Academics
College Prepares to Start Fall Semester During Pandemic
RALEIGH, N.C. (August 11, 2020) – Classes begin at North Carolina’s largest community college on Monday. Here’s a preview of what to expect for Wake Tech’s fall semester during COVID-19.
More than 21,000 degree-seeking students will be taking hybrid – a combination of seated and online classes – or fully online classes this fall. On-campus courses, including labs for hands-on skilled trades and health sciences programs, will be offered at reduced capacity to maintain social distancing.
The college’s fall reopening plan, “Learn Well: Wake Tech’s Plan for Safety and Progress During the Pandemic,” includes the following:
- Masks and face coverings are required in all public locations on campus, including classrooms, labs, hallways and outside locations where people may congregate. Students and employees are expected to bring their own masks, although the college will have a limited number of disposable masks available if needed.
- Classes and labs will be held with 1/3 to 1/2 capacity to allow for social distancing. Classrooms and buildings will be cleaned at regular intervals during the day and will be deep cleaned every evening.
- In addition to these measures, everyone on campus is asked to wash their hands frequently or use hand sanitizer.
Signage supporting social distancing requirements is posted on all campuses. Each building will have only one entrance open, where Health Ambassadors will be checking to make sure everyone coming in is wearing a mask. Students who have concerns about wearing a mask will be referred to Disability Support Services or the college ombuds.
Students who arrive early are asked to remain in their car until ten minutes before their class begins.
Anyone who feels sick is asked to stay home and seek medical care. In addition, Wake Tech’s Safety Guidelines and Protocols include a COVID-19 Campus Exposure Procedure to guide students and employees who have come in direct or indirect contact with the virus on their next steps. The college recommends that everyone take a daily assessment to determine if self-quarantine is necessary. Should any positive COVID-19 cases on campus be reported, the impacted facilities will be assessed, closed where needed, and cleaned in accordance with CDC guidelines before re-entry will be allowed.
Wake Tech has established a Virtual Support Center for students to access admissions, advising, financial aid, career and employment resources, and other services. Limited services are available on campus, as are bookstores and cashier’s windows, although students are encouraged to order their books and pay their bill online. Students are also encouraged to access libraries, tutoring, e-learning support and other academic resources online, although on-campus resources will be available by appointment. Faculty will hold office hours virtually.
Frequently Asked Questions for students and employees are posted on the college’s Learn Well web page and will be updated as new questions arise.
