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.
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.”
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.
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.
“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.
By lgrenlund
