Lincoln College Transitioning to
Remote Learning for Two Weeks
New Safety Measures to Prevent the Spread
of COVID-19
Includes closing all public areas: athletic facilities,
Lincoln Heritage Museum, Lincoln College Bookstore, McKinstry
Library, Meyer-Evans Student Center and all outdoor recreational
areas
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[September 05, 2020]
On Friday, Lincoln College announced efforts
to slow the increase in COVID-19 cases with a series of new safety
measures, including moving instruction online for two weeks.
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The two-week shift to remote learning will begin
Tuesday, September 8.
The temporary transition is an attempt to mitigate the spread of the
novel coronavirus. In recent weeks, Lincoln College experienced a
rise in cases of COVID-19 among the campus community. Currently,
there are 11 positive cases at the College and 287 in Logan County.
Despite having high compliance among faculty, staff, and students in
following safety protocols, the first four recorded cases on campus
were from individuals attending off-campus gatherings without
adhering to mandated guidelines such as mask wearing and social
distancing.
“A few individuals not following appropriate safety guidelines can
have a profound impact on the health of our entire campus,” said
Lincoln College President David Gerlach. “The College is prepared to
adjust our operations to ensure we stay vigilant in preventing the
spread of coronavirus.”
![](http://archives.lincolndailynews.com/2020/Sep/05/images/ads/current/ccaonline_lda050208.png)
Beginning immediately, the College will close all public areas of
campus on-site including athletic facilities, Lincoln Heritage
Museum, Lincoln College Bookstore, McKinstry Library, Meyer-Evans
Student Center, and all outdoor recreational areas. Academic support
services will continue to be offered in online formats. These
support services include library services, career services,
disability services, tutoring, and advising.
All campus events are temporarily suspended or moved to a virtual
format. Similarly, athletic practices and contests are prohibited
for two weeks to ensure the safety of student-athletes.
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.
“We have encouraged residential students to remain on
campus for Labor Day weekend,” said Gerlach. “This process avoids
superspreader incidents- which plays a significant role in
transmitting the virus.” Superspreader events such as large crowd
sizes, close contact with others, and confined spaces with poor
ventilation set the stage for spreading coronavirus.
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![](http://archives.lincolndailynews.com/2020/Sep/05/images/ads/current/rohlfs_lda_072017.png)
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. Anyone living on-campus will be moved to designated campus housing.
Wellness checks, meals, and other necessities are provided to residential
students.
Prior to the announcement about transitioning online for two weeks, 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.
“Faculty and staff at Lincoln College have worked tirelessly all summer to bring
students back for in-person learning this fall. Unfortunately, the rise in cases
over the last few weeks caused us to quickly pivot our plans to reduce the
likelihood of spreading the virus further so we can remain open for in-person
learning,” said Gerlach.
![](http://archives.lincolndailynews.com/2020/Sep/05/images/ads/current/graue_sda_2016.png)
“We are mindful that the rapidly changing situation creates uncertainty for all
of us. The processes we have in place should help minimize the spread of
COVID-19 and we will continue to adjust to prevent additional impacts on the
campus or surrounding communities,” concluded Gerlach.
[Lauren Grenlund
Director of Public Relations
Lincoln College] |