Sheldon, Iowa — Faculty and administrators at Northwest Iowa Community College in Sheldon are looking forward to welcoming students in about a week and a half.
NCC’s Vice President for College Operations and Finance, Mark Brown says students will move in on Monday and Tuesday, August 17th and 18th and will start classes on Wednesday, August 19th.
Brown says NCC has a few advantages. For one, they have been practicing social distancing and other protocols all summer long on a smaller scale with summer classes. He says they also have other advantages.
Brown tells us that the campus will be open to employees, students, prospective students, and parents, but other visitors will need an appointment.
He says NCC has been following the applicable guidance.
He says they are constantly in contact with county authorities as well.
Brown tells us about NCC’s mask policy.
According to Brown, plexiglass barriers have been installed in several locations around campus to help prevent COVID-19 from spreading.
Students won’t have the same meal experience at NCC either, says Brown.
Brown says that while they will start classes face-to-face, they have alternative strategies, “loaded up,” that they can switch to if conditions warrant. He says they realize that the more hands-on classes are more difficult to do that way, but he gave accolades to the faculty for ways they have worked around the COVID limitations to get students the education and hands-on experience they need.
He says the main goal is — while slowing the spread of the virus — to minimize disruptions as much as possible.
