Guam Community College President Mary Okada has responded to allegations that GCC faculty is ignoring COVID-19 guidelines after the reopening of the school for face-to-face instruction.
PNC has received complaints about GCC not following COVID-19 protocols, with some calling for the school’s suspension of their face-to-face instruction.
Among the complaints:
“…the classrooms used are not provided hand sanitizers and have to bring their own cleaning supplies. Further, they are not trained on the proper sanitation of specialized equipment as per the CDC guidelines…”
“All points of entry open with no screening.”
“People on campus with their masks down, not wearing their mask properly”
“No one policing”
“No sign for faculty that you have to use hand sanitizer”
“There are no or inconsistent signage”
Other complaints include students congregating in between classes, workers in dean’s offices saying they don’t have to wear masks if they’re behind the plexiglass, and faculty members confused and unaware of safety protocols or of the reopening plan.
In an interview with Newstalk K57’s Patti Arroyo Tuesday morning, Okada acknowledged that there were some issues of that nature on campus but she and other members of the faculty have already addressed them.
“There was some indication that individuals were not properly wearing their masks and so those have been addressed. Some of the issues are personnel issues which we can’t discuss. So again, if somebody was not wearing their masks properly, then we ask folks to respectfully address those with the individuals,” Okada said.
She added: “Yes, there was a complaint that was received that people weren’t social distancing and again, we just respectfully ask those individuals to be cognizant of where they are and who they’re next to so they maintain the proper social distance between them and the next person.”
Okada also mentioned the other ways they have been keeping up with the updated guidelines provided by Public Health such as:
= More orders to initiate the deploying of hand sanitizers and PPEs required into classrooms;
= If people need face masks, they can go to their designated area to pick one up at the school entrance;
= GCC has cleaners with an outsourced contract for disinfection;
= Purchased disinfectant sprayers;
= GCC has a set disinfection schedule that was established by their environmental health and safety officer; and
= They have individuals from their MIS, environmental office, and others assisting in the disinfection of high touch areas as well as continually disinfect said areas based on the schedule.
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