COVID-19

Lincoln College Resuming In-Person Classes for Fall 2020
Fall Planning Committee Prepared New Safety Measures

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[September 18, 2020]  Lincoln College is pleased to announce that it is on track to resume in-person instruction for fall 2020.

The College continues to adapt and prepare for the new school year, with a commitment to providing an exceptional education while safeguarding the health and safety of all Lynx during the COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic.

“We are looking forward to welcoming our students back to campus,” said Lincoln College President Dr. David Gerlach. “We are confident the precautionary measures taken for fall will create a safe environment for our students, our staff, and the community at large.

“In addition, we are mindful of the $53 million annual economic impact that Lincoln College contributes to Lincoln, Logan County and Illinois,” Gerlach added. “That positive impact is dependent on having students on campus this fall.”

The Fall Planning Steering Committee, comprised of Lincoln College faculty, staff, and administration, have been developing innovative plans to ensure a safe return to regular operations and on-campus activities, following guidance from federal, state, and local health authorities, as well as the Illinois Board of Higher Education (IBHE).



In accordance with these guidelines, the College will require all faculty, staff, students, and campus visitors to wear a face mask on-site. The Lincoln College Health Services Office will have face masks available, but individuals may choose to wear their own personal face coverings as well. Likewise, members of campus will be required to wear Lincoln College lanyards with their college-issued ID to easily identify members of the campus community who are wearing face coverings.

Lincoln College faculty are eager to welcome back students this fall. Classes and building schedules have been modified to reduce the amount of students and faculty within academic buildings. Though most classes will have a face to face component, actual in-class time may be reduced to comply with safety guidelines; additionally, some classes may be delivered in an online format, including all Accelerated Bridge to Education (ABE) courses. In all circumstances, well-developed online components will compliment every student’s learning experience this fall. Traditional classes are set to resume on August 17.

Dining services will remain open to students with limited seating and physical distancing in common areas. Lincoln College has added outdoor seating as a creative way to reduce the density in dining areas, enhanced cleaning protocols, and removed self-service stations. Signage has been added to ensure a safe flow of persons entering and exiting during meal times.

Similarly, Lincoln College has made plans for additional cleaning in the residence halls and will be carefully monitoring common areas. A section of the residence halls have been reserved for COVID-19 isolation, should it be needed.

Lincoln College students will return to the residence halls through a phased move-in plan, in place of a one-day event. Groups of students will begin moving back to campus July 27 and continue through August 13. The multi-day move-in process allows the College to ensure social distancing guidelines are met.

Student clubs and organizations will meet within appropriate physical distancing and group-size limits set by state and local health officials. The Meyer-Evans Student Center will not be open for casual gathering but is available through a reservation process in the campus app, Presence.

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Lincoln College has adopted new cleaning and sanitation procedures for campus. These strategies will reduce the likelihood of spreading illness and include additional hand sanitation stations, protective shields in classrooms and offices, availability of single-use cleaning products, and signage displaying new requirements and best practices.

Lincoln College is also continuing to follow guidance from Governor Pritzker and local and state health authorities regarding campus events, including athletic games.

At this time, athletic competition is set to resume on September 5, 2020 with a reduced number of contests allowed. Fall sports will begin practicing August 15. The National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) will require student-athletes and coaches to receive a negative polymerise chain reaction (PCR) test no more than five days prior to the first competition. All game day participants including coaches, student-athletes, managers, and referees will be screened no more than six hours prior to the contest. Similarly, student-athletes and coaches will be screened prior to each practice.

All other campus events will follow similar guidelines: limiting the number of events throughout the year, requiring a reservation and ticketing procedure to limit attendees, and adjusting seating at the venue. Another inventive approach will be the creation of an outdoor practice and performance area for performing arts students.

Many buildings have adjusted processes to ensure campus safety. The McKinstry Library will be available to college patrons only, continuing to support remote teaching, learning, and research. The Fitness Center will also be closed to the public this fall.

The Lincoln Heritage Museum looks forward to welcoming back visitors with new safety measures in place. LHM will be limiting persons viewing exhibits at one time and face coverings will be required for all guests. The date of re-opening will be determined and announced soon.
 


Personal accountability is key to keeping the campus healthy, therefore, student behavior expectations have been modified in the Student Conduct Handbook. Students are expected to sign and acknowledge they are completing regular self-checks at temperature-check stations.

In conjunction with public health partners, Lincoln College will monitor the prevalence of coronavirus within Logan County and continue to adjust operations accordingly to protect the campus community. Policies may continue to be adapted and amended as conditions change.

With the safety and welfare of Lincoln College and the Logan County community as a top priority, the institution is excited for the return to in-person instruction for fall 2020. The future success of Lincoln College is dependent upon the shared mission to serve its Lynx family-including alumni and supporters-in the months ahead. Lincoln College will continue to adapt to current challenges and rethink higher education to best serve the students, faculty, staff, and community.

[Lauren Grenlund
Director of Public Relations
Lincoln College]

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