UPDATE — Please see https://nwicc.edu/covid19update/. Classes are now being canceled and a number of classes are switching to online-only.
Original story:
Sheldon, Iowa — In the wake of the COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic, many area educational institutions are considering suspending classes and many large public events are being canceled. We reached out to Northwest Iowa Community College in Sheldon, and they report that they are not suspending classes at this time.
According to a statement released by NCC’s Vice President for College Operations & Finance, Mark Brown, NCC administration is regularly monitoring public health information about COVID-19 from the World Health Organization, the Center for Disease Control, Iowa Department of Public Health, and has been in regular contact with county health entities.
The statement says, “We appreciate that some universities and private colleges are suspending face-to-face instruction and offering on-line instruction. The NCC leadership team is monitoring the situation daily and thinking through contingency plans for various scenarios. NCC is a national leader in the online education field and we are confident, if we need to, we will be able to work together through these challenges.”
NCC officials say the ratio of student learning in the classroom is 13:1. They say that at this time they are monitoring the situation, but have not adjusted the schedule at this time. The statement clarifies that of course, that can change depending on the recommendations from local health officials and the state.
They say they are committed to achieving the highest standards of cleanliness, disinfection, and hygiene in all areas of campus. They say they are adding more hand sanitizer dispensers and custodial staff have reviewed their processes and are taking extra steps in their cleaning routines which include, but are not limited to, sanitizing doorknobs and an increased cleaning of flat surfaces in high traffic areas. The statement says NCC will also continue to emphasize the best practices for the mitigation of the spread of COVID-19 as described by the guidelines of the CDC and local health officials.
The statement concludes with, “NCC’s priority is the health and well-being of our students, employees, and communities we serve. We understand the concern and uncertainty people may be experiencing surrounding the coronavirus (COVID-19) and are committed to being responsive and transparent in our planning as the situation evolves. We will continue to monitor this quickly evolving situation.”
