Dear Campus Compact of Oregon Community: 

There have been several concerns raised about the state of the COVID-19 virus in Oregon and as a community-focused education organization, with many AmeriCorps members serving at K12 schools and post-secondary institutions, we wanted to reach out to our community about the COVID-19 virus:

• As of today, March 13, 2020, Governor Kate Brown has closed all Oregon schools (public and private primary, secondary and post-secondary institutions) through April 1, 2020.
• Mayor Ted Wheeler has announced a state of emergency for the Portland metro area.
• For Campus Compact of Oregon AmeriCorps programs and sites:
  • Site Closure: If your site is closed, work from home. Please make sure to report to your supervisors daily so they know you are safe. Additionally, please provide a list of items that you will be working on as part of your AmeriCorps projects so that you can stay on track with your work plans. Life will eventually return to normal and the work will be there. 
  • Compensation: Your paychecks will be deposited as per usual to your bank accounts at the pre-scheduled times. Please reach out to our office immediately if you are not paid at the regular time.
  • Healthcare:  Cigna has shared with us that they will cover the COVID-19 (coronavirus) test at 100%, with no cost share responsibility to the  member. The charge for the office visit, as well as any treatment, will be subject to deductible and coinsurance. If you have questions, please feel free to reach out to me.  Members’ questions should be directed to Cigna on mycigna.com or at 1-800-244-6224.  
  • Selfcare and Emotional Support: If you’re not feeling well, please stay home, rest and take care of yourself. Identify who you can call for support. Campus Compact staff and leadership are here to support you as well. Please feel free to reach out to us if you would like to check in about questions or concerns raised.
• While the public handling of COVID-19 has been really poor, we need to consider the structural effects that this will have on us both as individuals and our collective institutions and communities. This includes the wave of xenophobia that this issue has spurred, particularly racism directed at East Asian people. It should be noted the contagion and pandemic rhetoric have historically targeted BIPoC communities. Please consider this as you manage feelings of anxiety during this time.  
• It is also important to note that there has been a lot of fear stirred up socially around this issue, which is causing mass social anxiety that our systems and structures aren’t necessarily built to support a major public health crisis. That said, we will make it through this.  Again, please engage in self-care, if you need assistance with transportation or food, please reach out to your leadership, do what you need to feel safe and prepared. 
• The public recommendation of staying at least 3-feet away from other humans has been termed “social distancing” - which it’s worth noting, can also lead to social isolation and can exacerbate anxiety. Nonetheless, please maximize remote forms of communication and convening for support during this hard time.

In Partnership, 
Carmen Brewton Denison, Co-Executive Director of Community Engagement and Membership
Kaycie López Jones, Co-Executive Director of Internal Equity

​OUR MISSION
Campus Compact of Oregon convenes and supports the work of educational institutions individually and collectively to improve their practice around institutional equity, collaborative learning, and community engagement to respond effectively to a racially diverse and changing Oregon.
 
OUR VISION
Our members provide inclusive and equitable learning opportunities that strengthen communities and empower our students to be agents for positive change.