Coronavirus (COVID-19)

Spring Semester 2021 Protocols & Guidance

As we prepare for the new semester, we want the WPCC community to know we are working to ensure everyone’s health and safety while upholding our mission to provide accessible, high-quality education for our students. The vast majority of classes this semester will be held online to reduce the number of individuals on campus. However, some classes need to be held in person and some positions require employees to be on campus. To that end, we strive to:

• Provide leadership as we adapt to the evolving educational, social, and economic needs of our community
• Listen to our students, faculty, staff, stakeholders, and partners to support operational decisions during COVID-19
• Uphold our core values of innovation, service, success, quality, diversity, and excellence
• Clearly communicate our plans for continuing to serve students during COVID-19

Purpose

The following guidelines are established to allow WPCC to safely serve students on campus following guidance from the governor, public health officials, and the North Carolina Community College System.

Objectives

• Protect the health and safety of the college’s students, faculty, staff, and visitors
• Advise employees and students of protocols for being on campus
• Establish a response procedure for incidents of direct and indirect contact with COVID-19

Protocols for Being on Campus

All students, faculty, staff, and visitors share in the responsibility to maintain a safe environment at WPCC. As directed by the NC Department of Health and Human Services everyone on campus is required to abide by the three “Ws”

WEAR (UPDATED NOVEMBER 25, 2020)

• All students, faculty, staff and visitors will be required to wear a cloth face covering, disposable mask, or face shield covering the mouth and nose indoors when in a space with someone who is not a member of the same household.
• All students, faculty, staff and visitors will be required to wear a cloth face covering, disposable mask, or face shield covering the mouth and nose outdoors if it is not possible to consistently be physically distant by more than six (6) feet from non-household members.

WAIT

• Main Campus, Cosmetology Center, Foothills Higher Education Center, and Richardson Complex will be open with the goal of maintaining at least six feet of space between persons present.
• Common areas, such as the cafeteria and student lounges, will be closed.
• The number of building entrances will be reduced while maintaining code compliance. Signs will indicate entrances to be used after passing through the health screening.
• Classrooms, to the extent feasible, will be arranged to allow for social distancing.
• Individuals are encouraged to use stairs rather than elevators, especially when descending, to reserve elevator capacity for disabled persons.
• Plexiglass shields will be placed in reception areas.
• Everyone should avoid close contact with one another – no handshakes or hugs.

WASH

• Signage throughout campus will remind students, faculty, staff, and visitors to wash hands or use hand sanitizer frequently.
• Housekeeping will be cleaning high touch areas (door handles, light switches, elevator buttons, countertops, bathrooms) daily.
• Housekeeping will be cleaning chairs and desks in between classes when feasible.
• Cleaning supplies will be available as needed/requested. Students may be asked to assist with wiping down desks and work stations before and after use based on classroom activities.

Wellness Screening

• 

  All students (including Burke Middle College and Career & College Promise), faculty, staff, and visitors must enter through a wellness screening checkpoint every day before going to their classroom or office. The exception will be positions reporting to work before the checkpoints open.  Those positions may begin their work as scheduled but must report to the checkpoint when it opens. On the main campus, checkpoints will be available in the lobby of Jim Burnett Hall and the student lounge in Carr Hall beginning at 7:30 a.m. The Jim Burnett Hall checkpoint closes at 6 p.m. Monday through Thursday and 4 p.m. on Fridays. The Carr Hall checkpoint closes daily at 1:15 p.m. At the Cosmetology Center the Program Coordinator will facilitate the checkpoint. At FHEC the checkpoint will be the reception area (note:  the wellness screening does not apply to individuals conducting business with tenants other than the college). At the Richardson Complex the checkpoint will be at the reception area.

  • After passing through the wellness screening individuals will receive a wrist band for the day which must be worn at all times on campus. The wrist band indicates that the individual is cleared to be on campus for the day and does not need to go through the check point again if leaving and returning to campus.  Different colored wrist bands will be issued every day.
  • At the wellness screening temperatures will be taken. Anyone exhibiting a temperature of 100.4 degrees or higher will be asked to leave campus.
  • Anyone who feels sick should stay home.
  • Supervisors should check for wrist bands and send any employees without wrist bands to the wellness screening checkpoint.
  • Faculty should send any students without wrist bands to the wellness screening checkpoint.

Violation of protocols may result in appropriate disciplinary actions in accordance with the Student Code of Conduct and/or terms of employment with WPCC.

Procedures for Incidents of Direct or Indirect Contact with COVID-19

As per the Burke County Health Department close contact with COVID-19 is defined as:

Less than 6 feet away from someone COVID-19 positive for more than 10 minutes without a face covering.

Student Guidance

1. Students must notify WPCC immediately to report COVID-19 suspected or confirmed diagnosis by submitting our Student Self-Report Illness Form.
2. Students should not communicate COVID-19 suspected or confirmed diagnosis to other students or employees.
3. Student Services will review the information provided, as well as guidance provided from the Burke County Health Department, and advise the individual as to the action to be taken.
   • If the student is on campus when the initial contact is made to Student Services, and if it is determined that the student should leave campus, and if the student does not have transportation to leave immediately, the student will be directed to a waiting area at Phifer Hall Room 14.
   • The Dean of Student Services will follow up with faculty regarding the status of the student as well as other exposed students.
   • The Dean of Student Services will contact appropriate individuals for class area disinfecting.
4. The Director of Human Resources will follow up with other exposed faculty and alert supervisors of any quarantine requirements.
5. In order to comply with HIPAA and FERPA no employee shall discuss any medical information with another employee or student.

The college recommends that everyone assess their health daily to play an active role in protecting the health and safety of the WPCC community.  The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention offer guidance on what to do if sick. Learn More.

Protocols and Guidance are subject to change as the pandemic evolves.