NOTE: Due to the COVID-19 Crisis, we will NOT be ticketing cars in the campus parking lots during the Fall Semester. 

Latest COVID-19 News Updates

• Guidance for wearing Face Coverings from the CA Dept. of Public Health 
• Guidance for wearing Face Coverings from the CA Dept. of Public Health (Spanish)
• Porterville Enforcing State-Issued COVID-19 Mask Rules With Citations and Fines
• COVID-19 update: Numbers on rise, PDC facility to open, outbreak at Porterville Convalescent
• Gavin Newsom issues statewide mask order: Californians must wear face coverings in public 6-18-20
• #COVID19 Update for Tulare County. June 16, 2020
• Coronavirus update: Tulare County continues to be area of concern to state (6-15-20)

Rent/Mortgage Assistance Programs Available to Help Qualified Students

CSET (Community Services Employment Training) has two rent/mortgage assistance programs that students may qualify for:

1. The Community Service Block Grant (CSBG) emergency rental/mortgage assistance program will provide assistance to low- and moderate-income households that have had a reduction in income or became unemployed or have been affected in other ways due the COVID-19 pandemic. Persons applying must meet all applicable income and eligibility requirements. Only one (1) pre-application per household will be accepted.
2. The Emergency Food & Shelter Program (EFSP) is intended to help a family or individual with up to one-month's rent or mortgage. A verifiable hardship is required to receive assistance. Each household may receive this assistance only one time per funding period. Only one (1) pre-application per household will be accepted.

Apply here: https://www.cset.org/covid-19

Disability Resource Center Is Here to Help You

In light of the recent developments concerning COVID-19 and Porterville College's transition to remote instruction, we recognize that students may be feeling a bit overwhelmed. We understand that the transition to remote learning methods may present various levels of access barriers for students, and we want you to know that the Disability Resource Center (DRC) remains committed to supporting each of our students with your transition and success.

DRC is providing remote services such as:

• Cranium Video Conference Appointments
• Phone Appointments
• Email Questions
• Assistive Technology Support
• Alternate Media
• Study Strategies
• Sign Language Interpreting and Real Time Captioning
• General Questions and Support
• And More

DRC phone and email systems have been updated and are now staffed and available during remote operations. Students can now also leave voicemail messages if calls are not answered. Due to limited staffing at this time, response times to email and voicemail may vary with consideration to normal business hours. We will do our best to return calls in a timely manner.

A Message from the Porterville College President Regarding the Fall Semester (6-15-20)

Dear Students, Faculty and Staff:

These past three months have been unlike anything anyone has ever experienced. Our traditional learning practices, campus activities and celebrations have been disrupted, and for many of us, the confusing uncertainty is making us feel that our lives are on hold.

It has been inspiring to watch everyone in our PC family come together to address the crisis caused by the pandemic with resiliency, and adapting to these unforeseen and unpredictable circumstances.

At Porterville College we strive to offer the best academic college experience, no matter the modality or location. With the Spring semester behind us, we now focus on the future, we assess the lessons learned and we study the best way to ensure academic continuity in the Fall semester. Many on campus have worked diligently to explore all available options and to monitor this evolving situation. A faculty and staff taskforce have spent a great deal of time studying the viability of returning to campus, and has outlined safety protocols needed to achieve this potential return.

This Fall Semester, we will be implementing a hybrid approach in which instruction and support services will be predominantly online, with a few exceptions. Our decision is based on our regional context as it relates to the pandemic, and respecting county, state and federal orders. Public officials’ updates of the evolving data surrounding the progression of COVID 19 suggests that we can expect further waves of the virus later this year.

The following three priorities were taken into consideration:

Health and Safety

Minimizing the risk of infection for our students, faculty and staff is paramount. The majority of classes will continue to be held online through the fall to reduce exposure, and to mitigate the spread of this disease.

Academic Continuity

Preserving educational opportunities and helping students advance towards their educational goals is our focus. These are the future professionals who will help us recover from the impacts of the pandemic.

Adaptability and Support

We will continue to be flexible and adaptable in response to the evolving situation while providing support through trainings, communication, access to technology and tools.

The following are some of the general guidelines that we have in place. Additional details will be provided by each department:

Student Services:

Student Support services will continue to operate virtually through the Summer and Fall. In general, students should check with the counseling and student support service offices using our website. We encourage students to take advantage of whatever options are offered during this difficult time. We remain committed to their mental health through our Counseling Center, and to address food insecurities through the Food Pantry. Students’ financial aid situations will vary. They should remain enrolled so they are eligible for financial aid. Access to financial aid assistance will be available online or by phone.

Both existing and new co-curricular events will be held online, including student clubs and ASPC meetings.

Instruction:

We will deliver a rigorous and innovative academic experience for all students regardless of the mode of delivery. Very few classes or labs will be taught in person on campus. This applies to those courses that are impossible to teach online in areas such as Allied Health, Industrial Maintenance, Fire Academy, EMT, to name a few. We will be converting those classes into a low-density model following strict safety and social distancing protocols that will be enforced to ensure your health and safety. Faculty will provide more information to their students.

Faculty Training:

Faculty will continue to teach their courses via Zoom, Canvas and other remote methods. Webinars, tools and digital resources and training sessions are available through the summer to support quality online instruction. Faculty are diligently creating high-impact learning experiences and they are now more prepared than during the original transition to online learning.

Athletics

The conference will offer guidelines for competition as we transition from Stage 3 to Stage 4 according to evolving state and county health measures. While this guidance does not completely eliminate uncertainty, it should nonetheless provide opportunity for student-athletes to experience the many benefits of being part of intercollegiate athletics. We should continue to field teams for the Fall term regardless of our ability to ultimately compete.

Campus Operations:

Access to campus facilities will be restricted to limited hours and essential personnel. The bookstore will continue to meet the needs of students through our website. Access to the fitness center will be limited to student athletes and their coaches, but will be closed to the general student population and the public. There will be no food services or large events. We have doubled down on our cleaning and sanitation rotations for classrooms, public spaces and restrooms to ensure the cleanest possible environment.

In addition, we are extending WiFi access to the campus parking lots located by the Academic Center and technology tools such as laptops and MiFi hotspots will still be available through the library’s loaner program. We believe this plan is reasonable and is the best way to ensure the health and safety of our campus community while maintaining the high-quality education experience you have come to expect from PC. We are resilient, we have PC Spirit and together we will see this crisis through.

Dr. Claudia Habib

President, Porterville College

New Free Resources (Including Some Amazing Apps) Available for Students and Faculty

View this University Business resource page to access 120 free resources. While many of them are faculty-specific, there are some excellent apps for students as well that can help with everything from sleep problems and stress to academic tools.

Update to PC Food Pantry Drive Thru for Students

The event will remain every Thursday, although the time will be one hour earlier, from 10:00 – 11:00 to compensate for the heat that we will be experiencing over the summer months. Please share as we would like to make sure we communicate the change and eliminate any confusion. This message has been sent through Navigate to our students.

Dear Porterville College Student,

With schools and many businesses closed, many of you who have not needed the Pirate Pantry services will need assistance more than ever. Porterville College continues to work with Community Food Bank to create a network of support for our students in emergency. Porterville College will be providing no-contact, drive-thru Mobile Pirate Pantry for Porterville College Students. One bag of Groceries will be given to each student. Students must present a current Porterville College Student ID Card or canvas login showing courses with matching picture ID to receive a bag of groceries. Please have the verification items ready when you pull up to receive your bag of groceries. The Drive Thru will be available every Thursday at 10am to 11pm and will be first come first served, beginning April 2, 2020. The drive-thru will take place in the parking lot located in front of the AC building. There will be clear signage upon entry and we ask that all participants practice social distancing. There will be marked locations that you should adhere to, while you wait your turn. We are facing unknown and unpredictable needs in the coming months and your college is working to assist in meeting those needs.

ESL Express Enrollment Coming Soon - June 4th, 2020

2020-2021 Academic Calendar Now Available

Click to view the academic calendar for 2020-2021:

2020-2021 Academic Year Calendar

Porterville College Virtual Art Exhibition 2020 Now Available to View

The Fine Arts Department has found a way to keep a long held PC tradition alive with the 2020 “Virtual” Student Exhibition. Click the video below to begin exploring the latest works of art created by Porterville College.

Attention Graduates: Want to Purchase a Cap and Gown as a Keepsake? Online Ordering is Now Available

The April PC Update is live.  Click here to read.

Class Name Change (INST to STSS)

Interdisciplinary Studies (INST) has changed to Student Success (STSS). See the flyer for details on which classes this will affect.

A Message to the PC Community

Porterville College President, Dr. Claudia Habib, shares some important updates about COVID-19 (4/20/20). To select different sections of the video, click the topics below. Click the YouTube image to watch the full video:

• Great things are happening at PC

• Summer/Fall Registration

• 2020 Commencement News

• Upcoming Student Survey

• Exciting Financial News (Financial Help for Students)

• We Need Your Help, Pirates!

Click the following video to watch the full-length update from Dr. Habib:

Students Please Note:  All Summer 2020 classes will be held online, due to the current COVID 19 crisis. 

Not Sure How to Access the Learning Center's Resources Online?

Use the following guide to better understand the online process for accessing resources from the Learning Center:

Online Learning Center Step-by-Step Guide

New Training on Safety Topics Now Available

The Campus Safety and Security office will be offering weekly training and information on a variety of safety topics.
Click Here to view the current list of topics available.

Do your part to help your fellow Pirates in need. Visit the Porterville College Foundation COVID-19 Student Relief Page

Some Great News From Athletics: Click Here to Read the Latest Accomplishments of PC Pirates!

HOW ONLINE LEARNING WORKS AT PORTERVILLE COLLEGE

TIPS FOR TAKING ONLINE CLASSES (from Northeastern University)

Please note the following:

In response to the ongoing COVID-19 situation, all of Porterville College's classes are being conducted online. Please contact your instructor for more information.

Call Us

The deadline to drop classes has been extended to April 9 to give you time to properly adjust to the virtual environment.

Please take the added time to discuss your options with an advisor before you decide to drop.

Beginning April 2, 2020:
PC Food Pantry will Offer Drive-Thru Service

Porterville College will be providing no-contact, drive-thru Mobile Pirate Pantry for Porterville College students. One bag of Groceries will be given to each student. Students must present a current Porterville College Student ID Card to receive a bag of groceries. Please have your ID card ready when you pull up to receive your bag of food. The Drive-Thru will be available every Thursday from 11 am to 12 pm and will be on a first-come-first-served basis, beginning April 2, 2020. The drive-thru will take place in the parking lot located in front of the AC building. There will be clear signage upon entry and we ask that all participants practice social distancing. There will be marked locations that you should adhere to, while you wait for your turn to receive food. We are facing unknown and unpredictable needs in the coming months and your college is working to assist in meeting those needs. Thank You!

INFORMATION/RESOURCES FROM THE CALIFORNIA COMMUNITY COLLEGE DISTRICT CHANCELLOR'S OFFICE

March 17, 2020 - A Message From President Habib

Lee Este Mensaje en espanol

Dear Porterville College Students,

Porterville College is NOT implementing a campus closure.  We will be moving all face-to-face classes to online or other alternative format beginning Monday March 30. Spring break will be extended for one week and classes will resume on, March 30.

As of today, March 17, 2020, we have three confirmed cases of coronavirus (COVID-19) in Tulare County.

It remains important to note that the risk to students, faculty and staff continues to below, according to the Tulare County Department of Health and Human Services.

We hope you are enjoying a safe and restful Spring Break.  The health and safety of our students, faculty and staff continues to be our upmost priority.  Our mission is to support student success and we will do everything within our power to minimize the impact of this crisis on our students education.

Porterville College is taking appropriate measures and will continue to follow the expert guidance of the Tulare County Department of Health and Human Services and the Kern County Community College District. 

To this end, Porterville College, will be transitioning all face-to-face instruction to alternative methods for the remainder of the spring 2020 semester beginning Monday, March 30, 2020.  This transition will utilize several online and other alternative platforms.  Please check with your professors through Canvas and your campus email to see which methods will apply to you.