PITTSFIELD, Mass.— Berkshire Community College (BCC) students, faculty, and staff must be fully vaccinated by January of 2022.
The Presidents of the Massachusetts community colleges announced Monday that students, faculty, and staff at the Commonwealth's 15 community colleges must be fully vaccinated by January 2022.
BCC is one of the 15 Massachusetts Community Colleges.
"During the last eighteen months, the Massachusetts Community Colleges have prioritized the health and safety of our communities while also recognizing that many of our students have been disproportionally impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic" the Presidents said in a statement shared with their campuses. "While a significant number of students, faculty, and staff are already vaccinated or are in the process of becoming vaccinated, the fifteen colleges are seeking to increase the health and safety of the learning and working environment in light of the ongoing public health concerns and current guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The Massachusetts Community Colleges are committed to ensuring vaccination status is not a barrier to students and will continue offering a range of virtual learning opportunities and services."
The announcement comes amid a rise in the number of new cases of COVID-19 across the Commonwealth, the increased access and availability of vaccines, the Food & Drug Administration's full and pending approval of available vaccines, and CDC guidance that the COVID-19 vaccine has been proven to be safe and effective at preventing infection, severe disease, hospitalization, and death.
Students who seek to register for courses that do not include any in-person component, and who do not plan to come on campus for any reason for the Spring 2022 semester, will not be required to provide documentation of vaccination.
All employees will be required to be vaccinated.
The 15 Massachusetts Community Colleges are Bunker Hill, Bristol, Cape Cod, Berkshire, Greenfield, Holyoke, Massasoit, MassBay, Middlesex, Mount Wachusett, North Shore, Northern Essex, Quinsigamond, Roxbury, and Springfield Technical.
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Dalton Town Hall Lift Solutions in Development
By Sabrina DammsiBerkshires Staff
DALTON, Mass. — Solutions are being sought for the lift in Town Hall that has been out of service since December because of safety concerns.
Building Grounds Superintendent Jeff Burch told the Americans with Disabilities Act Committee meeting on Tuesday night that Hill Engineering has been contracted to come up with a potential option.
The lift is in the police station and the only other lift for the town hall is in the library, which is not accessible after library hours.
Previous attempts by Garaventa Lift to repair it have been unsuccessful.
Replacing it in the same location is not an option because the new weight limit requirement went from 400 pounds to 650 pounds. Determining whether the current railings can hold 650 pounds is outside the scope of Garaventa's services to the town.
The first option Hill has proposed is to install a vertical lift in a storage closet to the left of the police entrance, which would go up into the town account's office.
A member of the committee expressed concern that the current office location may not be suitable as it could hinder access to the police station during construction.
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The Ordinances and Rules subcommittee on Monday unanimously supported a pay raise for election workers, free downtown parking for veterans, and safeguards to better protect wetlands.
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