Columbia College- Jacksonville issued the following announcement.
Columbia College announced it will be suspending all on-campus classes for students nationwide and transitioning to a virtual learning platform through the end of the Spring Semester, which concludes on April 25. While the college does not have any known COVID-19 cases among its faculty, staff or students at this time, college leadership is taking a preventative stance in accordance with public-health recommendations.
“The health and well-being of our students, faculty and staff around the country is our main focus every day, and this situation obviously requires increased scrutiny and action on our part,” said President Dr. Scott Dalrymple. “Making this transition allows our students to continue their educational pursuits while dramatically reducing the risk of possible exposure and transmission of COVID-19.”
The decision to shift courses to a virtual format eliminates the need for students to take courses on campus or at a location and is indicative of the college’s efforts to be responsive to the health of students. Columbia College has one of the most well-established online learning programs in the country and is working to make this transition as seamless as possible.
Below are some of the steps the college is taking to reduce exposure to the virus and to keep the college community safe:
- Day Program Students and Residence Halls
- For students who take classes on the residential campus in Columbia with our traditional day schedule, classes are canceled for next week (March 16-20) to allow time for faculty to shift courses to virtual formats. Virtual classes will begin after Spring break, on March 30.
- Residential Students are being asked to move out of their dorm for the semester by noon on Wednesday, March 18.
- Evening students, Locations Nationwide and Online Classes
- Beginning Monday, March 16, all in-seat classes for students at the college’s locations around the country, as well as the college’s Evening Program in Columbia, will transition to a virtual classroom environment.
- Classes at the college’s locations in the state of Washington and California have already been operating under this plan this week.
- Online classes will be unaffected.
- Campus Events
- Beginning this Monday, March 16, all events at all Columbia College locations are cancelled through the end of the Spring Semester. This includes both Columbia College and events hosted by external organizations at our facilities.
- Athletics
- All official athletic activities are suspended through the end of the Spring Semester as the American Midwest Conference (AMC) has canceled all Spring seasons.
- Employees
- Employees should report to work on Monday. Supervisors will determine where work-from-home arrangements are feasible.
- Travel
- All non-essential employee or student travel is prohibited. This includes conferences and professional development. Columbia College previously announced cancellation of all study abroad programs on March 4.
Founded in 1851 in Columbia, Missouri, Columbia College has been helping students advance their lives through higher education for more than 165 years. As a private, nonprofit, liberal arts and sciences institution, the college takes pride in its small classes, experienced faculty and quality educational programs. The college, accredited by the Higher Learning Commission, has more than 30 locations and offers day, evening and online classes. Columbia College educates more than 18,000 students each year and has more than 91,000 alumni worldwide. For more information, visit ccis.edu.
Original source can be found here.
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