Lakeland Community College is moving forward with plans to offer in-person classes this fall, along with a variety of remote and hybrid options.

The fall semester will begin Aug. 22, but in-person classes will end Nov. 25, with the remainder of the semester's instruction - including final exams - being delivered remotely when classes resume after Thanksgiving break on Nov. 30. This revised schedule is intended to limit the number of people on campus following Thanksgiving holiday travel.

Over 500 traditional in-person classes are available for fall semester. This represents 39% of the college's total course offerings. In-person classes can be found by searching the college's online class schedule at lakelandcc.edu/schedule with "lecture" as the schedule type.

The safety and well-being of students and employees is top priority. The guiding principles of the college's "Lakeland Smart, Safe, Strong" task force are to: follow guidance from federal, state and local health experts (Lakeland Smart); accept social responsibility for the safety of ourselves and others (Lakeland Safe); and adapt to change with empathy and creativity (Lakeland Strong).

“These new protocols ensure that we continue to keep high-quality education accessible to those who seek it,” said Laura C. Barnard, Esq., executive vice president and provost and chair of the Lakeland Smart, Safe, Strong Task Force. “Providing a safe learning experience is of the highest importance to us.”

As such, there will be notable differences during fall semester to support physical distancing and hand hygiene:

• Students, staff and faculty will be required to wear a mask or face covering.

• Entrances and exits of buildings with multiple doors will be marked as one-way.

• Chairs and desks will be arranged at least six feet apart in classrooms, conference rooms and study areas.

• Restrooms and elevators will have limited occupancy.

• Hand-sanitizer stations will be located at entrances and high-traffic areas.

• Employees and students will have access to cleaning products to wipe desks and counters as needed. High-touch surfaces will be sanitized throughout the day, and individual room and area cleaning will be conducted during closed hours.

• Frequently visited office areas and some instructional settings will have plexiglass barriers.

• Signage and visual cues will indicate where to stand and wait for service.

Before returning to campus, all employees and students will be asked to sign a Code of Personal Responsibility acknowledging their commitment to safety. More information on each of these requirements will be available soon.

The task force is developing a phased transition back to on-campus operations. Detailed guidelines for students, faculty, staff and supervisors will be provided shortly.

By: Jessica Novak