SCENE THE
THE
Fall Issue 5
November 30, 2020
THESCENEFP.COM
www.thescenefp.com
quad comes to life See pages 2-3
Being thankful See page 4
St. Louis Community College at Forest Park
COVID-19 surge moves classes online By Casaan Whitney The Scene staff
“So it’s possible that someone who recovered from COVID was taking classes on campus and is now well enough to return to campus. Before people can return to campus, though, they need to let us know that they’ve been medically cleared.” In March, STLCC created a COVID19 webpage, where students, faculty, staff and the public could get information about campus restrictions, procedures and other announcements. The college also formed a COVID-19 Incident Response Team with 20 members led by Hart Nelson, associate vice chancellor for workforce solutions. They guide decision-making and keep track of cases. Savala referred several questions to Nelson, including how many positive COVID-19 test results have been reported by students, faculty and staff on each campus and how contact tracing is being handled by the college. Nelson didn’t keep an appointment to speak with The Scene on Tuesday and couldn’t be reached for comment later. COVID-19 was declared a pandemic in March. Since that time, Johns Hopkins University and Medicine has reported 60,186,902 cases worldwide and 12,727,447 in the United States, 1,417,319 deaths from COVID-19 worldwide and 261,636 in the United States as of Nov. 25. In March, STLCC extended spring break for an extra week. Officials later made the decision to close all campuses, switch classes to online and allow students who wanted to temporarily drop out of school to retake spring classes within a year at no charge. Campuses reopened in the fall with reduced numbers. STLCC students, faculty and staff should report positive COVID-19 test results to the Incident Response Team directly at covid19@stlcc.edu or tell their instructors or supervisors, who can pass on the information. “Any of us are asked to make sure that if we become aware that someone may have COVID or are exposed to COVID, we need to report right away so that the college is notified,” Savala said.
Photo by Fred Ortlip
St. Louis Community College has switched even more of its in-person classes to online or live virtual lecture due to a surge in COVID-19 cases in the St. Louis region. Only classes that can’t easily be transitioned because of the need for hands-on learning, such as painting, nursing or automotive, are still being held on campus with safety guidelines. “So that’s fewer students in classes,” said Nez Savala, STLCC spokeswoman. “You have to wear a mask while you’re on campus in any capacity whether you’re a student, employee or visitor. Classrooms get cleaned … I mean, they were getting cleaned anyway, but they’re getting cleaned with sanitizing materials, personal protective equipment, that kind of thing now.” At the beginning of fall semester, about 1,000 people were attending classes or working on all four campuses and other STLCC locations, according to officials. The recent transition reduced that number even more. Some 14 students, faculty and staff at STLCC had recovered from COVID-19 as of Sept. 11, according to the college’s website. That had increased to 98 by Nov. 25. The number of active cases at any one time has ranged from six at the beginning of fall semester to 24 in early November to 10 in late November. These figures don’t include the number of STLCC students, faculty and staff who reported positive test results to St. Louis County Health Department instead of the college, and it’s unknown how many of the 98 people who recovered from COVID-19 have returned to campus. “About 65% of the classes that STLCC offered this fall were offered either live virtual lecture, online or some sort of hybrid,” Savala said. “Thirty-five percent of those classes had at least one on-campus component, so we have fewer students who are actually taking classes in person on campus, at least through this fall.
Photo by Fred Ortlip
Fallen leaves have swirled into a neat pile ready for pickup outside of G Tower.
Photo by Fred Ortlip
Additional COVID-19 restrictions have turned the Forest Park campus into a near ghost town. Parking lots are largely empty, above; hallways are quiet, below; and the cafeteria is closed, bottom.
Photo by Fred Ortlip
wwww
New quad comes to life
Work continues on Forest Park’s new quad, which is designed to be an out door gathering place for students, faculty and staff. That includes, clockwis from upper left, the moving of the Weathered Venus statue, the planting of so and trees, the pouring of concrete walkways, the construction of a new road, installation of light poles and the watering of new ornamental grasses. Photos by Fred Ortlip
Page 2
The Scene
THESCENEFP.COM
Nov. 30, 2020
tse od the
Nov. 30, 2020
The Scene
THESCENEFP.COM
Page 3
Campus chatter Jacques Thomas, 18 General transfer “I’m thankful for being here and being at this school, being able to play sports, my family, my (basketball) team and my coach.”
David Jones, 19 General transfer “I’m thankful for the opportunity that I have to play basketball and to further my education, just make something of myself, be the first graduate from college (in my family) and become something bigger in life than sports and really bring my family out of the hole. I’m also grateful for God (and) the system that I’m in, the organization that my coach and my directors .... They work hard, obviously, to make sure that we have a good season and to keep up safe and everything.”
Tyler Walker, 18 General transfer “Just the chance to play college basketball. That’s mainly it and living every day and stuff like that.”
Bryan Wolfe, 19 Early childhood development “I am thankful for my mother. My car had to get put into the shop today, and she helped get my car into the shop. … I’m thankful for another day and thankful for my (basketball) team.”
Justin Wallace, 20 Business management “First off, I’m thankful for God, the Lord, because without him, I wouldn’t be here today. It’s a blessing to have life. Secondly, my family, my mother, father, siblings. Without them, I don’t know where I’d be. Third thing I’m thankful for is basketball. It took me places. It helped me build friendships, bonds that I can’t break.”
What are you thankful for this Thanksgiving? By Markell Tompkins
La Toya Smith, 33 Admissions enrollment employee “I am thankful for my family most of all. I am thankful for still having them with everything going on with the pandemic and stuff. I’m grateful that I’m still able to see them, talk to them. I know this year a lot of people have lost family members. Being able to be close to them and having Thanksgiving this year means a lot. … We’ve been through a lot ourselves with the election and all the crazy stuff in the news and media.”
Page 4
Mychara Larkin, 24 Nursing “Just being able to spend time with family and being able to see my loved ones.”
Omar Aziz, 32 Art “I’m thankful for being here and being alive. It’s 2020, and it’s a crazy time we’re living in. I’m thankful for my son, and I’m thankful for my family.”
The Scene
THESCENEFP.COM
Najla Bracey, 24 Financial aid counselor “I’m thankful for my health and being able to work through these difficult times and help everybody. I’m thankful for the health of my family and friends.”
Nov. 30, 2020