COVID-19 Student Update 8/31/20

EACC COVID Campus Safety Guide and Fall 2020 Class Plans

Dear EACC Students:

The COVID Campus Safety Guide has been revised. I urge you to review it carefully as several things have been updated, including a section on priority testing for EACC students.  In addition, now that we have lived this for a week, the impact of COVID-19 is much clearer and many things in this guide will be more important to you.

I am pleased to report that EACC students will be given priority status for testing at the Local Health Unit of the ADH in Forrest City. The College will make an appointment for students who are experiencing symptoms of COVID-19 or have come into close contact with a person diagnosed or testing positive for COVID-19.  For more information, read the guide. It also tells you how to report being diagnosed with or testing positive for COVID-19, being exposed to the virus, or what to do if you are experiencing symptoms. EACC students are required to report this information to the College.

COVID-19 is in Eastern Arkansas, and it is important that you are diligent about following safety practices. It is up to each person to decide their priorities, but I ask you to think carefully about what contact with others is absolutely essential in your life.  In an effort to be transparent about the number of cases at schools, on Mondays and Thursdays the ADH will update a "Report on Educational Institutions with 5 or More Active Cases" that can be found here https://www.healthy.arkansas.gov/programs-services/topics/covid-19-reports#schoolcovidreport.   Be aware that this report does not list cases contracted on a campus; it merely counts persons who have identified themselves as being employed by or attending classes at a particular school, even if they only attend classes online. At present, EACC is not on this list. Please strictly follow the safety protocols listed in the attached guide to help keep everyone healthy.

I hope your first week of classes went well, and that you are adjusting to the new world we are currently inhabiting. I would like to say this will all be over with soon, but I would do you a disservice if I did. We all did a good job of following safety precautions during the first week; our carefully planned protocols and processes served us well.  We are succeeding, despite all the challenges placed in our path!

Thank you for being a student at EACC during this time of crisis. I am proud of each of you for not sitting out the pandemic. You are doing something with your time that is going to lead to a better life. Rather than letting the coronavirus choose your future, YOU are choosing your future.

Please don't hesitate to let me know if there is anything EACC can do to serve you better. I truly enjoy hearing from students, and I would love to know how you are doing. We may not always be perfect, but we always strive to improve our efforts to help you achieve your goals.

Take care and be safe,

Cathie Cline, Ed.D.

Guiding Principles for Fall 2020

• We will remain focused on our students and our mission at all times.
• We will protect our students, faculty, staff, and visitors as much as possible.
• We will provide flexible and adaptable learning opportunities to accommodate all students.
• We will adjust quickly to meet the demands of the pandemic and student needs.
• We will provide inclusive and equitable opportunities to work and learn.

Foundational Strategies for Student Safety

• Face coverings required and provided.
• Distancing of 6 feet required at all times possible.
• Use of protective barriers where risk of exposure is higher or additional protection needed.
• Enhanced and frequent sanitizing and cleaning at an institutional level.
• Cleaning and sanitizing products available to all (i.e., sanitizing sprays, wipes, hand sanitizers.)
• Daily screening.
• Flexible attendance options.
• Limiting the number of students in each classroom.
• Options for students, including on campus, virtual, or blended instruction, that accommodate the intellectual and health needs of all learners.
• COVID-19 testing as recommended by ADH.
• Compliance with national, state, and local public health regulations and guidelines.

COVID-19 CAMPUS UPDATES WEBPAGE

EACC's Commencement ceremony was held virtually on May 22nd at 7:00 p.m.  The virtual Commencement Ceremony is available on EACC's YouTube channel or through the College's Commencement 2020 webpage.