Worcester Business Journal

June 8, 2020

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wbjournal.com | June 8, 2020 | Worcester Business Journal 23 Businesses now must become COVID enforcers V I E W P O I N T E D I T O R I A L M assachusetts has reached the second phase of Gov. Charlie Baker's economic reopening plan, where it is once again acceptable for restaurants to open their dining rooms and for hotels to accept guests. While significant restrictions remain (face masks, limited occupancy, extensive cleaning requirements) nearly all businesses shut down in March over COVID-19 concerns now are allowed to be back up and running, with the notable exception of those hosting large groups and performances. Yet as we all know, this is hardly a return to normal. e state and the country have yet to develop an effective testing, tracing and quarantining system. Since businesses were shut down in mid-March, more than 7,000 people have died in Massachusetts (800 in Worcester County). e curve of cases has been bent downward, and other states have allowed businesses to reopen, with varying degrees of restrictions. Are we past the peak, or will there be a second wave in the fall and winter? It's too early to know, but organizations have canceled winter events over second surge concerns, like Tower Hill Botanic Garden in Boylston did with its main winter event – Night Lights – since it may be forced to shut down again. Yet, the economy must reopen. Massachusetts' unemployment rate was near its all-time low with 2.8% in March but rose to an all-time high of 15.1% in April, with Greater Worcester's April number a hair lower at 14.4%. e short-term shutdown locally, across the nation, and the world is going to have long-term consequences on our economy and our psyche as a nation. So, as many companies open for business again, a good deal of responsibility falls to us to ensure our employees and customers are as safe as possible. is means enforcing face mask policies, allowing workers to work from home when possible, developing protocols to identify and keep sick people away from our offices, accepting operations may run at a reduced capacity, and being firm with those who attempt to skirt the new rules, even when they are valued customers. e containment of any second surge of the virus this fall will be largely dependent on how we can manage behaviors and keep within the safety guidelines laid out by the state. We'd all like to shake the virus and have it behind us, but lax enforcement will only make any problems lying ahead worse, so the summer is a time to stay vigilant. Customers have already shown they are ready to comply with any necessary rules. While a handful of highly publicized incidents of non-compliance have hit the news, a trip to the grocery store or Home Depot shows the vast majority of us are wearing face masks, follow social distancing markers, and patiently waiting our turn in line. Now that more businesses are reopening, we can't lose our nerve when it comes to enforcing these regulations designed to keep our employees and customers safe. During the economic shutdown, businesses large and small lobbied vigorously they could responsibly reopen, following any rules deemed necessary, if they could just start generating revenue again. Now that this chance has come, there is too much at stake to blow it. Having more than 7,000 people lose their lives to the pandemic is tragic. Having another 7,000 die because we were irresponsible in a rush to return to our pre-pandemic lives would be stupid, and will cost us in both lives and further economic pain. W Community colleges can bridge uncertainty gap T he challenges we face as a nation due to the coronavirus pandemic have le no one untouched. Higher education has been disrupted in ways still being played out, with college students being sent home from their residential campuses; instruction moving to remote methods, and fall college choices now unclear. As I write this, traditional residential colleges and universities remain up in the air about their fall status. Families are uncertain about their financial future, and students are rethinking their academic options. While no one knows what will happen in the months to come, there is a way to take a smarter, safer, step forward – community college. Community colleges offer a way for high school graduates to continue their education in a safe way, as they are local and offer less risk than sending students away from home with the fear and uncertainty of being evacuated from campus housing, should there be another wave of the virus. ey are a choice for students who were hoping to head off to college this fall but are now uncertain if that will happen. For some students the idea of taking off the coming year may seem ideal. However, I disagree. Why should students delay their future when they can start at a community college and transfer to a four-year college or university? Not only will credits transfer, but students will realize a substantial savings. Massachusetts even provides programs and incentives to make the transfer process seamless. MassTransfer and Commonwealth Commitment are ways in which students can save even more when they transfer. ere is much more to community colleges than one may realize. ey are the choice in higher education traditionally offering convenient and varied options. ey have academically strong online programming, professors who are proficient in online instruction, and offer dozens of degrees and hundreds of classes taken remotely. Community colleges offer small class sizes and robust support services to ensure students have everything they need to succeed. Students are taught by professors who have real world, industry experience, many of whom teach at four- year schools on the side. Social life is a part of this collegiate experience. ere is a strong social aspect to community colleges encompassing everything from clubs and sports to mentoring and career training/placement. Community colleges are a vehicle for people looking to change or advance their careers, or for those displaced workers looking to gain new skill sets to become more marketable. Businesses rapidly transitioning their physical workplace to a remote workplace, are now finding their employees lack the necessary skill sets in order to remain successful. Community colleges can provide this needed education to both employees and employers, so companies can remain viable. e true strength of community colleges lies within their ability to be creative and quickly adapt, while effectively serving the ever-changing needs of the community. Luis G. Pedraja is president of Quinsigamond Community College in Worcester. BY LUIS G. PEDRAJA Special to the Worcester Business Journal Luis G. Pedraja WO R D F R O M T H E W E B Facebook feedback "It's still here. I don't want it to open up too fast and have another surge. en it will be right back to where we were in April." – Marsha Mendys, June 3, on Gov. Charlie Baker announcing child care centers may reopen in early June aer being shut down due to concerns about the coronavirus "Unbelievable … here we go." – James Hubert, June 3, about Worcester-based Quinsigamond Community College's decision to keep all its class online for the fall semester Tweets of the Week "Nice price! Massachusetts #electrical contractor B. F. Garvey & Sons purchases an industrial flex building for $544K, $1million less than listing price." – Electrical Apparatus (@ElecAppMag), June 2, on Garvey of Burlington buying a Holliston facility "You deserve it. Your honesty, clarity and sincerity helped guide even beyond the hospitals." – Ophelia Delia (@OpheliaDelia), June 1, on Dr. Eric Dickson, president and CEO of UMass Memorial Health Care, being listed in the WBJ Power 50 W

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