Students at the Ted Scott Campus of Wayne County Community College District (WCCCD) in Belleville will be attending classes virtually this fall.
Like most of the local school districts in the area, the college will also begin classes virtually in an effort to protect students and faculty from the effects of the COVID-10 pandemic.
In a letter to students last week, Chancellor Curtis Ivery said that the classes would be moved to “alternative virtual modalities.”
Ivery said there will be “a very small number” of exceptions for health science and career education courses that require hands-on learning experiences.
The decision became effective Monday, Aug. 24 and is based on Gov. Gretchen Whitmer's executive orders and guidance from the CDC, MIOSHA, and other governmental agencies, Ivery said in a letter to students and families.
“The number of COVID-19 cases in Detroit and Wayne Country region show no signs of abating and there is uncertainty as to whether there will be a spike in infections during he fall. Even though we have established rigorous protocols and are confident that WCCCD is a safe place to work and study, we have chosen to eliminate even the limited risk involved in offering face-to-face instruction during the Fall 2020 semester.”
Online courses scheduled for the Fall 2020 semester will be provided as planned and are not impacted by this decision, according to a statement from the college.
“By making this decision now, before the fall semester begins, we are exercising the utmost caution to protect the physical and emotional health and safety of our students and employees. Our strong desire to provide our students with the benefits of on-campus instruction and student support services is simply outweighed by the urgency of doing all we can to mitigate the spread of COVID-19,” Ivery said
Ivery acknowledged the disruption the transition to virtual classes might cause in the lives of students, faculty and staff members but said making the decision early might reduce the disruption caused if the transition had to be made mid-semester.
He added that faculty members and the Student Services Division members would meet to provide students with support in making the transition.
“The WCCCD faculty and staff have demonstrated great resilience and agility as the COVID-19 pandemic has evolved during the past several months, and these characteristics are being called upon once again, “ Ivery said. “We are deeply appreciative of your continued devotion to our students and the mission of WCCCD.”
