In-person instruction at Maine’s community colleges may be affected by COVID-19

AUGUSTA, ME – In light of the post-holiday surge of COVID-19 infections in Maine, the presidents of Maine’s seven community colleges are deciding locally whether to delay the start of in-person classes for the spring semester.

College presidents have the flexibility to adjust the spring semester based on local circumstances, according to David Daigler, president of the Maine Community College System (MCCS). Delaying in-person instruction is an effective way to minimize face-to-face contact while infection rates are higher and helps protect the health of students, faculty and staff.

“Each president needs to decide, based on their local and regional conditions, whether it’s appropriate to take this step to protect the health of their college community and ensure sufficient staffing to operate smoothly,” Daigler said.

As of Thursday, Southern Maine Community College (SMCC) is the only community college in the system to delay in-person instruction, by one week. Instead, SMCC in-person classes will be held remotely for the first week of the spring semester, which begins Tuesday, January 18. The affected classes are currently scheduled to return to in-person instruction on Monday, January 24.

All Maine community college students attending class in-person or going on campus must be vaccinated and boosted under the system’s COVID safety protocols. Students who are fully remote and are never inside a campus facility do not need proof of vaccination.