DUPAGE COUNTY HEALTH DEPARTMENT UPDATES:

DuPage County Communities with the most COVID-19 deaths as of July 20:

1. Bloomingdale: 58 deaths
2. Westmont: 50 deaths
3. Elmhurst: 38 deaths
4. Naperville: 34 deaths
5. Hinsdale: 33 deaths
6. Carol Stream: 29 deaths
7. Oak Brook: 25 deaths
8. Lombard: 24 deaths
9. Wheaton: 22 deaths
10. Burr Ridge: 21 deaths
11. Willowbrook: 19 deaths
12. Downers Grove: 16 deaths
13. West Chicago: 14 deaths
14. Itasca: 15 deaths
15. Bensenville: 12 deaths
16. Aurora: 11 deaths
17. Glendale Heights: 11 deaths
18. Addison: 9 deaths
19. Roselle: 8 deaths
20. Lisle: 7 deaths

DuPage County DEATH RATE as of July 14 = 5%

As of July 20, there are now 10,308 total confirmed cases of people with, or who have had, the virus in DuPage County, including 495 deaths.

Since yesterday, there are 123 new cases of COVID-19 in DuPage County including one death of a person with COVID-19 infection reported:

•1 male 70s

Longterm Care Facility COVID-19 cases/deaths (as of July 17, per the Illinois Department of Public Health). As of July 14, the percent of DuPage County’s COVID-19 cases occurring at longterm care facilities is 18.6%. There is a lag in the data shared between the county health department and state health officials.

Abbington Rehab & Nursing Center: 73 cases, 6 deaths

Alden Estates of Naperville: 103 cases, 21 deaths

Alden of Old Town East: 3 cases, 0 deaths

Alden Trails: 5 cases, 0 deaths

Alden Valley Ridge: 44 cases, 19 deaths

Alden Village Bloomingdale: 21 cases, 1 deaths

Aperion Care of West Chicago: 47 cases, 7 deaths

Arista Healthcare Naperville: 12 cases, 1 deaths

Artis Senior Living Elmhurst: 42 cases, 19 deaths

Artis Senior Living of Bartlett: 29 cases, 12 deaths

Aspired Living of Westmont: 13 cases, 4 deaths

Beacon Hill Lombard: 48 cases, 6 deaths

Belmont Village Senior Living Carol Stream: 30 cases, 3 deaths

Bria of Westmont: 152 cases, 25 deaths

Bridgeway Senior Living: 68 cases, 4 deaths

Brookdale Burr Ridge: 20 cases, 5 deaths

Brookdale Glen Ellyn: 8 cases, 1 death

Brookdale Lisle: 45 cases, 7 deaths

Burgess Square Healthcare & Rehab Center: 36 cases, 3 deaths

Cedarhurst of Naperville: 5 cases, 1 death

Chateau Center Nursing & Rehabilitation: 58 cases, 13 deaths

Clarendale of Addison: 10 cases, 0 deaths

DuPage Care Center: 40 cases, 4 deaths

Forestview Rehabilitation & Nursing Center: 120 cases, 16 deaths

Harbor Chase of Naperville: 6 cases, 0 deaths

Harvester Place Memory Care: 38 cases, 13 deaths

Lacey Creek Supportive Living: 2 cases, 0 deaths

Lakeview Memory Care: 27 cases, 4 deaths

Lexington of Bloomingdale: 72 cases, 19 deaths

Lexington of Elmhurst: 17 cases, 11 deaths

Lexington of Lombard: 43 cases, 12 deaths

Lexington Square Lombard: 3 cases, 0 deaths

Manorcare Hinsdale: 168 cases, 33 deaths

Meadowbrook Manor Naperville: 37 cases, 3 deaths

Naperville Manor Health and Rehab Center: 12 cases, 1 death

Oakbrook Care: 103 cases, 22 deaths

Oak Trace: 9 cases, 3 death

Oak Trace Skilled Nursing: 2 cases, 0 deaths

Park Place Health and Wellness: 2 cases, 0 deaths

Park Place of Elmhurst Assisted Living/Memory Care: 2 cases, 0 deaths

Providence Healthcare & Rehabilitation Center: 74 cases, 13 deaths

Ray Graham Iona Glos: 25 cases, 2 deaths

St. Patrick’s Residence Nursing & Rehabilitation Center: 5 cases, 0 deaths

Sunrise of Bloomingdale Assisted Living: 6 cases, 1 death

Sunrise of Willowbrook Assisted Living: 12 cases, 1 death

Tabor Hills Healthcare: 33 cases, 4 deaths

Terra Vista of Oakbrook Terrace: 25 cases, 3 deaths

The Auberge of Naperville: 4 cases, 0 deaths

The Birches Assisted Living Clarendon Hills: 10 cases, 0 deaths

The Grove of Elmhurst: 85 cases, 6 death

The Radcliff Wood Dale: 14 cases, 2 death

Westbridge Assisted Living Wheaton: 9 cases, 4 deaths

West Chicago Terrace: 9 cases, 2 deaths

Westmont Manor Health and Rehab Center: 46 cases, 16 deaths

West Suburban Nursing & Rehabilitation Center: 118 cases, 15 deaths

Wheaton Village: 54 cases, 7 deaths

Windsor Park Manor: 100 cases, 21 deaths

Winfield Woods Healthcare Center: 3 cases, 0 deaths

Wynscape Health and Rehabilitation: 2 cases, 0 deaths

From the DuPage County Health Department and COD officials on Wednesday, May 13:

COLLEGE OF DUPAGE UPDATES:

June 30:

Fall classes will not proceed in the usual fashion, with students faculty and staff on campus, according to a new memo released by College of DuPage President Brian Caputo Tuesday morning. Caputo released three bullet points summarizing what the school experience will entail this fall:

·  Modes of Instruction.  Instruction will be delivered online and through the hybrid modality.  Hybrid course offerings will be generally limited to those whose learning objectives cannot be achieved entirely online.  The aim of this strategy is to minimize the density of individuals on campus.  This will make the environment safer for those who must come onto campus to work (i.e., Facilities Department staff and other “essential workers” designated by executive orders of the Illinois Governor).

·  Working from Home.  Those individuals who have not been notified by their supervisor that they are “essential workers” will continue to work from home as the fall 2020 semester starts and continue to do so until environmental conditions indicate that it is reasonably safe to do otherwise.  This will include most faculty (unless on campus to deliver authorized in-person instruction associated with a hybrid course), classified staff, managers, student workers, and administrators.

·  Restricted Entry onto Campus.  As has been the practice over the past few months, non-essential faculty, staff, and administrators should only come onto campus for short periods of time as necessary to pick up reference materials or supplies.  Permission of the immediate supervisor and supervising Cabinet officer is required for the admission of non-essential personnel onto campus.  Non-essential personnel who need to come onto campus should contact their immediate supervisor.  Before being admitted, non-essential personnel will be screened for symptoms associated with the coronavirus.

June 11:

College of DuPage students who must get back on campus to complete their spring semester will gain limited access to the HSC and HEC buildings starting this coming Monday, June 15.

President Brian Caputo unveiled a detailed plan for how students with lab or clinical requirements will be able to finish their coursework in an email Wednesday night. The plans were created for students with classes that could not be totally converted online. The goals of the plan involve limiting the possible exposure of all involved to the COVID-19 virus. Caputo detailed the plan as follows:

•   One doorway per building will be used as a dedicated entrance and another will be used as a dedicated exit.  Access to buildings other than the HSC and the HEC will be restricted or prohibited.

•  Coronavirus-related preventative measures will be posted at the doorways.

•  All students will be screened prior to entry in accordance with an established protocol.

•   Students must provide their own masks and wear them at all times while on campus.

•   Students must maintain social distance from others of at least six feet at all times.

•   Classroom seats will be modified as necessary to maintain social distancing.

•   No more than 10 people will be allowed in any classroom at the same time.

•   Students will not change classrooms throughout the day.

•   Signage will be posted in common areas, such as near washrooms and elevators, to facilitate social distancing.

•   As necessary, students should bring their lunches and eat in the classroom, outdoors, or in their cars.

•   Students will be dismissed after class in a coordinated manner to maintain social distancing.

•   Classrooms will be cleaned/disinfected at the end of each day.

• Students may arrange to pick up course materials ordered through the College bookstore.  When notified that their course materials are available, students can make an appointment for curbside, contactless pick-up by calling (630) 942-2361.

May 29:

All College of DuPage employees and visitors must pass a health screening prior to accessing campus until further notice, according to the latest information unveiled by college officials Friday.

According to an email sent out by administrators, all visitors to campus:

“must electronically (phone, text, etc.) contact the supervisor or designate in the area they are wishing to access. Prior to entering the facility the area supervisor or designate will stand at least 6 feet away from the non-employees and ask:

* Do you have a fever?

* Do you have a cough or difficulty breathing?

* Have you or a family member you live with had close contact within the last 10 days with a confirmed or suspected COVID-19 patient?

* Screening questions must be limited to the three issues noted above (i.e., fever, respiratory issues and contact with suspected individual), do not engage or ask any follow up questions, even if the non-employee offers additional information.

* While conducting the screening, care should be taken to maintain the confidentiality of the non-employee.”

All campus employees will undergo a similar screening prior to accessing campus as well as receive a temperature check. Directors from the administration indicate anyone with a possible exposure to COVID-19 will not be allowed entry to the campus.

May 19:

Workers primarily responsible for the care and upkeep of the main College of DuPage campus in Glen Ellyn will return to normal work June 1, according to an announcement made Tuesday afternoon by COD President Brian Caputo. But students and faculty will still be restricted from the campus. All regional centers will remain closed.

“We now understand enough about how to mitigate the risk of virus transmission to permit a limited reopening of the main campus,” Caputo said in his email announcement.  “This reopening will be for certain individuals who need access to our facilities in order to work productively.  Consequently, the following staff members will report for work at the main campus in Glen Ellyn effective Monday, June 1, or as otherwise directed by their immediate supervisors.

·         Operating engineers

·         Building maintenance staff

·         Carpenters and carpenter assistants

·         Painters

·         Groundskeepers

·         Custodial staff

·         Mail services staff

·         Warehouse staff

·         Police officers

Caputo said those groups of workers are deemed “essential” under Gov. J.B. Pritzkers executive order. All workers returning to campus must maintain social distancing, wear masks and other person protective equipment as needed and sanitize regularly.

“Until further notice, employees not listed above (“non-essential employees”) should continue to work from home to the maximum extent possible,” Caputo said. Non-essential employees should only come to the main campus for short periods of time when necessary to otherwise accomplish their work from home (e.g., pick up supplies or hardcopy reference materials).  These employees should only come to campus with the expressed authorization of their immediate supervisor and Cabinet officer.”

Caputo added that there will be a reduction in paid hours for some student workers remaining on the payroll this summer.

“Effective June 1, regular part-time employees and student workers will be paid only for the number of hours that they actually work,” he said.

May 14:

More details about what College of DuPage classes will look like this summer came to light Thursday morning in an email to faculty that also showed college administrators are negotiating the impact of the changes to the full-time faculty union contract.

The email sent by Assistant Provost Kirk Overstreet included the following descriptions of the class format offerings in the works:

Hybrid (HYB)

Courses meet in person on campus with additional required learning online. Students will meet on campus for labs, studios, or clinical work. Face-to-face meeting days and times for each section will vary depending on the course and learning needs. *

Virtual Classroom Meetings (VCM)

Courses meet completely online in real time at specified days and times using video chat software. All assignments are submitted online. This format is designed allow students regular face-to-face contact in a virtual format.

Online (NET)

Courses are taught completely online following instructor timelines and learning outcomes. Students interact mostly through discussion boards and written messages and assignments, and all assignments are submitted online.

Overstreet’s email indicates administrators are also planning for the possibility of the college having to close its doors again if there is a surge in the virus:

“Important: All of the above delivery formats have online components,” read Overstreet’s email. “To ensure success, students should do their best to have access to adequate computer hardware and software, including a webcam and adequate wi-fi service. This may be especially important if the college needs to close.”

*We are still working out several contractual issues with our CODFA Colleagues regarding existing contractual language regarding “hybrid” percentages, this description is meant to be broad and simple for students, and community members. We will update all with the final ratios when we come to consensus.

May 6:

As DuPage County surged past the 4,000 COVID-19 infections mark Wednesday, May 6, College of DuPage President Brian Caputo announced plans to offer a limited version of in-person classes for the fall 2020 semester.

“We are developing an in-person hybrid and virtual learning model,” Caputo wrote in an update to faculty and staff late Wednesday. “This flexible format is designed with safety as a top priority, while providing students the opportunity to receive instruction partially in person if they choose.

“The proposed model will be adaptable to safety requirements that may be imposed in the future by public health authorities to control the spread of the coronavirus,” Caputo continued. “Specified governmental protocols and/or executive orders will impact upon how the model is ultimately implemented. We will share the details of the new alternative learning model in the coming weeks.”

The announcement comes on the heels of Gov. J.B. Pritzker announcing five phases of returning the state to normal operations. The plan separates the state into regions. Each region must hit specific benchmarks showing a decreasing spread of COVID-19 cases to enter a new phase. With each new phase comes a closer return to the region, and state, being fully open.

In the plan, DuPage County and COD are in the Northeast Region. That region currently sits in phase two. It must reach phase four before schools, colleges and universities (including COD) can reopen. Steady progress toward the milestones could see the Northeast Region enter phase three in June and then phase four in July.

—

College of DuPage officials are expecting a decline in enrollment based on new internal projections, according to an email by COD President Brian Caputo sent to faculty and staff. But, so far, no cuts to faculty or staff are on the table.

The expected loss of students will combine with what college officials also expect to be a decline in money from the state because of the COVID-19 outbreak. The administration will present a revised budget plan for the 2020-21 fiscal year to the board of trustees to reflect the expected loss of funds.

“The prospect of lower tuition/fee revenue and state support in FY21 has necessitated that we reduce costs now to maintain the institution’s financial stability,” Caputo wrote. “Our objectives are to continue to deliver the college’s current program offerings and maintain our current workforce.”

Possible budget cuts include not filling open positions or continuing with searches for open positions. Capital costs are also on the chopping block.

“The pandemic will pass,” Caputo said. “In the end, given how well we are responding to the pandemic, I believe that College of DuPage will emerge from the crisis as a stronger institution and community.”

Return of Textbooks.  The campus bookstore is offering free shipping return labels and extending the return period without penalty to support the return of textbooks by mail.  The rental check-in period has also been extended 15 days to allow shipping of rental returns at the end of the term.  Students should contact the bookstore at (630) 942-4353 for assistance or visit https://www.bkstr.com/dupagestore and click on the COVID-19 bar at the top of the screen for additional information. Students withdrawing because of the outbreak can return materials for a 100% refund by April 30. You will need proof that you dropped that course prior to the college’s COVID-19 withdraw deadline of April 10.

Return of rental textbooks:  If your campus store is closed, customers can ship rentals back to the store via a free FedEx return label. Wait for the rental reminder email that is sent 14 days before your rental due date. Email is sent again 7 days, 3 days, and the day of your due date. This email contains a link to generate a free return shipping label and packing slip. The book rental due date is May 16, with a two-week grace period.

Summer textbooks: Standard shipping of textbooks for summer COD courses will be free of charge.

·         WiFi Access.  Gaining access to wifi is challenging for some students.  Students should be aware that some service providers have offered free or reduced-fee wifi service during the coronavirus pandemic.  Comcast and AT&T are among those service providers.  Links to the websites of Comcast and AT&T, respectively, are https://www.internetessentials.com/ and https://www.att.com/support/article/u-verse-high-speed-internet/KM1094463/.  Other service providers may offer similar programs.  Students should ensure that they understand all terms of any wifi service that they are considering as some providers may require a continuation of service at a higher fee after the period of the pandemic.

–       Postponement of the Kahlo Exhibit.  Due to the conditions presented by the coronavirus pandemic, the administration is recommending to the College’s Board of Trustees that the exhibition of the works of Mexican Artist Frida Kahlo be postponed from the summer of 2020 to the summer of 2021.  The Board will consider the proposal at its regular meeting scheduled for April 16.

·         Waiver of Summer Semester Online Fee.  Recognizing the difficult circumstances that COD students are facing due to the coronavirus pandemic, the College is waiving the $57.50 fee that is normally attached to online courses.  A refund will be issued by May 8 to any student who paid the fee with an early summer course registration.  The online fee has not been charged to those who have more recently registered for a summer course.

·         Library Support.    The library has staff available to assist students and faculty with regular hours of online support.  For more information, go to https://library.cod.edu/.

·         Return of Library Books.  Library books should not be returned to the COD library while college facilities are closed.  In addition, there are no drop boxes available to receive books at this time.  If you have checked out a book from the COD library, please retain it until further instructions can be provided after campus facilities reopen.  No fines will be assessed while the campus is closed.  For more information, go to https://library.cod.edu/covid-19.

COD Student Employment On Tuesday, College of DuPage officials said they are adjusting the number of credit hours students must work to have a student job down to three credits for the remainder of the spring semester. The previous policy required a minimum of six credit hours for student employment.

College officials reported last week afternoon that health department officials notified them two COD students have contracted the virus. Officials believe the students were not contagious during the time they were still on campus.

Student Emergency Relief.  The College has established a Student Emergency Relief Fund to provide assistance to students who are financially struggling as a result of the pandemic.  Students who are in need should contact the COD Foundation at (630) 942-2462 or [email protected].  Employees and other College community members who would like to contribute to the fund should also contact the foundation at the same telephone number and e-mail address.

• Institutional Advancement Announces COVID-19 Student Relief Fund & Challenge Gift: College of DuPage’s Office of Institutional Advancement team, in collaboration with the COD Foundation, has established the COVID-19 Student Relief Fund to support our students who find themselves with financial struggles due to the ongoing COVID-19 crisis. The Foundation is also proud to announce the opportunity to double the impact with a $25,000 challenge gift from the Shebik Family of Wheaton. Gifts made to the fund through the end of May will be matched up to $25,000. Join the Shebik family and support College of DuPage students by donating here.