Dear Colleagues,

As you undoubtedly know, Governor Mills this afternoon issued an Executive Order that further limits which businesses can operate in Maine through April 8th.

The College, and all institutions of higher education in Maine, are defined by the Department of Homeland Security and, therefore, the Governor’s order, as an “essential business.”  As such, we will continue to operate in a safe and healthy way.

Nevertheless, in the interest of supporting the Governor’s Order and in the interest of public health and safety, the College will continue the process it has begun to limit the number of employees who are working on campus.  Those who are approved to work on campus will, of course, need to follow the CDC guidance on appropriate social distancing and workplace safety. While we are grateful that the measures we have taken thus far appear to be keeping our community members safe, we are staying in touch with all members of the campus community in order to keep everyone current on the latest recommendations as well as to monitor the health of our community.

Over two thirds of our campus community has already transitioned to remote work and learning and we are continuing to move our workforce in this direction. Over the next few days, Leadership Team members and managers will be working with their teams to continue developing protocols–including formal approval to work on campus– that will allow us to function safely and effectively. You will be hearing from them as to how your department or unit will operate during the time of the Governor’s Order.

More importantly, we want you, your families, your neighbors and friends–both on campus and off–to be safe and healthy.  Please take the Governor’s message to heart: limit the contact you have with people beyond your immediate household cluster, shop only when you need to for only the essentials you need, and be mindful that we are all in this together.

Best wishes,
Jim Dlugos
President