Three Rivers Community College granted temporary instructor waiver through Dec. 31, 2025

The Connecticut State Board of Nursing approved a temporary waiver allowing Caitlin Keller to serve as a clinical instructor at Three Rivers Community College while she completes her master’s degree. The board amended the motion to set a fixed expiration date and recorded unanimous approval.

Kim Barfield, identified as Dean of Students and Faculty for Three Rivers, presented the request and said Keller holds a 2017 undergraduate nursing degree from UConn, is employed at Backus Hospital in oncology/medical‑surgical care and is projected to complete her master’s in October. “She’s projected to complete her master's in October,” Barfield told the board.

Board counsel Ryan Burns advised the board to specify a clear end date for the waiver so compliance and enforcement can be determined; the motion was amended on the record to set the waiver to expire Dec. 31, 2025. Mary Dieteman moved approval; Sal Diaz seconded. Roll call votes were recorded as aye from Sal Diaz, Mary Dieteman, Lisa Freeman, Camille Payne and Chair Gina Reiner; the waiver was granted.

The board also confirmed Three Rivers meets faculty qualification requirements with at least 90% of full‑ and part‑time faculty holding master’s degrees, and accepted the college’s representation that the waiver was sought because the school could not otherwise obtain a qualified instructor for the fall term. The waiver covers a single semester and requires the college to ensure supervision and compliance while Keller completes her final credits.

Decision versus discussion: the board received factual assertions about faculty supply and Keller’s enrollment (discussion), added a specific expiration date per counsel’s recommendation (direction), and voted to grant the temporary waiver (decision).