BEAUMONT, Texas — Every college campus in Southeast Texas has made changes to it's schedule and classes amid the coronavirus concern.
All classes at Lamar University will be conducted online after students return from Spring Break on March 23.
Amid the coronavirus concern, the campus joins Lamar Institute of Technology, Lamar State College Port Arthur & Lamar State College Orange in making changes to its classes. (details below)
Garrison Spring, a senior at Lamar University, supports the school's decision to make the change.
"I was kind of expecting it, I knew it was going to happen," Spring said. "Lamar is doing the correct precautionary thing."
Starting March 23, students will not be attending class but doing all of their work online.
Shelly Vitanza, Public Affairs Director, says Spring Break will begin next week and expect many students to leave Beaumont.
"Students are going to be leaving for spring break and then coming back. So, there is that threat," Vitanza said.
She says students already have access to Lamar's digital learning center, so the transition should run smoothly.
"We're one of the first to launch into the online space," Vitanza said. "So, many of our courses are already being taken online."
Lamar University President Ken Evans adds that even without laptops, students will be able to access their work.
"If the student doesn't have a laptop, they can secure their class material off their phone that can be delivered to them by a faculty member live," Evans said.
Spring tells 12News it'll be different not physically going to class, but understands why officials made the switch.
"There is an aspect of in-person interaction that you don't get with online classes, but I'm already in two of them," Spring said.
Curriculum will be done solely online between March 23-27.
The campus will remain open, including dining halls and computer labs.
Students living on campus will have the option to return if they choose, during that week.
Vitanza tell 12News it's up in the air right now if these changes will go beyond one week.
University reps say they'll continue to analyze and make necessary adjustments on a week-by-week basis.
"It will just depend on what happens in the greater world," Vitanza said. "We all hope that there is a vaccine or this thing is eradicated. Everybody wants to get back to normal living."
Lamar University:
The university released a statement Thursday afternoon from Lamar president Ken Evans in a tweet announcing that classes for the week of March 23, 2020 would be moving online.
The university is "following guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention" and "implementing a number of actions intended to slow the spread of the virus and protect the health of our Lamar University community," Evans said in the statement.
Spring break for Lamar is the week of March 16 and classes resume on March 23.
The university will make any decisions about extending the move to online classes on a week by week basis after the week of March 23 according to university spokesperson Shelly Vitanza.
Following the week of online classes about six weeks will be left in the semester which ends on May 12.
The campus, including computer labs, will remain open for the week of spring break and the week after although all students will be taking their classes online or "through alternative instructional methods" according to the statement.
The dining hall will be open in a limited capacity during the week of March 23 and students who live on campus will be allowed to return to the residence halls which will also be open during spring break the statement said.
The university is working to make sure all students can complete their classes online, through "alternative instructional methods" or through other accommodations according to the statement.
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The university has also suspended all university-sponsored international travel as of March 14 through the end of the semester the statement said.
Domestic travel is being limited to only essential trips.
The university's summer study abroad program was canceled last week.
From Lamar President Ken Evans…
The global impact of COVID-19, also called coronavirus, continues to grow as we work to keep our students, faculty and staff safe. While we have no cases of COVID-19 on our campus, there are confirmed cases in Houston. LU’s Incident Command Staff has been activated to make decisions with our overarching focus on our community’s health and safety – especially for those in high risk categories. Taking these actions now reduces the exposure of LU community members to the virus.
Following guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), we are implementing a number of actions intended to slow the spread of the virus and protect the health of our Lamar University community. Please know that we recognize these actions will be disruptive, but the health and safety of the LU community is our focus at this time.
Future Classes:
All faculty should move their courses online or to alternative instructional methods delivery during Spring Break, March 14-22, for the following week’s instruction, March 23-29. To be clear, campus will remain open during Spring Break and the week after. However, the week of March 23, students must take their courses online or through alternative instructional methods. All students must know their LEA to log into LU Learn (Blackboard) which is the same information needed to log into your Lamar University email. We also ask faculty to work with students who have limited Internet access or are experiencing flu-like symptoms.
Campus:
Campus will remain open, including computer labs, during that week. Dining services will resume as previously scheduled in a limited capacity the week of March 23.
Students Who Live on Campus:
Students living in the residence halls have the option of returning to campus or not for the week after Spring Break. All of the residence halls will remain open during the break and afterwards. Again, we will work to ensure that all students can complete their program of study online, through alternative instructional methods or have other accommodations made.
Staff:
All other normal campus operations will continue at this time with campus remaining open. Supervisors will decide and notify on a case-by-case basis around essential personnel and if a staff member’s job responsibilities allow telecommuting from home.
Preparing for Alternative Instructional Methods Instruction:
The Office of Digital Learning has prepared resources to assist faculty in delivering courses online or through alternative instructional methods, including finding alternative means of instruction for laboratory and clinical courses if required. Go to https://luonline.blackboard.com and at the bottom of the page under the Support area, find help for moving your courses to an alternative instructional methods format. You may also email Blackboard for additional help at blackboard@lamar.edu or call them at 866-585-1738. Additional instructions for faculty will be forthcoming via email from the provost.
Travel:
We are suspending all university-sponsored international travel effective March 14 through the end of the spring semester when we will reevaluate. Domestic travel should be limited and considered essential by you and your supervisor. Use your own good judgement on travel at this time. For personal travel, we urge you to carefully consider intended destinations and check on restrictions or quarantine measures that may be recommended or required by the CDC upon arrival or return. Personal international travel is strongly discouraged.
Events:
We are suspending all university-sponsored events at this time, effective March 14 through March 30. A faculty or staff member who believes that they have an essential business reason to hold an event can request a waiver for academic events through Brenda Nichols, interim provost and vice president for academic affairs, or non-academic events through Jeremy Alltop, vice president for finance and operations. Following Southland Conference guidelines, there will be no athletics events until March 30.
Summer Study Abroad:
All study abroad for this summer is cancelled. As you know, LU is committed to a robust study abroad program and providing students with an enriching global experience. However, at this time with the prevalence of COVID-19 and its continuing spread across the world, the university is unwilling to risk our student’s health and safety. All monies paid into the program will be reimbursed to students and will receive a full refund on payments they have made.
Best Practices:
You can help prevent the spread of COVID-19 in the following ways:
- Avoid close contact with people who are sick.
- Cover your cough or sneeze with a tissue, then throw the tissue in the trash.
- Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth.
- Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces.
- Stay home when you are sick, except to get medical care.
- Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds.
You can find the most recent information, updates, guidance and FAQs for our LU community at https://www.lamar.edu/coronavirus along with a form to fill out for any questions you may have. Someone will get back with you as soon as possible.
Lamar State College Orange:
Lamar State College Orange is ‘temporarily transitioning to a flexible learning environment’ and will extend spring break through March 27. Students were originally set to go on break from March 16-20. On March 30, ‘instructional delivery will resume for all students under the terms specified for each course.’
Regularly scheduled courses will be scheduled for April 13, but that could change if needed.
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This is a developing story. We will update with more if and when we receive more confirmed information.
From a Lamar State College Orange statement:
In an effort to protect our students, faculty, staff, and the community from the possible spread of illness related to COVID-19, Lamar State College Orange is temporarily transitioning to a flexible learning environment.
Spring Break, originally scheduled for March 16-20, will be extended for students through March 27. This additional week allows instructors time to adjust class schedules and inform students how classes will be presented for the ensuing weeks. On March 30, instructional delivery will resume for all students under the terms specified for each course. Return to regularly scheduled course delivery is scheduled for April 13, unless the need to extend it arises.
We want to assure our community that LSCO is open for business. All offices will be open daily during regularly scheduled business hours. Facilities will continue to be rigorously cleaned, and all labs and service facilities will continue to support student learning. Students who visit campus are urged to use aggressive sanitation and hygiene protocols as recommended by authorities.
LSCO is committed to helping our students achieve their educational goals, and believes that transitioning to a flexible learning environment and limiting social interactions to minimize possible viral exposure is the best way to ensure our students continue to receive the first-class education they chose to pursue at our college. Students should monitor their LSCO email and Blackboard course announcements for instructions from professors, deans, and/or program directors.
Lamar State College Port Arthur:
Classes are cancelled for LSCPA students from March 16-20. Right now, classes are expected to start again on Monday, March 23.
Faculty and staff will working during the upcoming week to prepare for the 'possibility of a shift to online instruction.'
From a Lamar State College Port Arthur statement:
In light of recent developments regarding COVID-19, Lamar State College Port Arthur has opted to take a proactive effort to safeguard its students by canceling classes scheduled for March 16-20.
Dual enrollment students and those taking classes through the Woodrow Wilson Early College High School will attend classes as planned.
Classes are expected to resume on Monday, March 23, unless circumstances dictate further cancellation of classes.
“As news continues to evolve about the novel coronavirus, it is understandable there are concerns on our campus and in our community,” LSCPA President Dr. Betty Reynard said. “The cancellation of classes for LSCPA students is a precautionary measure being taken at our college.”
Faculty and staff will continue to work during the week of March 16-20 as the College works to prepare for the possibility of a shift to online instruction.
“Our goal is to continue providing an education to our students and to mitigate as much of the disruption COVID-19 has presented,” Dr. Reynard said. “This is a unique situation and one we are all working together to overcome. It’s important to stress that this is a time for all of us to demonstrate compassion, civility, and personal responsibility as we make the best decisions for our college.”
Lamar Institute of Technology:
LIT won't return to campus after spring break (March 16-20), but will have classes via 'distance' learning during the week of March 23-28.
The school released specific instructions for students, faculty and staff in a release on Thursday evening.
All large events, either on or off-campus, are cancelled until further notice for LIT.
From a Lamar Institute of Technology statement:
Ensuring the health and safety of our students, staff, faculty, and external stakeholders is a major concern for me. As a result of Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19), Lamar Institute of Technology (LIT) has decided that students will not return to the campus immediately following spring break (March 16-20). Instruction will resume the following week (March 23-28) as all classes will be moved to an ‘alternative’ or ‘distance’ learning format. While we are continuing to monitor this situation carefully, everyone should realize that as conditions might change the following plan might need to change as well.
Students:
· Follow CDC sanitary and hygiene. guidelines (https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/about/prevention.html?).
· March 16-20 - Complete the LIT Spring Break Survey.
· March 23-28 - Students are required to remain off-campus using ‘alternative’ or ‘distance’ learning formats. Please continue to monitor Lamar Institute of Technology’s webpage for up-to-date information: www.lit.edu
· March 30 - Return to regular class schedule and format.
Faculty:
· Follow CDC sanitary and hygiene. guidelines (https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/about/prevention.html?).
· March 16-20 - Complete the LIT Spring Break Survey.
· March 23-28 - Continue the migration of courses to the Blackboard platform and engage students to continue to work on assignments, read their textbooks, and other lecture materials.
· March 30 - Return to regular class schedule, format, and office hours.
Staff:
· Follow CDC sanitary and hygiene. guidelines (https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/about/prevention.html?).
· March 16-19 - Complete the LIT Spring Break Survey.
· March 20 - Staff off on Friday and the college is closed.
· March 23-28 - Resume normal duties and business operations.
· March 30 - Work their assigned schedule.
External Stakeholders:
· Please continue to monitor Lamar Institute of Technology’s webpage for up-to-date information: www.lit.edu
Large Group Gatherings:
All large events (on or off-campus) at LIT are cancelled until further notice.
Facilities:
All LIT facilities will receive a ‘deep clean’ Friday (March 20) and Saturday (March 21). Cleaning staff will continue this effort by utilizing disinfecting cleaners.
Travel:
- LIT has discontinued ALL out-of-state travel without the approval of the President until further notice.
- Students, Faculty, and Staff are strongly advised not to travel internationally for Spring Break per the CDC.
Due to COVID-19, we are dealing with some challenging times. But LIT is at its strongest when we work together for the betterment of our students.
