After months of advertising that “It’s on at CCM,” the County College of Morris abruptly updated its reopening plan on Saturday, Aug. 21 to state that the “majority” of courses will now be offered remotely until Oct. 27. This means that most CCM students will not be on campus; they will be on zoom for at least the first seven weeks of the semester. The college’s faculty learned about the delayed reopening in the same chaotic manner that students learned about the change of plans, just three weeks before the start of term.

The college claims that updates in state guidelines necessitate the move to online instruction. This is only half-truth. Every other community college and every public four-year in NJ got the same state mandates yet they will be welcoming a substantial student population to campus. Why is CCM the only community college going “majority remote” just two weeks before the start of term?

The simple answer: incompetent leadership.

President Iacono has not done the work that other schools have done to secure the school and protect the health and safety of our campus community. In delaying the start of term seven weeks, the Iacono administration is scrambling to establish safety protocols that should already be in place.

Last spring, the Faculty Association of the County College of Morris and the Association of Chairs and Assistant Chairs both cast votes of NO CONFIDENCE in the leadership of President Tony Iacono after seven professors were fired, including the head of the faculty union, while Iacono took a 6% raise and $10,000 bonus. The Association also filed an unfair labor practice that is still pending. Now, in his isolated leadership, Tony Iacono has jeopardized the reopening of CCM and the stability of our students’ learning environment.

Students have paid their tuition which has increased steadily every year since Iacono took office. They, as well as parents and concerned community members, deserve an opportunity to make their voices heard.

Email the college’s Board of Trustees. Ask them why they continue to support a president whose focus is not on the best interests of students but his own advancement and financial gain.