|
 Lincoln
College reports 11 active cases of COVID-19 and an increasing number
of individuals in quarantine due to primary exposure to the virus.
“In the past 24 hours, an increasing number of our campus population
were moved to quarantine. Despite having high compliance among
faculty, staff, and students in following safety protocols, the data
presents an untenable situation,” said Lincoln College President
David Gerlach.
The early transition is an attempt to mitigate the spread of the
novel coronavirus. In recent weeks, Logan County cases have risen to
726.
“We are making these difficult decisions based on reliable public
health data and updates from the Lincoln College Health Services
Department. We are mindful that transitioning to remote learning
creates disappointment and frustration amongst students and
employees. I hoped we could finish the last two weeks of the fall
semester in-person; however, the health of our campus community is a
substantial concern,” said Gerlach.
Students may remain on campus through November 20 but will meet
academic requirements remotely until after the holiday. Students
choosing to remain on campus are subject to campus restrictions and
must prepare for severely limited on-campus activities and
interactions.
Beginning immediately, the college will close all public areas of
campus, including athletic facilities, Lincoln Heritage Museum,
Lincoln College Bookstore, McKinstry Library, Meyer-Evans Student
Center, and all outdoor recreational areas. All athletic
competitions and practices are temporarily suspended.
All academic support services will continue to be offered in online
formats. These support services include advising, disability
services, library resources, career services, and academic tutoring.
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Dining Services remains open with a modified grab-and-go process.
Residential students will schedule meal pick-up times, which will allow for
reduced density, and a safe flow of persons entering and exiting during meal
times. Residential students in quarantine will continue to have food service
delivery available.
Lincoln College Health Services and the Logan County Health Department continue
to partner in monitoring individuals experiencing symptoms of COVID-19,
scheduling testing, and contact tracing analysis. Exposed or symptomatic
students living off-campus, as well as employees, are instructed to remain at
their home residence, following CDC quarantine and isolation guidelines.
Prior to the announcement about transitioning online, classes and building
schedules were modified to reduce the number of students and faculty within
academic buildings. Lincoln College reduced in-class time to comply with safety
guidelines; additionally, some classes are already delivered in an online
format, including all Accelerated Bridge to Education (ABE) courses and graduate
courses.
Facilities on campus impacted were identified and are currently undergoing
rigorous targeted cleaning and disinfecting, which is in addition to the daily
cleaning and disinfecting regimen. These steps will be taken in accordance with
the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) Environmental Cleaning
and Disinfection Recommendations.
“The decision to move online for the remainder of the fall semester was not
taken lightly. Our students achieve higher levels of success when we can operate
in person, providing engagement that is critical to student learning. However,
pivoting our plans to reduce the likelihood of spreading the virus further is
essential in safeguarding our campus community,” said Gerlach.
[Lauren D. Grenlund] |
