News and Features

In the days after the college announced its most recent mask guidelines, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) updated the nation’s face covering guidelines. As a result, the college will begin to follow CDC direction as of Sunday, March 13, when spring break ends.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced Friday, February 25, that people in areas considered to be low or medium risk can go indoors without masks. As it has since the COVID-19 pandemic began, the college will follow the CDC’s lead.

As of Sunday, March 13, masks will be optional anywhere on Central Piedmont college property and will no longer be required in classrooms and labs.

Nothing prevents students and employees from continuing to wear face coverings wherever they are on campus if they choose. Please keep in mind individuals should not be asked to disclose their vaccination status or why they choose or don’t choose to wear a face covering outside of class. This is private information and should be respected.

Please be understanding as students and employees make their decisions concerning face masks. Please continue to monitor yourself for any COVID-19-related symptoms, and stay home if you feel ill at all. If your symptoms persist, please contact a healthcare provider. Please report if you are exposed to or test positive for COVID-19 by sending a prompt email to wecare@cpcc.edu.

Effective February 26, Central Piedmont Community College will make the use of face masks optional on campus, except for classrooms and labs. Students and faculty members should continue to wear face coverings when in their classes and labs through the end of the 2022 spring semester. This decision was based on the following: 

• On February 16, the Mecklenburg County Board of County Commissioners voted to relax COVID-19 safety restrictions in the county, based on recommendations from the Mecklenburg County Health Department. Commissioners voted to end the county face-mask-wearing requirement which had been in place since late-August 2021. Mecklenburg County’s decision to no longer require the use of face masks is based on the rapidly decreasing numbers of positive COVID-19 cases being seen in the county. Beginning February 26, Mecklenburg County will no longer require people to wear face masks in indoor public spaces. 
• On February 17, North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper encouraged ending all local face mask mandates, based on declining COVID case numbers across the state and the great availability of vaccines.

Nothing prevents employees and students from continuing to wear face coverings wherever they are on campus if they so choose. Please keep in mind individuals should not be asked to disclose their vaccination status or why they choose or don’t choose to wear a face covering outside of class. This is private information and should be respected.

Please be understanding as our employees and students make their decisions concerning face masks outside of class. Please continue to monitor yourself for any COVID-19-related symptoms, and stay home if you feel ill at all. If your symptoms persist, please contact a healthcare provider. Please report if you are exposed to or test positive for COVID-19 by sending a prompt email to wecare@cpcc.edu.

The Mecklenburg County Health Department and the N.C. Department of Health and Human Services strongly recommend unvaccinated persons eligible for vaccination be vaccinated as soon as possible. Likewise, Central Piedmont encourages all members of the college community – students, faculty, and staff – to be vaccinated, if they so choose, as soon as possible.

Learn more about the COVID-19 vaccine and boosters by accessing the following resources: StarMed Health, Walgreens, CVS, Novant Health, and Atrium Health.

The college will operate at full capacity this fall, with a majority of classes being offered on-campus as well as many online. It is our intention to begin the semester operating in a way that mirrors pre-pandemic times as much as possible. Nevertheless, we want everyone to be as safe as can be while on campus. We have looked closely at the COVID-19 recommendations from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and the N.C. Department of Health & Human Services (NCDHHS), as well as the strong communication coming from the Governor’s Office. All of these continue to stress the importance of being vaccinated.

Vaccination Status and Clinics

If you have not yet been vaccinated against COVID-19, it is strongly encouraged that you so, if you are so inclined, at your earliest opportunity. The college will not ask you to provide your vaccination status, nor should anyone connected to the college inquire about your status. The college is working out the details with a local healthcare provider to offer vaccination clinics on multiple campuses. We will share these details as soon as possible.

In addition to encouraging everyone to be vaccinated, the college will have the following safety protocols in place until further notice.

Face Coverings Required Indoors While on Campus

Effective immediately, face coverings are required during instructional activities (during classes, labs, etc.); in face-to-face meetings, and whenever persons are moving through or gathering in indoor common areas, such as hallways, lobbies, stairways, elevators, our libraries, restrooms, etc. The only exception to this requirement is when employees are in their personal offices.

Our face mask requirement does not affect the expectation of a continued return to on-campus work for college employees. Until the vaccination rate in Mecklenburg gets significantly higher or the rate of positive COVID-19 cases begins to diminish, requiring everyone to wear face coverings indoors will help keep everyone safe.

Face masks and gloves remain available at building entrances to anyone who needs them. Face coverings are not required outdoors on campus.

COVID Reporting and Quarantine Protocols 

For information on reporting COVID cases and exposure, quarantine protocols and more, visit our Coronavirus Information page. 

On Friday, May 14, North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper announced the following changes to his previously mandated statewide COVID-19 restrictions. This relaxation of safety measures went into effect immediately on May 14.

• No statewide face mask requirement in most settings
• No mandatory indoor or outdoor mass gathering limits
• No mandatory indoor or outdoor capacity limits
• No mandatory social distancing requirements

The Governor’s new executive order is based on new Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommendations.

Effective immediately, Central Piedmont Community College will not impose any restrictions beyond those the Governor has specified. Face coverings and social distancing protocols, while still encouraged for unvaccinated people, are no longer required by the college.

Nothing prevents employees and students from continuing to wear face coverings if they so choose. Please keep in mind individuals should not be asked to disclose their vaccination status or why they are wearing a face covering. This is private information and should be respected.

During this transition time, please be understanding as our employees and students make their decisions concerning face masks on campus. Please continue to monitor yourself for any COVID-19-related symptoms, and stay home if you feel ill at all. Please report if you are exposed to, tested for, or diagnosed with COVID-19 by sending an email to wecare@cpcc.edu.

The Governor and the N.C. Department of Health and Human Services strongly recommend unvaccinated persons eligible for vaccination in the state be vaccinated as soon as possible. All persons in North Carolina age 12 and older are eligible. Likewise, Central Piedmont encourages all members of the college community – students, faculty and staff – to be vaccinated as soon as possible.

Learn more about the COVID-19 vaccine by accessing the following resources: StarMed Health, Walgreens, CVS, Novant Health, and Atrium Health.

North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper announced today, May 14, that he was lifting immediately many of the state’s COVID-19 social-distancing and mask-wearing requirements. In most settings, indoors and outdoors, the state will no longer require people to wear a mask or be socially distant. 

This means there are no pandemic capacity limits for indoor and outdoor spaces. The Governor said fully vaccinated persons no longer need to wear masks in most indoor settings. However, state health officials still recommend that unvaccinated people in North Carolina continue to wear masks.

Masks still will be required in some public spaces such as public transportation, healthcare facilities, and correctional facilities. Masks also are still required in childcare settings such schools, daycare facilities, and summer camps because children younger than 12 still are not eligible for vaccination.

Businesses, retail establishments, and other facilities in the state are still allowed to require social distancing and masks.

Any changes to Central Piedmont’s current social-distancing and mask-wearing requirements will be announced in the coming days.

The Governor and the N.C. Department of Health and Human Services strongly recommend that unvaccinated persons eligible for vaccination in the state be vaccinated as soon as possible. All persons in North Carolina age 12 and older can be vaccinated. 

Learn more about the COVID-19 vaccine by accessing the following resources: StarMed Health, Walgreens, CVS, Novant Health, and Atrium Health.

North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper announced today he will ease several statewide COVID-19 pandemic restrictions, including increasing the size of gatherings and capacity limits in retail stores and restaurants. The Executive Order will take effect March 26 at 5 p.m. and is set to expire April 30 at 5 p.m.  

“We can move forward with easing restrictions if we do it safely,” Cooper said.

The changes include:

• The gathering-size limit will increase to 50 people indoors and 100 people outdoors. (Previous limits have been 25 indoors and 50 people outdoors).
• Retail stores, salons, museums, and aquariums will be allowed to open at 100-percent capacity (up from 50 percent).
• Restaurants, breweries, and gyms can be open at 75-percent capacity indoors (up from 50 percent) and 100 percent outdoors.
• Bars, conference centers, music venues, and sports arenas will be allowed to open at 50-percent capacity (up from 30 percent).
• The statewide alcohol-sales curfew is being removed. (The curfew has been 11 p.m. since Feb. 26).

The state’s mask/face covering mandate remains in effect. All businesses still must maintain social distancing measures, which could limit the capacity of some establishments.

Central Piedmont encourages all employees and students to get the COVID-19 vaccine. It’s available to all employees now, as a member of Group 3 through Atrium, Novant, Starmed, and Walgreens. 

A COVID-19 vaccination clinic for Central Piedmont employees will take place in the Worrell Building, on Central Campus, Tuesday, April 6, from 9 a.m. – 3 p.m. Time slots are available. Register for an appointment today.

The vaccine adds one more layer of protection and can further help protect your family, co-workers, and our students. Let’s gain control of the spread and get back to the places and people we miss.

Learn more about the benefits of the COVID-19 vaccination. Visit covid19.ncdhhs.gov or cdc.gov today.

In the meantime, the college urges you to continue to do your part and practice the 3W’s (wearing masks, washing hands, and waiting — keeping a distance — at least 6-feet apart) until the vaccine becomes available to all. Learn more about the state’s vaccination distribution plan.

In a February 24, news conference, N.C. Governor Roy Cooper announced he will begin to ease some statewide COVID-19 pandemic restrictions. The current statewide curfew or state-at-home order was set to expire February 28.

Restrictions being reduced include:

• Alcohol sales cutoff at restaurants and bars will be extended from 9 p.m. to 11 p.m. Bars will be able to open indoors at 30% capacity or 250 people, whichever is less. The order takes effect Friday at 5 p.m. and lasts until March 26.
• Movie theaters are allowed to operate now at 30% capacity, with a cap of 250 people.
• Outdoor amphitheaters and concert venues can reopen at 30% capacity.
• The statewide curfew for all non-essential travel from 10 p.m. to 5 a.m. also is expiring, so restaurants and bars will be able to extend their hours.
• More spectators will be allowed at high school, college and professional sports events. The number allowed will depend on the venue size. Arenas with a capacity of as many as 5,000 people will be able to open with up to 15% capacity, as long as they follow safety protocols.

For more information and resources on COVID-19, please visit the college's coronavirus information page.

Central Piedmont adapted quickly to a radically different environment in March 2020, when the COVID-19 pandemic changed everything. Over the last year, the college has responded to the COVID-19 pandemic promptly by quickly developing new safety protocols and practices and addressing it students’ and employees’ needs in the following ways:

• moving more than 1,500 class sections online. Staff also moved all necessary student services to online/virtual delivery.
• providing more than 1,270 laptops and 1,120 Wi-Fi hotspots as free loaners to students and employees. (As long as students are enrolled, they can keep and use the devices free-of-charge.)
• raising more than $120,000 specifically for the Student and Employee Emergency Funds.
• developing safety protocols and contact tracing procedures. (Even though some students and employees have contracted COVID, the college knows of no cases in which a person caught the virus from someone else on campus.)
• welcoming students back in programs that require in-person instruction. Some students returned to campus as early as May 2020
• hosting a drive-through graduation ceremony for 2020 graduates at Cato Campus in July.
• establishing Central Piedmont Cares. To date, the Central Piedmont Cares and Single Stop teams have assisted more than 70 employees and 3,800 students. Categories of assistance provided include financial needs, food pantry, medical concerns, mental/emotional wellness, technology, and legal services.
• expanding on-campus instruction for the summer 2021 semesters.

Given the ongoing rollout of the COVID-19 vaccines, Central Piedmont hopes to return to normal on-campus operations in time for the fall 2021 semester. Regardless of when things get back to “normal,” the college will continue its work around student success and community service, both of which are guided by its vision, mission, and values.

To learn more Central Piedmont’s other COVID-related news, visit cpcc.edu/news and select “COVID-19/coronavirus updates” from the left navigation.

Spring semester 2021 hybrid classes can begin meeting on-campus Wednesday, Feb. 3. Students taking hybrid classes will check with their instructors over the next couple of days to confirm when their classes will meet on campus.

Students in classes that have been meeting on campus will continue coming to campus as specified by their instructors.

Students with questions about class meeting schedules have been asked to contact their instructors.

If you will be coming to campus for the first time this semester, remember to read the Employee Guide for Returning to Campus. Also, remember to complete the Health Acknowledgement form the Monday of each week you will be on campus.

Central Piedmont thanks its employees for working so hard this semester. Keep up the good work, and please stay safe.

N.C. Governor Roy Cooper announced today an extension of the statewide curfew that first went into effect for North Carolinians and businesses on Dec. 11. The extension announced today will remain in effect until at least 5 p.m., on Feb. 28, 2021.

The extended “modified stay-at-home order” requires people to stay home between 10 p.m. and 5 a.m., and most retail and entertainment businesses to close by 10 p.m. All on-site alcohol sales are required to end by 9 p.m.

Travel to and from work, to obtain food, medical care, fuel or social services, or to take care of a family member is exempted from the curfew.

The N.C. Department of Health and Human Resources reports that while the post-holiday spike in COVID-19 cases across the state seems to have peaked, the state is still in a dangerous position. Hospitals across North Carolina remain at near capacity, and a new more-contagious variant of the virus has been identified in the state.

The college encourages all community members to stay vigilant in maintaining all of our safety practices. Please keep wearing a facemask, practicing social distancing, washing your hands frequently, and monitoring yourself for any possible COVID-19 symptoms. Avoid large indoor gatherings and public spaces where people are not wearing masks. Should you develop any symptoms or feel ill at all, please stay home and consult a physician.