L&C Working to Make Campus Safe for Students, Faculty this Fall

GODFREY - Lewis and Clark Community College is working to make college as safe as possible for students, faculty, and staff this fall.

Instruction will be offered in five modes which emphasize flexibility and safety. Two new modes – Virtual Class Meetings (VCM) and Virtual Blended Courses (VBC) – utilize synchronous virtual instruction, in which students meet during their regular class time on a virtual platform like Zoom or Blackboard Collaborate. In the case of Virtual Blended Courses, some on-campus meetings may be necessary to complete hands-on training.

For those students, faculty, and staff who need to be on campus, the college is taking a number of safety precautions to make their experiences as safe as possible.

Everyone who comes to one of the college’s physical locations is required to fill out a daily self-certification form that states they are not experiencing symptoms of COVID-19 and have not been exposed to anyone who is suspected or has tested positive for the disease. The form can be accessed through the college’s homepage at www.lc.edu or at www.lc.edu/coronavirus.

Based on the respondent’s answers, they will either receive clearance to come to campus, or instructions to follow up with the L&C Family Health Clinic upon submitting the form. Anyone having had contact with someone suspected of having or being diagnosed positive with COVID-19 will be required to remain off campus for between 72 hours and 14 days. The amount of time will depend on the circumstances provided to the Nurse Practitioner upon reporting to the L&C Family Health Clinic. For students, communication with instructors is paramount, so that a potential quarantine doesn’t obstruct their learning.

“We ask that anyone who is sick or has been potentially exposed to COVID-19 self-quarantine and not come to campus,” said Interim President Lori Artis. “The form is an opportunity to remind people to be cognizant of the possibility that they might pose a risk to others if they are not well. We realize that the ability to train on campus is a necessity for some, especially those in our career and technical training programs whose accrediting bodies require a certain amount of hands-on training. This is only one of the many precautionary measures we’re taking to ensure they can continue their education as safely as possible.”

These include:

• Mask requirements. Masks, and in some cases face shields, are required while on campus.
• Social distancing. Everyone on campus must practice social distancing by keeping at least six feet away from others wherever possible. Classrooms have been moved and rearranged, and walk-in advising for enrollment and financial aid has been moved to the Hatheway Cultural Center to allow for distancing.
• Group/room capacity limits. While the Metro East remains in Phase 4 of the Restore Illinois plan, groups are limited to no more than 50 people or 50 percent of a room’s capacity, whichever is less. Those people must wear masks and be able to practice social distancing. If the region moves into an earlier phase, tighter restrictions will be enforced.
• Handwashing/sanitizing. The college has added handwashing signs and hand-sanitizer stations around campus for easy access. Anyone on campus is encouraged to use the stations frequently.
• Cleaning regimen. Custodial has stepped up its cleaning regimen with a focus on sanitizing classrooms and high traffic areas, especially.
• Plexiglass partitions. Maintenance has installed plexiglass partitions in student service areas where distancing is difficult to add a layer of protection for students and team members.
• No contact/low contact services. Most of the college’s virtual services will continue through the fall. Some have implemented no-contact or low-contact services. The L&C Bookstore, for example, has introduced a free ship-to-store option with low-contact window pickup on the Godfrey Campus.

For more information on protective measures this fall and other COVID-19 information, stay tuned to www.lc.edu/coronavirus.

Guide for a Safe Return to Campus

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