PERRYSBURG, Ohio —
Owens Community College, like many others in our area, is planning to resume in-person classes for the fall.
While students at Owens have been learning at a distance, leaders at the school say they've taken this time to prepare the classrooms for safe learning spaces.
"As you may be aware, the Owens Community College leadership team has been diligently working over the past several weeks to develop plans for a safe return to campus. These plans have been guided first and foremost by the health and safety of our campus community," the college said in a statement.
Here's what students can expect at Owens when they return to school in the fall:
- Face-to-face classes on the Toledo and Findlay area campuses while continuing online education for the majority of classes for fall 2020. Online offerings will include a mix of courses that allow students a choice in how they would like to learn, according to the college. The synchronous online classes will meet at a set date and time, and students will engage in real time with their instructor. Asynchronous online classes follow the traditional online format without a set meeting time.
- Owens will also offer hybrid online courses that are a combination of both the face-to-face and online contacts. Face-to-face classes, as well as in-person service on campus, will adopt protective measures such as required facial coverings, physical distancing, and continued deep cleaning.
- All face-to-face lectures will not exceed 50% of the room's seating capacity. Technical course work and hands-on labs that cannot be done online due to equipment, accreditation requirements, software component, etc., will also be reduced in size and will follow CDC social distancing and hygiene guidelines.
- Starting July 6th many support offices such as Academic Advising, Admissions, Career and Community Connections, the Disability Resource Center and our TRIO Support Services will resume face-to-face appointments for those who prefer that option. Check individual websites for up to date service hours and support options.
- Owens free tutoring will be delivered both online and face-to-face by appointment. All face-to-face appointments will follow CDC social distancing and hygiene guidelines.
Some of the changes they're making can already be seen on the campus with posted guidelines around buildings about COVID-19 expectations.
Vice President of Enrollment Management & Student Services, Amy Giordano, says they're excited to welcome students back.
"For fall we're making sure that we have a spectrum of offerings for students that fit their needs and their schedules. We will have on ground classes, we will have online traditional classes. We will also have what we're calling synchronous classes where students would meet at a set date and time with their instructor and classmates virtually," Giordano said.
They are also limiting certain class sizes, but will be offering more sections to accommodate.
Students can visit the class schedule for up to date class offerings for both summer and fall semesters.