For many students and teachers around the country, going back to school this year will look very different. The COVID-19 pandemic forced schools to close in March. This caused teachers and professors to have to provide online learning for students in order to finish the 2019-2020 school year. With the approach of a new school year, schools have had to adapt and modify in-class learning that will allow students to safely return. These new modifications include hybrid classes and socially distanced seating for students.
The faculty and staff at East Central Community College have had to make these modifications that will allow students to safely return to the school’s campus. When classes began on Monday, Aug. 17, 2020, students and faculty were informed of the modifications made. According to the school’s website, you are required to wear a mask while on campus and during classes.
When asked about how the students and faculty were dealing with the new changes, Brent Gregory, president of East Central Community College, gave nothing but positive remarks.
“I walked around the campus this morning during our first day of school and didn’t see anyone without a face mask on,” Gregory said. “They all seemed happy to be here and are looking forward to being back in the classroom.”
There have also been changes to the seating in classrooms and the cafeteria to ensure that proper social distancing is being followed. Gregory said that there are typically 15 students in the classrooms at one time. Because they are hybrid classes, the rest of the class uses Zoom to attend the class. He went on to say that there have been take-out options added for purchasing meals in the cafeteria. This will prevent a surplus of people being in the cafeteria at one time.
Students living in the on-campus housing are required to wear a mask in every area except their dorm room. Gregory stated,”We have closed all of the common areas in the dormitories to help prevent the spread of the virus. We are in line with the CDC guidelines and are in close contact with the Mississippi Department of Health.” There has also been an increase in hand sanitization stations within the residence halls. If a student that lives on campus receives a positive COVID-19 test, they are required to report it to one of the resident assistants. Students that test positive for the virus are required to quarantine themselves off-campus.
The college’s Fall schedule has been impacted because of the pandemic as well. Gregory stated, “We won’t have our regular holidays during this semester. There won’t be a fall break and we will have classes on Labor Day. However, the semester is scheduled to end the Wednesday before Thanksgiving and the students won’t return until January.
Gregory stated that there have been many accommodations made due to the increase of hybrid classes. “We have added more access points for students to use the wifi to do their classwork. In fact, we have one in a parking lot where the students don’t even need to get out of their cars to access the wifi.”
The school has also chosen to use eBooks for most classes. In addition, their will be devices for sale in the bookstore to aid in online coursework.
Overall, Gregory stated that he is hopeful that the new school year will go well. “If everyone does their part in keeping those around us safe then I feel that we will be able to remain on campus.”
