President's Report and Luncheon Annual Update

President’s Report

I hope you are all staying safe and well during this unprecedented global pandemic. I wanted to update you on how it has affected our nursing program, our plans to move into the new Mohr Hall, and in the planning of our annual luncheon.

First the luncheon. Prior to this crisis, the Board, at the fall membership meeting had made the decision to switch the luncheon to September, to see if this would increase attendance and minimize conflicts with summer plans. At our last meeting, a few weeks ago, we made the difficult decision to cancel this year’s luncheon, due to the uncertainty around when social distancing would be lifted and other considerations. We hope to be able to resume our annual luncheon in 2021. We will still award scholarships to our nursing students this spring, as we always do.

After the campus closed to all activity in mid-March, the SCC Nursing Program went completely online. Lectures were given remotely, via a variety of applications that allow us to either broadcast the lectures live over the internet or pre-record them. We were also displaced from our clinical rotations, and have had to make up the balance of our clinical time through computer-driven simulation programs and other alternative clinical activities. This alternative clinical plan was submitted to the BRN and recently approved. This means that all semesters will be able to move forward, and our senior nursing students will be able to graduate and enter the nursing workforce. We are grateful that our students and faculty stepped up in this difficult time to do what needed to be done. We are also grateful to our Program Director, Carel Mountain, whose vision and leadership allowed us to negotiate these difficult waters.

Finally, an update on the new Mohr Hall, which is nearing completion. The faculty were able to take a tour of the facilities shortly before the campus was closed, and we are generally pleased with the design of the new building. The design makes good use of natural light, and it feels like a warm and welcoming space for our students. We had expected to be able to move into the new building over the summer break, but the current situation has pushed that back to some future unknown date. When it is appropriate, we will have an open house so that our Alumni may celebrate the new Mohr Hall with us.

Michael Iredale 

President

SCC Nursing Alumni