Fall 2021 Operational Plan

FALL 2021 PLAN

A Caring Campus 256.352.8000 | wallacestate.edu

FALL 2021 OPERATIONS PLAN OVERVIEW Wallace State expects to continue normal, on-campus operations and to serve students with a full complement of services and classes on campus and online during the Fall 2021 Semester.

Please note the following:

• Fall classes begin August 19, 2021 for regular term and Mini Term I • Classes for Mini Term II will begin October 14 • Flex Start classes are available • Lion Central has additional Saturday hours from 10 a.m.-2 p.m.

• Final exams will be held December 10-16 The Fall Schedule of Classes is available at www.wallacestate.edu/schedule. Students will find many classes available on-campus and online classes this semester, with hybrid options also available.

Wallace State is steadfastly committed to student success. The outstanding quality of our programs and services is just one of the reasons Wallace State has been named a Caring Campus, ranked Alabama’s No. 1 Online Community College, and rated the Safest Campus in Alabama.

Wallace State places the health, safety and well-being of our students and employees at the forefront of all that we do. Should a rise in COVID cases necessitate a change to our Fall plans or protocols, we will communicate those changes to you by Wallace State email. Please check your email frequently for updates.

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COVID-19 VACCINE INCENTIVES To emphasize the importance of vaccines to a successful fall semester, Wallace State is offering incentives to students who have completed their COVID-19 vaccination.

Each student enrolled for Fall Semester who presents proof of completed COVID vaccination by September 15, 2021, will receive a $150 cash award. These students will also be entered in a drawing to receive one of five additional $1000 cash awards. This offer is also extended to students enrolled in Summer 2021.

For those not yet vaccinated, a COVID-19 Vaccination Clinic will be held at the School of Nursing and Center for Science on the Wallace State Main Campus from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. on August 19 for the first dose of the Pfizer vaccine, with the second dose given on September 9. Please register for the WSCC Vaccination Clinic at bit.ly/ wsccvaccineclinic. Walk-in appointments are also available. Please make sure to arrive before 3 p.m.

Students do not have to attend the Wallace State Vaccination Clinic to be eligible for the incentive. Find other convenient COVID-19 vaccination locations at vaccine.gov, text your ZIP to 438829, or call 1-800-232-0233.

Proof of a completed COVID vaccine from earlier this year also qualifies.

“Completed” or “full” vaccination is defined as having received two doses of either the Moderna or Pfizer vaccine or one dose of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine.

Students must present proof of vaccination to Lion Central by September 15, 2021, to receive the incentives.

(NOTE: The two doses of the Moderna vaccine are given one month apart, and the two doses of the Pfizer vaccine are given three weeks apart, so you must plan ahead to meet this deadline. COVID-19 vaccinations are offered free of charge.)

How To Submit Proof of Vaccination Electronically To complete your Proof of Covid-19 Vaccination Form electronically you must sign into your Dynamic Forms account. If you do not have a Dynamic Forms account, you will need to create one as follows: 1. Visit https://bit.ly/wsccdynamicforms 2. Click the “Create a New Account” link 3. Complete the “Create a new account” page. Make a note of the information that you used.

4. Click the “Create Account” button 5. An activation e-mail will be sent to the e-mail provided on this page 6. Open your e-mail to find the activation message 7. Click the link provided to activate your account 8. Click the Continue link to log into your account 9. Log into Dynamic Forms 10. Enter the answer for your secret question 11. Check This is my device (optional) 12. Click Login 13. Update your cell phone information (optional) 14. Click Not Now or Save. You will be fully logged into Dynamic Forms Students who have already completed a form in person do not need to complete the online form.

Incentive funds will be disbursed by October 1, 2021. Wallace State’s vaccination incentives are funded by federal Higher Education Emergency Relief Funds (HEERF) made possible through the Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act and the American Rescue Plan.

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MASKS ON CAMPUS While the use of masks is not mandated campuswide, faculty and staff may, at their discretion, require students to wear masks in classrooms, lab spaces, and offices.

Across campus, please be respectful of others’ requests that you wear masks in their presence as they or someone they care for may have a compromised immune system.

Masks are encouraged and may be required at large events and in other cases where social distancing cannot be achieved. Please check with the event organizer, instructor, or advisor for details.

View the CDC’s latest guidance on masking at https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/vaccines/fully-vaccinated-guidance.html. Nearly all Alabama counties are categorized as “High Risk” by the Alabama Department of Public Health and Centers for Disease Control. See also below for CDC masking guidelines after exposure.

QUARANTINE GUIDELINES Persons with Positive COVID-19 Test Results WITH Symptoms Persons can return to campus/work: • 10 days since symptoms first appeared and • 24 hours with no fever without the use of fever-reducing medications and • Other symptoms of COVID-19 are improving (For example: cough, shortness of breath. Please note, loss of taste and smell may persist for weeks or months after recovery and need not delay the end of isolation) Persons with Positive COVID-19 Test Results WITHOUT Symptoms Persons can return to work/campus after 10 days have passed since you had a positive viral test for COVID-19 if the person continues to have no symptoms. If the person develops symptoms, they should follow the protocol for ‘Persons with Positive COVID-19 Test Results WITH Symptoms’ above.

Persons with Exposure to COVID-19 Anyone who has had close contact with someone with COVID-19 should stay home for 14 days after their last exposure to that person unless that person meets the following criteria: • The person has been fully vaccinated and shows no symptoms of COVID-19 OR • The person had COVID-19 illness within the previous 3 months and • Has recovered and • Remains without COVID-19 symptoms (for example, cough, shortness of breath).

Fully-vaccinated persons with exposure to COVID-19 should get tested 3-5 days after exposure, regardless of whether they exhibit symptoms. Fully-vaccinated persons should also wear a mask indoors in public for 14 days following exposure or until a COVID-19 test result is negative.

Definitions Close contact: is defined as within 6 feet of an infected person (laboratory-confirmed) for a cumulative total of 15 minutes or more over a 24-hour period.

Fully-vaccinated: Persons are considered fully-vaccinated 2 weeks after their second dose in a 2-dose series or 2 weeks after a single-dose vaccine.

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Students who are ill from COVID-19, have been exposed to COVID-19, or who are unable to come to campus due to an underlying health condition should notify the Vice President for Students Office (ryan.smith@ wallacestate.edu, 256.352.8233) as soon as possible to discuss protocols for quarantine and contact tracing.

(Employees contact Human Resources.) Questions related to course assignments should be directed to instructors.

OFFICE HOURS AND SYLLABI Instructors are available for in-person as well as virtual office hours to meet student needs and preferences.

Office hours and contact information will be indicated on the course syllabus, in Blackboard, and on office doors. Student Services Office Hours are published in the Fall Semester Schedule on p. 2.

STUDENT SERVICES Student Services offices are open to serve students and staff are available for walk-in visits and appointments.

To better serve students, Wallace State’s Student Services Division has also established a full complement of Virtual Student Services, providing the same level of outstanding customer service in a student-friendly manner in a virtual environment that students receive on campus, with even greater ease of access.

Students may now connect with the College in person as well as through platforms like Zoom, Blackboard Collaborate, Microsoft Teams, Live Chat, phone, email, and social media messaging. Expanded and weekend hours are available in some areas.

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Lion Central One-Stop Center for Enrollment Services Center for Student Success (Advising) Mental Health Counseling ADA/Special Populations Recruitment and Student Engagement TRIO - Talent Search and Student Support Services Vice President for Students

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Admissions Financial Aid Cashier Tutoring Lab Food Pantry Career Services Title IX

MyWallaceState, the College’s application and registration portal is available online 24/7. In addition to in-person tutoring, free online tutoring is available via Upswing at https://upswing.io. Students may login in using their Blackboard username and password. Visit the Tutoring page on the Wallace State website for more information.

STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES All reasonable accommodations will be provided for individuals with disabilities. Accommodations will be addressed individually and according to individual need by contacting Lisa Smith, the College’s ADA officer, at 256.352.8052, lisa.smith@wallacestate.edu. In-person and virtual appointments are also available.

PLACEMENT AND OTHER TESTING Testing is offered on a space-available basis. Appointments are strongly encouraged. Most placement tests will take place in the 9th floor testing lab. The residual ACT will be held in the School of Nursing (CNS). Call 256.352.8248 for an appointment and for information on proctored and/or remote testing.

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LIBRARY SERVICES & TECHNOLOGY LOANS Full library services will be provided in person and virtually through the Library’s online portal on the College website. The Library has private study rooms and webcams available for students to reserve for Respondus testing. A computer lab is also available in the Library. Laptops are available for checkout. Library hours are Monday-Thursday 7:30 a.m.-9 p.m., Friday 7:30 a.m.-2 p.m., and Saturday 8 a.m.-4 p.m.

WI-FI ON CAMPUS Guest Wi-Fi access is available across campus. Students may also access the Authenticated Wi-Fi using their student login credentials. Drive-in Wi-Fi is available from the Bailey Center parking lot and other buildings.

DINING SERVICES The new Wallace State Wally’s Grill is now open in the Student Center Monday through Thursday from 7:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. This updated space is equipped with games and café-style seating for students.

HOUSING On-campus housing will be limited to one resident per room/bathroom for non-athletes, and two residents per room/bathroom if they are on the same athletic team. All residents will be charged the double room rate. The Housing Office will communicate other Dorm-specific policies to residents.

BOOKSTORE The Barnes and Noble Bookstore on campus is open Monday through Thursday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Friday from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Online purchases of $75 or more receive free shipping at wallacestate.bncollege. com. Phone assistance is also available by calling 256.352.8100.

CAMPUS SAFETY AND SECURITY Wallace State Campus Police will continue to provide safety and security services on campus around the clock.

Call 256.735.9975 for on-campus police assistance or 911 for emergencies.

DO YOU HAVE UNMET NEEDS? WALLACE STATE CARES ABOUT YOU! Wallace State Community College was recently designated nationally as a Caring Campus by the Institute for Evidence-Based Change and has numerous supports available to help students succeed.

Ask us about our free food pantry, success advising, mental health counseling, career services, tutoring, technology loans, emergency financial assistance, and more available through our vast network of WSCC student services and the Wallace State Future Foundation. Our faculty and staff members are ready to listen and eager to help.

This plan will be reviewed regularly and updated in accordance with Alabama Community College System and federal directives and with guidance from the CDC and Alabama Department of Public Health.

For the latest information and additional resources, please visit: www.wallacestate.edu/coronavirus 6

It is the policy of Wallace State Community College, a postsecondary institution under the control of the Alabama Community College System Board of Trustees, that no person shall, on the grounds of race, color, sex, religion, national origin, disability, age, or sexual orientation be excluded from participation in, be denied benefit of, or be subjected to discrimination under any program, activity or employment. The College will not retaliate against any person because they have engaged in a protected activity opposing the College or because they have made a complaint, testified, assisted, or participated in any manner in an investigation, proceeding or hearing alleging discrimination on a basis specified above.

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