COVID-19 Updates/Information
Under the direction of President Dr. David Campbell, the NACC Planning Committee has developed a thorough Plan of Operation for the Fall 2020 semester with the safety of NACC students, faculty, and staff being at the forefront of this decision.
Highlights of this plan are as follows:
All theory and lecture classes will be offered online, very similarly to what we have done this summer. A few career-tech labs and clinicals will be offered on campus and will strictly follow CDC COVID-19 prevention guidelines. These classes must complete on-campus instruction before Thanksgiving and be finished remotely by the instructor(s). (Health officials are anticipating another surge in COVID-19 after Thanksgiving.)
Any events or activities on campus are strongly, strongly discouraged. Interdepartmental meetings should be held virtually.
Remote work directives are fluid at this time until the extent of COVID-19 for the fall clarifies. However, based on the Chancellor’s directive, divisional offices and support personnel should work on campus. Remote work is possible for instructors teaching online but should be confine to only a couple of days per week. It is the Chancellor's and System’s goal to get more people working back on campus.
Social distancing, wearing masks in buildings, limiting daily contact with others, strictly disinfecting buildings, and frequently washing hands will, of course, be required.
Please carefully read all of the precautions that will be in place for Fall and how they must be followed.
To read the full Fall 2020 Plan of Operation, click here.
"NACC and the Alabama Community College System will make all decisions regarding COVID-19 in the best interest and safety of our students. We will work with each student to make certain they have the opportunity to complete coursework while being the safest they can be."
-Dr. David Campbell, NACC PresidentCAMPUS TESTING INFORMATION
POSITIVE TEST RESULTS
CARES FUNDING UPDATE
HEERF (CARES Act) Reporting – Student
HEERF (CARES Act) Reporting – Institution
NACC COVID-19 TESTING
The Alabama Community College System and Northeast Alabama Community College (NACC) are utilizing COVID-19 testing services through the UAB GuideSafeTM Platform, powered by UAB. As part of this effort, UAB will be randomly selecting community college students and employees to participate in COVID-19 testing each week. Only students working on campus or taking a lab or clinical on campus along with all faculty and staff have the opportunity to be tested.
To support a safe and healthy environment at Northeast Alabama Community College, we are implementing sentinel testing across our campus. Sentinel testing is a random sampling of all asymptomatic faculty, staff, and students to understand the underlying prevalence of infection at our college so we can respond promptly to any outbreaks or increases in infection rates. You are strongly encouraged but not required to participate in testing, and there will be no penalty for those who choose to opt out.
Over the next few weeks, you may receive an email from Healthy@Verily.com asking you to schedule an appointment for COVID-19 sentinel testing. Some of you may have already received this email. If you did not receive it or do not receive one over the semester that is OK. Log into your Verily account to complete pre-test symptom screen and schedule your COVID-19 sentinel test.
If you have tested positive for COVID-19 in the past 12 weeks, please do not retest at this time. If you are having symptoms or have a recent exposure, follow our college health and safety plan, and do not participate in sentinel testing; the health and safety plan can be found within the NACC Faculty and Staff Microsoft Teams files.
Check your email for a very important message from Healthy@Verily.com to schedule your COVID-19 sentinel test.
If you are selected for testing and your dedicated instructional site is not the location of testing, you may request travel reimbursement.
For any questions, please contact Dr. Myrna Williamson (williamsonm@nacc.edu; 256.228.6001, ext. 2299).
We thank Governor Kay Ivey, the University of Alabama at Birmingham, and Chancellor Jimmy Baker of the Alabama Community College System for providing us with this opportunity. Although the testing is not required for relevant students, faculty, and staff, health and science officials say that testing is an excellent way to catch any possible COVID-19 problem at an early stage and to help slow the spread of the virus to others.
Thank you.
Dr. David Campbell, President
COVID News Updates
JANUARY 21 UPDATE
Hello to everyone. Due to the continuing concern of the spread of coronavirus, general education classes will continue to be offered virtually during February. Since they are smaller and more easily controlled by COVID-prevention techniques, workforce/career-tech labs, clinicals, and a few other classes will be held on-campus/on-site beginning Monday, February 1, 2021. These programs include
- Adult Basic Education;
- Air Conditioning & Refrigeration;
- CDL Truck Driving;
- Drafting & Design Technology;
- Emergency Medical Services;
- Engineering Technology;
- Industrial Electronics/Mechatronics;
- Industrial Systems Technology;
- Machine Tool Technology;
- Medical Assistant;
- Music (private lessons);
- Nursing;
- Salon & Spa Management;
- Science labs (limited/as necessary/upon approval);
- Skills Training programs; and
- Welding Technology.
Students in these on-campus/on-site classes will be notified before February 1, 2021. Very strict COVID-19 prevention procedures will be followed, and students, faculty, and staff will be provided with information on safe practices. A decision will be made toward the end of February concerning delivery of these courses beginning in March.
-Dr. David Campbell
DECEMBER 18 UPDATE
Hello, everyone. Attached is a news release regarding our updated Spring 2021 instructional plan. Please take time to review the information. This announcement is posted on our website at the link below. Also, note that all instructors will teach from the College campus during the spring semester rather than remotely.
NACC Announces Updated Spring 2021 Instructional Plan | Northeast Alabama Community College
With the rising COVID-19 cases in our service area, please be very mindful of following our safety policies and procedures at work, such as practicing social distancing, wearing a mask, and washing your hands frequently with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. Your attention to these requirements helps to ensure that all of us are safe while working.
Take care!
-Dr. David Campbell, NACC PresidentAPRIL 24 SUMMER SEMESTER UPDATE
Students - Due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, NACC has made the decision to continue with online instruction through the 2020 summer term. Summer courses originally scheduled to be taken on campus will now be taught online. All course content for the summer term will be delivered via Canvas. *A limited number of courses will require on-campus labs.
If you have already registered for an on-campus course and wish to remain in the course online, there is nothing more you need to do. If you have concerns about completing any courses online for the 2020 summer term, please reach out to your advisor to discuss your options or to change your schedule. If you have yet to register for the upcoming term, there is still time! Registration will remain open through May 29th. Contact your advisor to register today!
Northeast will continue to provide the same services during the summer term as have been provided in the past. Please continue to try and stay well. We are looking forward to when we can all be back together on campus.
MARCH 27 SEMESTER UPDATE
The Alabama COmmunity College System (ACCS) announced today that online instruction will continue at all of its campuses, including NACC, through the remainder of the spring semester. In addition, due to restrictions on event sizes by state and federal officials, all traditional commencement activities will be postponed. Northeast has postponed its graduation ceremony until September 3, 2020.
“Our System office and Chancellor look at what is in the best interest of faculty, staff, and students and monitor events closely before making decisions,” stated NACC President Dr. David Campbell. “We believe in doing the same thing here at Northeast. Regardless of whichever course of action is taken, our faculty and staff will continue to deliver top-quality, excellent education to our students. That is one thing that is a certainty.”
“Every decision concerning the operations of Alabama’s community colleges is being made with the health and safety of our students, faculty, staff, and administrators at the forefront,” said ACCS Chancellor Jimmy H. Baker. “While we couldn’t have imagined what this semester would look like for our colleges, I am incredibly grateful for the creativity, resilience, and commitment to learning shown by our faculty, staff, and students during this difficult time.”
NACC will continue to offer summer courses. As circumstances continue to evolve, a decision will come later and with guidance from local, state and federal administration on whether these classes will be offered in-person or online. At this time, NACC’s campus remains closed to public gatherings.
For continued updates and to view already issued directives from the ACCS, visit accs.edu/coronavirus or nacc.edu/news/covid-19-campus-update.
MARCH 20 GRADUATION UPDATE
Hello to all. Based on information provided by the Governor’s office, ACCS Chancellor Jimmy Baker has canceled/postponed all formal graduation ceremonies in the Alabama Community College System for the spring, with the option of rescheduling.
Our plans at Northeast now tentatively are to have social media recognition sometime in May in which we honor the graduates and their awards and then hold a formal ceremony on September 3, 2020, at the Agri-Business Center in Rainsville. All of this is tentative, depending on the ACCS/state/federal/CDC coronavirus prevention guidelines that are in place at the time and the student interest/involvement in the formal graduation ceremony.
We regret this change, but as you all know, we are in very unusual times. Those students who have bought their caps and gowns may get a refund by contacting the Business Office.
All of you please take care, and put the safety of yourself and your family first. Please follow all the CDC guidelines to be safe! Thoughts and prayers with you all.
-Dr. David Campbell, NACC President
MARCH 13 UPDATE
Upon the direction of the Alabama Community College System and Chancellor Jimmy Baker, NACC will temporarily suspend on-campus instruction March 17 – April 3. We will transition all on-campus courses to online instruction for students but will continue normal office operations on campus. President Dr. David Campbell is confident in NACC’s ability to transition to online instruction during this time. The conversion of on-campus courses to online is an ongoing process and should be completed by Tuesday, March 17. All plans will be communicated to students prior to Tuesday’s conversion via NACC student email accounts. All previously scheduled campus events during this time frame have been cancelled. We appreciate your patience and cooperating during this transition.
-Dr. David Campbell, NACC President
MARCH 12 UPDATE
NACC is dedicated to the safety and well-being of our students, faculty, and staff. We understand your concerns and appreciate your cooperation during this time. Following the directive of Chancellor Jimmy Baker and the Alabama Community College System, all out-of-state travel for all students, faculty, and staff will be cancelled immediately. Individuals with such travel plans should contact their appropriate Dean or Director for further instructions.
We look forward to further instructions from the ACCS as to how we will approach the Coronavirus crisis. Dr. Myrna Williamson, Director of Nursing, is serving as our on-campus COVID-19 Prevention Coordinator. Please direct any questions regarding this issue to her at williamsonm@nacc.edu.In the meantime, please follow these preventative actions:
1. Cover cough with tissue or sleeve.
2. Routinely clean and disinfect frequently touched surfaces and objects.
3. Wash hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds.
4. Avoid touching face with unwashed hands.
5. Use alcohol-based sanitizer when soap and water are unavailable.
6. Avoid close contact with people who are sick.
7. Stay home when sick.
Again, we appreciate all cooperation during this time.-Dr. David Campbell, NACC President
The Alabama Community College System is also providing frequent updates on their website: https://www.accs.edu/coronavirus/
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