In the Aftermath of Hurricane Sandy

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November 6, 2012 

Brookdale at Neptune will resume a normal class schedule tomorrow, November 7th, 2012. Lincroft, Freehold, and Hazlet will also continue to be open.

Long Branch and Wall remain closed until further notice. Please check back soon for additional updates.

Monday, November 5

UPDATE: Classes will resume a normal class schedule in Lincroft, Freehold and Hazlet tomorrow, Tuesday, November 6. Neptune, Long Branch and Wall remain closed until further notice.

An Important Message from Dr. Maureen Murphy:

Friends,
This past week has been exceptionally trying for all of us in Monmouth County. Hurricane Sandy has devastated many homes and left thousands without electricity or heat--or worse. It will take time for this region to heal, and Brookdale is committed to helping us all rebuild our lives.

Over this past week, Brookdale administration has been focused on assessing the damage to the college and finding ways to reopen and reestablish a sense of normalcy. We've tried to keep everyone informed through RAVE text messages, our website, 90.5 The Night and social media, especially Facebook.

Many staff have been working nonstop since Sandy's arrival, despite personal inconvenience, and I thank them all. As a result of their diligence, Brookdale is able to resume operations at Lincroft, Freehold, and Hazlet tomorrow morning, Tuesday, November 6. Employees assigned to those locations should report to work; employees assigned to locations not yet open who would like to lend a hand should report to the Educational Services office.

I know many students, faculty, and staff are experiencing hardship. Please let us know what is going on with you; we want to help. Our goal is to support the entire Brookdale community as much as possible throughout this time.

Students
We know many of you are concerned about the time you've missed. The college is committed to helping you make up the time you've lost, and your professors will work with you to help you complete this semester successfully. If you have problems, please contact your instructors. If you are unsure how to contact the appropriate person, please email BrookdaleRebuilds@gmail.com. Be sure to state your full name and be specific in your message. State the name of the course and section you a referring to, as well as the name of your instructor.

Employees
If you a having difficulties, please contact your supervisor. There will be a college-wide meeting tomorrow at 11:45am, in the Student Life Center Navesink rooms, to share the Sandy recovery strategies with all employees. If you work at Freehold or Hazlet and ITV is unavailable, we will come to your location for an on site meeting later this week.

Brookdale is a strong college and will come through this even stronger. Already, Brookdalians are working hard all across Monmouth County, helping with recovery efforts. We will continue in these efforts as long as we are needed.

Brookdale rebuilds!

Dr. Maureen Murphy, President
Brookdale Community College

Sunday, November 4

All Brookdale locations will be closed on Monday, November 5. Brookdale locations in Freehold and Hazlet will reopen on Tuesday, November 6 and the normal class schedule will be in effect, including evening classes. Brookdale officials are working to secure an exemption to the curfew for students enrolled in evening classes. Please check back for updates if you are enrolled in a course scheduled after 6pm. Rutgers classes in Freehold also resume on Tuesday.

As of now, Freehold and Hazlet are the only Brookdale locations with electrical power. Each Brookdale site will reopen as power is restored, and we will announce each opening accordingly. So, please check back frequently for updates.

We understand that some students and employees may face challenges from the hurricane that will prevent attendance.
Employees, please contact your supervisor to provide an update on your status, particularly if you are unable to report to work.
The re-opening of the Freehold and Hazlet sites is great news! We look forward to the re-opening of each Brookdale location (hopefully soon!) and seeing everyone re-engaged in classes and campus activities.

Saturday, November 3 (updated Sunday, November 4)

Brookdale Community College will donate food, cooked meals and paper products to a shelter at the Joseph Bolger School, 100 Palmer Place, in Keansburg (off Main St, by the Dixie Lee Bakery).

Please help us help those displaced by Hurricane Sandy in the Bayshore area by donating much needed warm clothing for children and adults. Items most needed are new underwear, socks, hats, gloves and coats. Toiletries are also needed. You can deliver your donations directly to the shelter at 100 Palmer Place, Keansburg.

Thompson Park, 805 Newman Springs Road, Lincroft, is also collecting donations from 7am until dusk to be given out at the county's three distribution centers at Holy Family Circle, 910 Route 36, Hazlet; Monmouth Park on Oceanport Avenue, Oceanport; and Circle Factory Outlets, 1407 Atlantic Ave., Wall.

Your help is greatly appreciated!

Friday, November 2

Brookdale remains closed through Sunday, November 4. All classes, programs, trips and services are cancelled.

Brookdale is developing an academic integrity and recovery plan to help students successfully complete the semester.
The details of the plan are still under development, but the priorities of the plan include the following:

1. To keep the semester intact and to provide additional academic support services when needed.
The current semester ends on December 22. As of now, we do not plan to extend the semester. To ensure successful completion of classes, instruction will be supplemented to make up for missed work. Extended services will be available for the library, labs, testing, and counseling.

2. To reopen each location as soon as possible. Each Brookdale location will reopen as power is restored in their respective towns.

3. To provide non-academic support services, as needed. Here are a couple:
o For students currently enrolled in a payment plan, late fees will not be assessed for November.
o Priority registration will be rescheduled.

Employees, please contact your supervisors as soon as possible to let them know your status and to receive updates on the status of the College and your respective departments.

Non-credit healthcare registration scheduled to start November 6 is cancelled and tentatively rescheduled to begin November. 13. The healthcare brochure will be online on November 9. Please check back for updates.

Our first priority is to help students and employees get through this difficult time safely. We will continue to assess the situation and provide updates as information becomes available.

Thursday, November 1

All Brookdale locations remain without power. The College will remain closed through Sunday, November 4. Another update will be provided on Sunday, November 4 by 4pm, to let you know where we stand. In the meantime…

Click on the icon below and like us on Facebook to join in the conversation about how Brookdalians have been impacted by Hurricane Sandy. You can also post questions and we will provide answers as soon as possible.

Brookdale Public Radio 90.5 FM will be on-air live until 7pm tonight and again at 6am tomorrow with music and updates. So tune in!
For employees without direct deposit: If you were unable to pick-up your paycheck today, you will have another opportunity to do so tomorrow (Friday, 11/2), between 10am and Noon at the Lincroft campus police station, parking lot #8. A photo ID is required.

For students: All tests (including the Praxis) that were missed during school closure will be rescheduled once the College has reopened. All students will be given time to complete assignments.

We know that this is a challenging time for many of you. Our prayers and thoughts are with everyone.

Wednesday, October 31

A MESSAGE FROM BROOKDALE PRESIDENT DR. MAUREEN MURPHY:

Friends,
Today I toured all the Brookdale locations with Jim Sulton, Dianna Phillips, and Rich Frank, and we found that none of our campuses or centers received any significant damage. That is indeed good news. Acting Board Chair Butch met us at the Wall Higher Education Center, and he, too, was heartened that Brookdale is in such good physical shape.
We are having problems, however, with IT, and we do not currently have access to our regular website, college email, and Colleague. Our back-up website is up, so please look to the web for updates. OIT and Facilities are working non-stop to get all of our systems back up as soon as possible. I am especially grateful to Patty Kahn, Camille Shelley, and Jim Lennox for their diligence.
For those of you with direct deposit, your paychecks are being sent directly into your accounts. Those of you who receive paper checks can pick them up at the college police station between 10am and 1pm tomorrow. Be sure you have ID.
The college will reopen when we have power and our systems are functional. Right now, we do not know exactly when that will be. Until that time, please take care of yourselves and your families. I hope you are well and that any damage you have suffered is easily fixed.
Take good care, friends,
MM

Tuesday, October 30

Due to the impact of Hurricane Sandy, the College will remain closed on Wednesday, October 31 and Thursday, November 1. Further updates on the status of business operations for Friday, November 2, will be communicated on Thursday, November 1, after 4pm.
EMPLOYEES: If you are not enrolled in direct deposit, pay checks will be available for pick-up on Thursday, November 1, between 10am – 1pm, at the police station on the Lincroft campus, parking lot #8. A photo ID is required and your check will not be released without one. Please be careful and drive safely.
STUDENTS: It is important for you to check the syllabus for each of your courses and remain up-to-date on your assignments. We undersand that the loss of power, and other problems created by Hurricane Sandy, may hinder students from doing assignments. However, since we don't know how long the College will be closed, students are encouraged to do what they can to prevent falling behind.
Stay safe everyone!