OBSERVER file photo The Jamestown Community College.

Jamestown Community College President Daniel T. DeMarte on Wednesday announced the college’s intention to resume in-person operations for the fall 2021 semester.

“The COVID-19 pandemic has tested our abilities in a variety of ways,” DeMarte said in a recent message to the campus community. “Despite the adversity, I am proud of how we have responded and am excited to move forward in regaining our pre-pandemic momentum.”

With the COVID-19 vaccine becoming more widely available to the general public, the first step toward regaining that momentum, DeMarte explained, “is welcoming students, faculty, and staff back to campus for the fall semester.”

The college’s plan to resume in-person instruction and operations in the fall of 2021 will be contingent on health and safety protocols set forth by the State University of New York, health departments in Chautauqua and Cattaraugus counties, the New York State Health Department, and the Centers for Disease Control. JCC shifted to remote operations on March 17, 2020 and began the 2020-21 academic year in August using a flexible instructional format that has included online, hybrid, and in-person courses.

“Our communities have done a tremendous job of keeping the virus away from our campuses and with diligent effort from us all, we will be sure to continue to keep it that way next fall,” DeMarte added.

Additionally, all three residence halls on the Jamestown Campus will be accepting residents. The college will also aim to resume athletic events, club activities, and academic out-of-class experiences in accordance with the health and safety protocols.

Further, DeMarte said that the shift to hybrid operations has influenced the college’s method of course delivery and student support services. To enhance the student experience, staff will be added to help assist with this transition.

“While we will return to on-campus instruction, we have improved JCC’s capabilities to deliver instruction remotely with various technologies that will be incorporated into our plans to make the curriculum more convenient and accessible to students,” he said. “To aid in this return, I am also excited to share that we have added two positions dedicated to help students navigate the onboarding, registration, and start-of-the-semester processes.”

Additional updates will be shared regularly at sunyjcc.edu/covid19.