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COVID-19 Prevention & Response
CURRENT STATUS
SWCC COVID-19 Documents #6 & #6.1
Updated 8/21/20
- The academic calendar for fall semester will not be modified.
- If the state returns to Phase I of its Coronavirus Response, all courses will revert to an online format.
- For the fall semester, the majority of classes will remain in an online format regardless of the phase. If course outcomes can be met in an online format, it is expected that the course be conducted remotely. This expectation will continue through January 1.
- The College will begin with a limited number of face-to-face courses using guidelines detailed in Document #6.
Posted June 15, 2020
SWCC COVID-19 Document #6 and #6.1
Reopening Plan (Document #6)
Updated 8/21/2020
DOLI Addendum 8/20/20
Infectious Disease Plan 09-21-2020
The mission of Southwest Virginia Community College is to provide quality educational and cultural enrichment opportunities for its community. We have a calling to fulfill this mission while at the same time providing the safest possible environment for our students, faculty, and staff. Based on the information that the College has, it seems clear that COVID-19 will be in our communities this fall and that no vaccine will be available by the end of the year. While the College wants to get back to business as usual as quickly as possible, guidance from a variety of respected organizations suggests that institutions such as ours will need to remain vigilant until a safe and effective vaccine is in place. Given these realities, the message at SWCC is that, while things won’t look the same as they have in the past, the College will continue to provide the highest possible educational opportunities to the communities of Southwest Virginia this fall. This document provides some guidelines for this work.
Cleaning and Disinfection Protocols (Document #6.1)
Reducing the risk of exposure to COVID-19 by cleaning and disinfection is an important part of reopening SOUTHWEST that will require careful planning. Every American has been called upon to slow the spread of the virus through social distancing and prevention hygiene, such as frequently washing your hands and wearing face coverings. Everyone also has a role in making sure our communities are as safe as possible to reopen and remain open.
The virus that causes COVID-19 can be killed if you use the right products. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has compiled a list of disinfectant products that can be used against COVID-19, including ready-to-use sprays, concentrates, and wipes. Each product has been shown to be effective against viruses that are harder to kill than viruses like the one that causes COVID-19.
These protocols are focused on institutions of higher education.
View the full text of our CLeaning and Disinfection Protocols.
Read previous Southwest messages here
CLASSES
ALL CLASSES CONTINUE THROUGH ALTERNATIVE DELIVERY. Please refer to the student resources and FAQ sections for helpful resources and more information. The academic calendar has been modified to reflect Pass/Fail opt out deadlines by session.
LOCATIONS & EVENTS
All campus-events have been cancelled at least through January 1, 2021. A state-wide ban on travel is currently in effect.
If visiting Southwest's main campus, please refer to temporary signage for direction to currently available staff and resources.
- Appalachian Arts Center is now OPEN.
- Business Education Contest has been cancelled.
- Career Fair & Opportunity Showcase | Employer registration suspended and event postponed.
- Festival of the Arts Events Cancelled – To be rescheduled in its entirety in the fall.
- Scholarship Banquet previously scheduled for April 7th is cancelled | Note that the Scholarship application for 2020-21 is open through March 31st and awards will continue to be processed without interruption.
STUDENT RESOURCES
COMPLETING COURSES THROUGH REMOTE INSTRUCTION & RESOURCES
MYSouthwest application services at https://sw.my.vccs.edu are still available to you 24/7 to access course materials through CANVAS or review your student account information.
STUDENT SUCCESS ADVISOR – VIRTUAL ADVISING AVAILABLE Monday -Friday, 8am-4pm
To speak with a Student Success Advisor, please click on the Zoom link. The Student Success Advisors will be available, to talk and chat, Monday – Friday from 8am to 4pm. If you need advising outside of those hours, please contact the Student Success Advisors by email. Zoom sessions are first come, first served. You may have to wait a few minutes before an advisor is available. Please keep the Zoom window open and the advisor will be with you as soon as possible.
Christopher Hess
https://vccs.zoom.us/my/ckh007
276-964-7664
christopher.hess@sw.edu
Brandon Hensley
https://vccs.zoom.us/my/brandonhensley
276-964-7762
brandon.hensley@sw.edu
Emily Farmer
https://vccs.zoom.us/my/swccemilyfarmer
276-964-7676
emily.farmer@sw.edu
Jacob Richardson
https://vccs.zoom.us/my/jacobrichardson
276-964-7763
jacob.richardson@sw.edu
Lisa Haywood
https://vccs.zoom.us/my/lisahaywood
276-964-7220
Lisa.haywood@sw.edu
Seth Helmandollar
https://vccs.zoom.us/my/msethh
276-964-7627
seth.helmandollar@sw.edu
Workforce/Fast-Track Career Coach
Leslie Brooks
https://vccs.zoom.us/my/lesliebrooks
276-964-7534
leslie.brooks@sw.edu
Career Services
Jessica Dotson
https://vccs.zoom.us/my/swccjessicadotson
276-964-7262
jessica.dotson@sw.edu
- Tutoring – |Contact Mary Margaret Thompson,276-964-7399, mary.margaret.thompson@sw.edu
- Transfer Assistance – Contact Dr. Susie Mullins, 276-964-7231, susie.mullins@sw.edu
- General Advisement – Dr. Mike Henry, 276-964-7233, mike.henry@sw.edu
- Clinicals and work-based learning activities may continue as long as the sponsoring organization deems them safe. Program coordinators will stay in frequent contact with their students to keep them informed of any changes.
RedShelf offers FREE eTextbook Options
As a service to customers, the bookstore has partnered with RedShelf and participating publishers to provide FREE eBooks where available to affected students. For details, click the link follett.com/RedShelf
Textbooks rental due date has been extended an additional 15 days and may be adjusted as things progress. Students can log into their rental account and print free shipping labels to send their rental back. Help is also available to any student by phone at 276-963-3627.
Spectrum:
https://www.spectrum.net/support/internet/coronavirus-covid-19-educational-internet-offer
Comcast/Xfinity:
https://corporate.comcast.com/covid-19
Shentel:
https://www.shentel.com/news/2020/march/covid-19%20update
- FREE WIFI access will be available in the King Community Center parking lot, and on either side of Tazewell Hall. See a map of WIFI coverage.
EMPLOYEE RESOURCES
TELEWORK RESOURCES
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
STUDENT FAQ
SWCC has not cancelled any classes for the Spring 2020 term and must adhere to the academic calendar deadlines. To determine if you are eligible for a refund, click here to view the academic calendar.
- Southwest is not “closed”, but the physical campus will only be staffed with Campus Police. Support services and faculty will be available by phone and online through phone numbers and links found in these sections on our website. Click here the employee directory.
- The Lebanon Center and Booth Center will be closed until further notice.
- All testing centers will be closed until further notice.
- The Library will be closed until further notice.
- Wifi will be available in the parking lot of the King Community Center, and the parking lots at Tazewell Hall for students who need to access Wifi from their vehicles. See WIFI coverage map.
FACULTY FAQ
HUMAN RESOURCES FAQ
TECHNOLOGY RESOURCES FAQ
GENERAL INFORMATION
The novel coronavirus (known as COVID-19) outbreak – and the resultant media coverage – has led to concern and uncertainty among many in our community, as well as across the nation and globe. Southwest Virginia Community College is closely monitoring the situation with the VCCS, the VA Dept. of Health and the CDC to ensure we are taking appropriate precautions.
There are several steps you can take to ensure you remain as healthy as possible:
Stay informed: US Centers for Disease Control (CDC)
Practice preventative care: Prevention (CDC)
Stay calm: While the progression of COVID-19 is still emerging, the CDC is reporting that for the general American public, who are unlikely to be exposed to the virus at this time, the immediate health risk from COVID-19 is considered low.
Please be assured that the health and safety of our employees and students are paramount.
Commonwealth Security has been monitoring the uptick in malware due to the COVID-19 virus. Phishing campaigns and fake websites are being used by attackers to steal sensitive information and to get malware installed on devices. As with other phishing campaigns, emails with COVID-19 in the subject are asking users to provide login credentials to get COVID-19 updates and/or information. Southwest Virginia Community College nor VCCS will need you to login or sign up to receive this type of information.
Some phishing campaigns are requesting donations to help find a cure, thus collecting a user's personal information to include credit card numbers. Other phishing campaigns are using malicious attachments to download malware to the machines. Use extreme caution when interacting with websites or emails that make these claims or request that you download anything.
As we move forward during this pandemic, please remember:
Report all phishing messages with headers to the Southwest helpdesk.
Report any suspicious websites to VCCS or Southwest's helpdesk.
Official sites are as follows:
- US Center for Disease Control: www.cdc.gov
- Virginia Department of Health: http://www.vdh.virginia.gov/
- Word Health Organization: http://www.who.int
- Southwest-specific info: sw.edu/covid19