News and Features

In light of COVID-19 health directive clarifications provided earlier today by the Mecklenburg County Public Health Department and stringently following our pandemic safety protocols, Central Piedmont will move some career and technical education classes back to on-campus, in-person delivery.

Starting Thurs., Jan. 14, classes in the following program areas will resume on-campus, in-person classes:

• Basic Law Enforcement
• Cardiovascular Technology
• Cytotechnology
• Emergency Medical Science
• Human Services Technology
• Medical Assisting
• Medical Laboratory Technology
• Notary Public
• Nurse Aide
• Nursing
• Occupational Therapy
• Ophthalmic Medical Personnel
• Paralegal Technology
• Paramedic Training
• Pharmacy Technology
• Physical Therapy Assistant
• Polysomnography
• Respiratory Therapy
• Surgical Technology

Class sections that began the semester as online or hybrid will continue online until Feb. 2, at which time the college will provide further guidance.

Students with questions about the mode of your classes – online or on-campus – contact your instructors directly and check Blackboard. The college will continue to follow pandemic-related executive orders from N.C. Governor Roy Cooper and recommendations issued by the N.C. Dept. of Health and Human Services.

The college encourages everyone to stay safe and vigilant in maintaining all of our safety practices, as COVID-19 cases are spiking in Mecklenburg County. Please keep wearing a facemask, practicing social distancing, washing your hands frequently, and monitoring yourself for any possible COVID-19 symptoms.

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

NC Governor Roy Cooper announced today an extension of the statewide curfew that went into effect for North Carolinians and businesses on December 11. The extension will remain in effect at least until 5 p.m. on January 29.

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.

“COVID-19 remains a deadly threat, and we’ve got to treat it that way,” Cooper said. “Simply put, don’t go places indoors where people aren’t wearing masks.”

According to the Governor’s new executive order, “between December 5 and December 18, over ninety percent of North Carolina counties were experiencing ‘substantial (orange)’ or ‘critical (red)’ COVID-19 community spread, according to the County Alert System developed by the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services, which evaluates a county's COVID-19 case counts, percent positives, and hospital capacity.”

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. Should you develop any symptoms or feel ill at all, please stay home and consult a physician.

N.C. Governor Roy Cooper and Secretary of North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services Dr. Mandy Cohen shared updates today on the COVID-19 County Alert System, warning that more than 90 percent of North Carolina counties are now designated as red or orange. All counties in the Charlotte region are designated in the red zone.

Please see the official news release from the Governor’s Office.

Central Piedmont reminds all students and employees to guard against COVID-19 spread during the holidays by always wearing a face mask and keeping a good social distance from others when in public, avoiding large indoor gatherings, and practicing other safety measures such as frequent hand washing and COVID-19 symptom monitoring.

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

Please stay safe as we look forward to the start of the spring 2021 semester.

North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper has issued a curfew for North Carolinians and businesses, effective Friday, December 11.

The “modified stay-at-home order” will require 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., Cooper said.

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 governor said the move is to limit gatherings and to slow the spread of coronavirus. “We will do more if our trends do not improve,” Cooper said.

The modified stay-at-home order will remain in place until at least Jan. 8.

According to the Governor’s executive order, between Nov. 21 and Dec. 4, more than three-fourths of North Carolina counties were experiencing “substantial” or “critical” COVID-19 community spread, based on the new County Alert System developed by the NC Department of Health and Human Services.

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. Should you develop any symptoms or feel ill at all, please stay home and consult a physician.

Visit coronavirus information for return to campus guidelines and other updates on the pandemic.

North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper announced a new set of face covering requirements today, calling them the state’s “best weapon” against a “dire” spread of COVID-19.

He said the state now has 20 counties considered “red,” where “critical spread” is occurring, under the state’s coronavirus alert system — double what it was when the color-coded alerts were introduced just last week.

Governor Cooper said his new executive order requires wearing a mask at home when friends are over as well as all public settings, including when at work, the gym, stores, and schools. The order also adds to business’ role in making sure customers wear masks inside stores and keep six feet apart. The new executive order goes into effect at 5 p.m., on Nov. 25, and runs through at least Dec. 11.

Thanksgiving is this Thursday, and the state is under Phase 3 of reopening and restrictions due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Indoor gatherings are limited to 10 people unless they are part of the same household. Outdoor gatherings are limited to 50 persons, however; face coverings must be worn outdoors if persons do not keep at least six feet from non-­household members.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has strongly advised people to stay home for the holiday. North Carolina does not have travel restrictions.

Governor Cooper and Dr. Mandy Cohen, N.C. Department of Health and Human Services Secretary, also urge people to celebrate Thanksgiving with safety precautions, including small groups, eating outside, social distancing of at least six feet with people outside your household, washing hands frequently and wearing a mask.

Last week, NCDHHS unveiled a new alert system that shows different color-coded levels of yellow, orange, and red to represent COVID-19 hotspots by county. The levels include different suggestions for how the counties can curb the spread of COVID-19. Read more about the new system in this Charlotte Observer article​. Mecklenburg County currently is coded yellow, which indicates “significant” spread. However, counties surrounding Mecklenburg are shown as orange (substantial spread) and red (critical spread).

North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper announced earlier today Phase 3 of statewide COVID-19 pandemic restrictions will remain in effect until at least December 4.

With Thanksgiving two weeks away, Governor Cooper said everyone in North Carolina must focus on keeping themselves and their friends and neighbors safe. “We are on shaky ground as we head into Thanksgiving,” Cooper said. “We must avoid getting together especially indoors.”

Cooper announced a new executive order that reduces the limit on indoor gatherings from 25 people to only 10. It will go into effect on Friday, November 13, and will be in place through Friday, December 4.

The NC Dept. of Health & Human Services reported 2,582 new cases today.

In Phase 3, which began Oct. 2, bars, entertainment venues, movie theaters, and large outdoor venues were allowed to reopen with firm capacity restrictions.

How Central Piedmont is Responding during Coronavirus

Central Piedmont is currently offering courses in multiple formats — online, hybrid, blended, and face-to-face. (Hybrid and blended courses include both online and some face-to-face instruction.) Central Piedmont continues to follow the state's in-person guidelines that apply to higher education.

For students who attend classes on campus, please read the Student Guide to Returning to Campus carefully. It is important you continue to follow all of the safety practices detailed in the guide. These include wearing a face covering, keeping a social distance from others, washing your hands frequently, self-monitoring for possible COVID-19 symptoms, and staying home if you feel ill at all.

Employees are encouraged to read the Guide for Returning to Campus to learn how to best keep themselves, their teammates and students as healthy and safe as possible.

Registration for the spring 2021 semester is now open. A complete listing of spring 2021 classes, including details such as section, prerequisites, course descriptions, etc., are now available through Student Planning. Log into MyCollege to plan your class schedule. In addition, Corporate and Continuing Education course registration is ongoing. 

North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper announced earlier today Phase 3 of statewide coronavirus restrictions will remain in effect until at least Nov. 13.

In Phase 3, which began Oct. 2, bars, entertainment venues, movie theaters, and large outdoor venues were allowed to reopen with capacity restrictions. Capacity limits remained in place for restaurants, and mass gatherings were limited as well — 25 for indoors and 50 for outdoors.

How Central Piedmont is Responding during Coronavirus

Central Piedmont is offering courses in multiple formats — online, hybrid, blended, and face-to-face. (Hybrid and blended courses include both online and some face-to-face instruction.)

For students who attend classes on campus, please read the Student Guide to Returning to Campus carefully. It is important you continue to follow all of the safety practices detailed in the guide. These include wearing a face covering, keeping a social distance from others, washing your hands frequently, self-monitoring for possible COVID-19 symptoms, and staying home if you feel ill at all.

Employees are encouraged to read the Guide for Returning to Campus to learn how to best keep yourselves, your teammates and students as healthy and safe as possible.

Registration for the spring 2021 semester begins Nov. 9. In addition, registration for Corporate and Continuing Education courses is ongoing. A complete listing of spring 2021 classes, including details such as section, prerequisites, and course descriptions are now available through Student Planning. Log into MyCollege to plan your class schedule. When it is the date/time of your priority registration, select "Register Now" to complete the registration process. 

North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper announced earlier today the state will move into Phase 3 of easing COVID-19 pandemic restrictions. Phase 3 will go into effect Friday, Oct. 2, at 5 p.m.

 Under phase 3:

• Movie theaters and conference centers can operate at 30% capacity or 100 people, whichever is less.
• Bars may operate at 30% outdoor capacity or 100 people, whichever is less.
• Small outdoor venues that hold fewer than 10,000 people can operate at 30% capacity or 100 people, whichever is less.
• Large outdoor venues that hold 10,000 or more can operate at 7% capacity.
• Outdoor amusement parks can operate at 30% capacity.

 Among the continued requirements:

• Face coverings remain mandatory for people over age 5.
• Mass gatherings remain limited to 25 people indoors and 50 people outdoors.
• The existing alcohol curfew is extended.

The college continues to offer its fall classes in multiple formats – online, hybrid, blended, and face-to-face. (Hybrid and blended courses include both online and some face-to-face instruction.) 8-week session fall classes begin Oct. 14, and Nov. 11.

For students who attend classes on campus, please read the Student Guide to Returning to Campus carefully. It’s important you follow all of the safety practices detailed in the guide. These include wearing a face covering, keeping a social distance from others, washing your hands frequently, self-monitoring for possible COVID-19 symptoms, and staying home if you feel ill at all.

Employees are encouraged to read the Guide for Returning to Campus to learn how to best keep their teammates and students as healthy and safe as possible going forward.

Class registration for fall term is ongoing through Nov. 10. Continuing Education Registration is ongoing until all seats are filled. 

Thank you for all that you continue to do to keep our community safe and healthy during this unprecedented time.

To help small businesses navigate any startup and/or growth challenges they are experiencing during the current COVID-19 pandemic, Central Piedmont Community College’s Small Business Center is offering two free webinar series this fall focused on “HVAC business development” and “non-profit capacity building post-COVID.”

HVAC Business Development Series
The demand for heating and air-conditioning services is anticipated to increase over the next five years with industry revenue forecasted to increase from $84 billion to $100 billion. This is an ideal time to plan entry into the industry. Technicians thinking about striking out on their own will find value in this series, which will equip them with the business skills needed to transition from a technician to small business owner. This series is designed for individuals with existing skills and licenses to start a business, as well as those interested in gaining the business skills to one day obtain the necessary industry certificates and licenses.

• Oct 1: Staying Cool when Starting an HVAC Business
• Oct 8: Developing an HVAV Business Plan
• Oct 15: Turn Up the Heat on Marketing Your HVAC Business
• Oct 22: No-Sweat Budgeting for HVAC Business

Post-COVID Non-Profit Series

This timely series will cover new ground and provide specific strategies to leverage during this era of social isolation. Attendees will discover how to elevate their board, find donors and dollars, and make virtual fundraising work for them. The series will be led by John Curtis, Ph.D., founder of IOD, Inc., and is tailored to help local nonprofit founders excel in the marketplace.

• Nov 4: How to Develop an Active, Engaged Board of Directors in a Post-COVID World
• Nov 11: How to Conduct a Successful Strategic Planning Process in a Post-COVID World
• Nov 18: How to do Virtual Fundraising in a Post-COVID World

Small business owners interested in enrolling in one of the above sessions are encouraged to register early; slots fill quickly. For more information or questions, email renee.hode@cpcc.edu.

The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services (NCDHHS) has launched the SlowCOVIDNC Exposure Notification App to help slow the spread of COVID-19 across the state.

The NCDHHS hopes college students and college employees statewide will download the app, which seeks to proactively notify students, faculty, and staff about potential exposure to the coronavirus so they may act quickly to protect themselves and their communities.

The NCDHHS believes the more people who use the SlowCOVIDNC app, the more effective campuses and communities across the state will be in slowing the spread of COVID-19.

Find download instructions and learn more about the SlowCOVIDNC Exposure Notification App and its privacy protections on the app website.

Questions? Email NCHealthIT@dhhs.nc.gov.

Since the pandemic began, Central Piedmont has implemented its own set of “slowing the spread” initiatives to ensure a safe learning and working environment for all. These are outlined on the Return to Campus website and include:

• creating wellness stations, equipped with optional infrared temperature checks, face coverings, hand sanitizer, and latex gloves
• making face coverings mandatory by all individuals on campus
• developing posters, fliers, floor stickers, seating charts, and more to remind individuals of the three Ws (wear face coverings, wash hands, and wait six-feet apart)
• requiring individuals scheduled to be on-campus to complete the online attestation form weekly
• and transitioning the majority of instruction online to create flexible class formats, and limiting on-campus meetings for students, faculty, and staff.

Thank you for following our safety protocols and doing all you can to keep yourself and each other safe.

Visit coronavirus information for all of Central Piedmont's updates on the pandemic.