EFSC Announces Plan to Reopen Campuses for Fall Term

Eastern Florida State College will reopen its four campuses in August for the Fall Term with many classes online, limited in-person classes and safety measures in place to protect against COVID-19, including a requirement to wear masks or other protective face coverings inside all buildings.

College officials presented the four-phase plan Monday to EFSC’s Board of Trustees, saying it is based on guidance from the Centers for Disease Control, the Florida Department of Health in Brevard County and a team of faculty and staff members.

The 60-page plan can be read here. The college also prepared Frequently Asked Questions to provide details for employees, students and the general public.

“Nothing is more important than the health and safety of everyone at the College, and we believe the plan accomplishes that in a way that allows our campuses to reopen in a careful and responsible manner,” said EFSC President Dr. Jim Richey.

“Importantly, we will limit the number of students on campus and can quickly make changes to the plan if the pandemic worsens in our area. We will not hesitate to act if necessary."

EFSC closed its campuses in March, moved in-person classes online and had employees work remotely from home to provide student services and other operations.

Students successfully completed the Spring Term in early May. The campuses have remained closed for the Summer Term, with classes held online.

Key Reopening Plan Elements

Here are key elements of the plan, with August 17 marking the start of Fall Term classes:

• Many classes will be held online, allowing students to study from the safety of their homes.

• Limited in-person classes will be held in areas such as Health Sciences, Public Safety, Workforce programs, select science courses with critical lab components and other general education courses as may be allowed.

• Some hybrid classes with both online and in-person learning may also hold some course components on campus.

• The College will require employees and students to wear face masks or other protective face coverings inside all campus buildings. Employees and students are strongly encouraged to wear their own. The College will also supply masks for those who need them. They will be available at the Security Office on each campus.

• The College will provide a supply of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), such as masks and gloves, for courses in which they may be required.

• Social distancing will be maintained college-wide, with individuals staying at least 6 feet apart and classrooms, work areas and common areas reconfigured to ensure safe separation.

• Plastic shield guards will be installed in work areas where employees interact with students, hand sanitizer will be available and College facilities will be frequently disinfected.

• Employees will undergo COVID-19 safety training online from mid-June to mid-July prior to returning to work to ensure they understand safety procedures. Employees will be notified about the training by EFSC Human Resources.

• Students who will be on campus during Fall Term will also be asked to complete a student version of the online COVID-19 safety course. Students will receive notification when the training is available.

• Employees or students who test positive for COVID-19 will not be allowed on campus for 14 days, and their cases will be reviewed by the Brevard County Health Department for action, such as contact tracing.

• Other health guidelines for employees and students who may have COVID-19 symptoms will also be in place.

Four Phases: Summaries and Key Dates

Phase 1: Preparation

Starting June 1, the College began a review to determine changes in classrooms, work areas and common areas to meet social distancing rules; to install plastic shield guards; to acquire Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) and to put other safety measures in place.

Employees will undergo COVID-19 safety training online from mid-June to mid-July before returning to work.

All staff positions will be reviewed to determine which employees will return to campus and who can continue to work remotely from home for reasons such as underlying health conditions.

Phase 2: Employees Return to Campus

Starting July 20, most employees will return to work on campus.

Managers will maintain necessary flexibility and allow employees to work from home if they can do so effectively.

Target dates will be set for opening a range of campus services, such as bookstores, libraries, food services and athletic events.

Phase 3: Partial Campus Reopening

Starting August 3, all four campuses will reopen in a cautious manner, giving students on-campus access to important services such as Admissions, Financial Aid and Advising, with appointments required for many on-campus services. EFSC will provide more details on this appointment process in the coming weeks.

The College will continue to emphasize that students take online classes rather than in-person classes to limit the number of students on campus throughout the Fall Term.

Remote services, such as virtual tutoring and advising, will remain in place to serve the needs of students who are not on campus.

Phase 4: Full Reopening

Starting January 4, 2021, the College will fully reopen, with all in-person classes and services available, and the full resumption of events and activities.

Each phase of the reopening plan is dependent on the state of the COVID-19 pandemic and is subject to change if necessary.

For more information, contact John Glisch, Associate Vice President, Communications at 321-433-7017 or glischj@easternflorida.edu.