The News Herald (Willoughby, OH)
Colleges suspend in-person classes
Painesville’s Lake Erie College has suspended all in-person classes until April 12 as the effects of the novel coronavirus continue to ripple throughout the world as well as at home.
LEC made the announcement March 11, the same day that Lakeland Community College announced that on-campus classroom instruction has been suspended starting March 14 through March 20.
The decisions come days after several people tested positive for COVID-19 in neighboring Cuyahoga County, and one day after an announcement by the World Health Organization that labeled COVID-19 as a global pandemic.
Lake Erie College
No in-person classes will occur for the next 30 days as officials monitor the disease’s spread.
The college has stated that all academic coursework will continue through various methods including Google Hangouts, LEO, video lectures, email interactions, phone discussions, etc.
Any off-site internships or clinicals have been left to the discretion of the owners of those locations.
Despite not having inperson classes, campus housing and dining services are to remain open with meal plans honored. LEC offices will remain open with employees still expected to appear for work. They are advised to “work with their direct supervisor as decisions will be made on a case-by-case basis regarding any possible alternative work arrangements,” as per a news release.
LEC officials are asking students traveling from campus to home and back to limit travel. All college-sponsored international travel for students has been suspended. Domestic college-sponsored travel has not yet been restricted but the college has stated that they “will continue to monitor guidance by the Ohio Department of Health, the NCAA, and the Great Midwest Athletic Conference.”
All unnecessary collegesponsored travel, both domestic and international, for LEC employees has also been cancelled.
They are also cancelling most large public gatherings and events during this time. This would include the upcoming annual Seuss-athon and the reception gala for artist-in-residence Iris Dawn Parker West in late March.
“Based upon what I have heard from each of our divisional leaders,” Lake Erie College President Brian Posler said, “I am confident that we will work through these challenges while ensuring the quality and rigor of instruction and also the personalized approach, to the extent possible, for which we are known.
“The outbreak is cause for anxiety for many people,” he adds, “but I am confident that we will work diligently to minimize the impact on our learning environment and our beloved Lake Erie College community.”
For more information related to Lake Erie College and its adjusted schedule visit www.lec.edu.
Lakeland Community College
Following the recommendations of Gov. Mike DeWine, the college, in a statement posted to its website, noted it is “working quickly to develop plans to ensure that students stay successful in their classes and are able to meet their educational goals, while ensuring the health and safety of our campus.”
Fully online classes will continue as scheduled, resuming March 14, at the conclusion of spring break. During the on-campus suspension period, faculty will be preparing their courses to be moved to online, remote or other manner of delivery that incorporates appropriate social distancing measures.
All classes that were previously conducted on-campus and in-person will be converted to an alternative mode of delivery and will resume March 21.
While the start of oncampus and in-person classes will be delayed one week, officials expect spring semester classes to end by May 8 as scheduled. Additionally:
• The Testing Center will be closed for academic testing after March 13.
• Health Care Clinicals: impacted individuals should contact the program director or dean for up-todate information.
• College Credit Plus: if a course is taught in the high school by a teacher employed by the high school, there is no change. If the course is taught by a Lakeland paid faculty member, it will be suspended March 16-20 and resume March 21 with remote learning.
• Holden University Center: partnership students with in-person classes held at Lakeland should check with the partner university or instructor for information about the status of their class.
To date, the plan is for all college offices to remain open — including during the week of March 16 — with the goal of continuing essential services in a manner that is both effective and safe for our employees and students. According to the school: • Individual college departments may work modified or limited schedules, adopt alternative means of service delivery, or even support employees working from home during this time. Please be assured that departmental webpages as well as the college’s dedicated coronavirus page will be updated on a regular basis to reflect the most current information.
• The facilities team will continue to clean the campus and disinfect public areas on an ongoing basis.
• The Teaching Learning Center will remain open and follow the guidance provided by the Ohio Department of Health and the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services. In the event of a closure, TLC parents will be notified as soon as possible via their regular process.
• College partners located on campus (for example, Cardinal Credit Union, LEAF, etc.) with questions should contact their college liaison.
The college is currently reviewing large gatherings and public events hosted on campus. Several events have already been canceled or postponed, including concerts, the President’s Coffees, Woman of Achievement Awards ceremony (March 22), Wellness Days (week of March 23), and Brain Awareness Week.
For campus updates, visit www.lakelandcc.edu/ web/about/notices/coronavirus.