Wake Tech Community College issued the following announcement on June 26.
Wake Tech students will be taking hybrid – a combination of seated and online classes – or fully online classes this fall. The college released its fall 2020 reopening plan today, called “Learn Well: Wake Tech’s Plan for Safety and Progress During the Pandemic.” The plan includes comprehensive Safety Guidelines and Protocols to help keep students, employees, and campus visitors safe and healthy.
Many Wake Tech students in hands-on applied engineering and health science programs have been taking hybrid courses over the summer with social distancing in labs and shops. Those options will be extended to other Wake Tech program areas in the fall, along with a comprehensive offering of fully online courses. Fall semester starts as scheduled on August 17.
““The goal of our plan is to do all we can to help keep our students, faculty and staff healthy, while helping students continue to pursue their academic goals,” said Dr. Scott Ralls, President of Wake Tech. “Students can’t make that progress if they are sick or if their instructors get sick.”
For that reason, Wake Tech will be limiting all events and student activities on campuses in the fall, while limiting student capacities in classrooms shops and labs. Fall sports – volleyball, soccer, and fall golf – are canceled and winter sports (basketball) will be evaluated at a later date. Fall graduation will be virtual, but fall graduates will be invited to participate in spring commencement exercises.
Since students will be spending less time on campus, all college wide student fees will be waived, including student activity, campus access, and technology fees. The move will save the average student about 15% on their fall bill. Individual course fees will still apply.
“We know that this won’t be the typical on-campus experience that students expect,” says Dr. Ralls. “We also recognize that times are tough financially right now. That’s why the Wake Tech Board of Trustees approved “No Fee Fall” to give students a little relief when it comes time to pay their bill.”
Under Wake Tech’s “Learn Well” plan, the college will follow appropriate safety protocols for students, employees, and visitors on campus, including mandatory masks in public places including classrooms, lobbies and hallways; social distancing measures both inside and outside of buildings; and frequent cleaning in high-touch areas. Buildings and classrooms will operate at 1/3 to 1/2 normal capacity. Safety procedures are detailed in the college’s Safety Guidelines and Protocols, available in conjunction with the “Learn Well” plan.
Wake Tech closed all campuses on March 14 and transitioned all courses to an online format. Thanks to its already robust online program, the college was uniquely prepared for this challenging situation. Wake Tech typically serves more online students than any North Carolina community college and its innovative EPIC initiative makes certain that both students and faculty are prepared for online instruction. Wake Tech has recently been ranked the number one online community college in the U.S.
Limited in-person labs are currently being held for students in health sciences, public safety, and skilled trades programs. A pre-recorded virtual graduation ceremony for spring and summer graduates will be released for viewing on July 25.
Wake Tech is North Carolina’s largest community college, serving more than 74,000 students every year.
Original source: https://www.waketech.edu/post/wt-news-story/4949
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