courses. These courses are completely online and self-
paced. Upon successful completion, students will meet the educational requirements and training to appear in either Certified Medical Interpreter (CMI) or Certification Commission on Healthcare Interpreters (CCHI) national certification. Coronal Polishing for Dental Assistants (click here) If professionals are looking for approved continuing education in coronal polishing that will provide knowledge and hands-on skills to deliver coronal polishing to their patients, we are offering a $345 hybrid, lab-based course. Take this course and get CE credit for your license renewal and meet educational requirements to perform coronal polishing on your patients. The hybrid course has an online, self-paced didactic component and a safe, hands-on, labbased session performed on specially procured equipment targeting skill building, while minimizing any COVID-19 exposure.
Contact Us
Visit us online at www.hccs.edu/chp. Or, for inquiries or referrals, please email hcc-chp@hccs.edu, or call us at 713.718.7796. 07 | DECEMBER 2020
DEA N OF HEA LTH SC IE NC E S Hitting Enrollment Ta r g e t s by Dr. Jeff Gricar, Ed.D., CPhT, PhTR. Dean of Health Sciences The instructional division at Coleman College
do on a daily basis. Whether they are arranging
has been extremely busy since the beginning of
academic schedules, advising students, admitting
the semester. Despite the drop in overall HCC
students, attending and conducting meetings,
enrollment, Coleman has maintained or exceeded
reporting data on demand, teaching classes
its enrollment targets for Fall 2020.
or preparing and managing budgets, they are always working from their virtual office. Program
Many Coleman labs re-opened to students on
directors keep their programs running smoothly,
Oct. 5. We have had great success and students
and I appreciate and thank them for all the hard
are very happy to be back in their laboratories.
work and hours they put in every day!
Simulation is great, but nothing can match the one-on-one, hands-on experience of a health science lab.
Congratulations!
The Health Information Technology (HITT) program had their reaccreditation site visit by
Faculty have done a fantastic job before and
the Commission on Accreditation for Health
since we have re-opened our campus. They
Informatics and Information Management
have worked tirelessly, and because of the
(CAHIIM) on Aug. 11 and 12. This was the first
COVID guidelines, most are teaching extra
virtual site visit for HCC and the HITT team.
sections to ensure students stay on their
Dr. Carla Tyson, Carolyn Stariha and their adjuncts
educational pathway. Faculty are education’s
are to be commended for a very successful visit!
underappreciated “front-line” professionals. Coleman faculty are appreciated and admired for
Janet Pena, program director for our Pharmacy
all they do for their programs and students. Thank
Technician program, earned her Master’s degree
you, faculty! I also want to thank all the program
in Summer 2020.
directors for all the behind-the-scenes work they 08 | DECEMBER 2020
The Pharmacy Technician (PHRA) program had their virtual reaccreditation site visit by the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists (ASHP) & Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE) on Nov. 9. Program director, Janet Pena, and the pharmacy technician team, including Liz Wilroy, Roderick Dunn, Marlen Jimenez and Diana Cruz did an outstanding job and the site visit was a great success! The official acknowledgments of reaccreditation
Human Service Technology
for both programs should be received some time
Dr. Katrina Gary-Forte, Faculty
in 2021.
Oct. 23, 2020
Up to the Minute
Coleman College for Health Sciences
Coleman faculty and staff are always promoting
Dr. Philip Nicotera, President
their programs and remote work has not
Oct. 5, 2020
stopped them. Several have been guests of Todd Duplantis on his live Facebook webcast
Medical Assistant
Up to the Minute promoting their programs and
Cynthia Lundgren, Program Director
highlighting all the great things happening at
Sept. 18, 2020
Coleman College for Health Sciences. Respiratory Therapy To view any of these interviews, go to YouTube
Teddy Tovar, Program Director
and search for HCC Up to the Minute Health
June 1, 2020
Sciences. Dental Assisting Kay Jukes, Program Director Nov. 10, 2020 Health Science Programs
Histologic Technician Dr. Min He, Program Director May 8, 2020
Medical Assistant Program
The Medical Assistant program has been ranked
Dr. Jeff Gricar, Dean of Health Sciences
#2 in the nation for online medical assistant
Nov. 4, 2020
programs by EduMed.org. Visit https://www.
Health Information Technology
edumed.org/online-schools/medical-assistantprograms/#2-year-schools for more details.
Dr. Carla Tyson, Program Director
Way to go Medical Assistant team! Keep up the
Oct. 28, 2020
great work! 09 | DECEMBER 2020
S TUDENT SE RVIC E S Responding to Students’ Needs by Dr. Patricia Ugwu, Ph.D. Dean of Student Success & Engagement
Dean’s Message
Dear HCC Coleman Family, I hope you and your family, friends and colleagues are staying well and adapting to this era of COVID-19. HCC Coleman Student Services team remains available to provide guidance and support to students as they continue their educational journey here at HCC Coleman. To respond to needs of our diverse students, we are now offering on-campus services in the following Student Services functional areas: enrollment, counseling and advising. Thank you everyone for working as a team and for your ongoing help for our students and campus community throughout this pandemic period.
Zoom Live Virtual Student Services
Here is the contact information to receive student services, depending on your status as a student: New and Returning Students Please visit hccs.edu/virtuallobby. Connect To a Zoom Lobby Please use the following links to connect to a specific campus: • Central: https://us02web.zoom.us/my/hcc.centralcollege • Northeast: https://zoom.us/j/91927399355 • Northwest: https://zoom.us/j//86979507071 • Southeast: https://zoom.us/j/7149753105 • Southwest: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/87353032366 10 | DECEMBER 2020
Zoom Hours of Operation Monday-Thursday, 8 a.m.-6:30 p.m. Friday, 8 a.m.-5 p.m. On-campus Services If you choose to visit with a staff member in person at Coleman, on-campus services are available by appointment only. Schedule an on-campus appointment via the Virtual Lobby link at https://outlook.office365.com/owa/calendar/ColemanStudentSupportService@o365.hccs.edu/ bookings/. Campus Hours of Operation Monday-Thursday, 9 a.m.-6 p.m. Friday, 8 a.m.-5 p.m. International Services Please visit https://us02web.zoom.us/j/83038182315. Veteran Services Please visit https://us02web.zoom.us/j/2891420899.
COVID-19 Reporting Reminder
As a reminder, everyone who comes to an HCC campus is required to follow all safety protocols, which include completing individual screenings each day they plan to come to one of our locations. Click here to get quick info about returning to campus and HCC COVID-19 resources. If you get a question about how to report or get cleared to come back to campus after COVID-19 quarantine, please refer students or staff to call HCC COVID Call Centers. COVID Call Centers For students: 713.718.8400 For employees: 713.718.2300, option 4
11 | DECEMBER 2020
STUDENT SERVICES [CONTINUED]
Student Life Events and Activities
We’ve been busy collaborating with everything from carvings to cleanup! Take a look at what’s been keeping us active. Coleman Hosted • Events - 15 • CAB trainings - 4 • NSLS meetings - 3 • Orientation - 1 • Leadership - 1 • Speaker broadcast - 6 • SNTS - 6 SGA Hosted • Events - 6 • General assemblies - 2 Attendance • Coleman only events - 284 attendees • CAB - 7 organizations • SGA - 36 general assemblies
Recreational Sports and Wellness
Keep it healthy and stay active. Get involved with any of the following programs we’re offering. • Deep-stretching class (yoga) • Bootcamp fitness • Zumba fitness • Twerk fitness • Walk-a-thon For schedule information, please contact christian.andrews@hccs.edu. You can also check us out on Instagram @hccsathletics.
Ways to Stay Connected
Receive free event text alerts for Coleman. Text hccevents to 76626. Here are more ways to connect:
hccs.edu/student-life-coleman
12 | DECEMBER 2020
co.studentlife@hccs.edu
co.sga@hccs.edu
Inside Coleman Internal Quarterly Newsletter Publication HCC Coleman College for Health Sciences Produced by Communication Services Fall, December 2020 Vol. 01, Issue 02
