This is a rapidly evolving situation and as additional information becomes known, it is likely that our plans will also evolve. We are asking all of you to be vigilant both in terms of minimizing the risk of spreading the disease through strong sanitary protocols and by being observant and communicative. This is a time when extraordinary precaution on both fronts can have a significant effect on minimizing the risk to everyone.
Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19)
July 16, 2020
Frequently Asked Questions
What safety protocols are in place to make it safe for me to attend classes fall semester?
We have worked closely with the Yakima and Washington State Departments of Health, as well as with our medical sciences faculty, to establish protocols that make it safe to attend classes this fall. The university’s safe opening plan calls for a combination of remote learning, social distancing, masking, health screenings, and sanitation practices to ensure your safety. Almost all classes will also be offered remotely (see below for details), allowing students to attend online synchronously or asynchronously, depending upon their needs. Facemasks are required in all spaces on campus, including outdoors and in the restrooms. Hand sanitizing stations are located in every building on campus. Health screeners will be in place at the entrance of the university parking lot to take the temperature of everyone who enters the property. No one with a temperature above 100 degrees will be allowed access to campus. Classrooms and computer labs are being reconfigured with a reduced capacity to ensure that individuals remain at least 6 feet apart. Each building will have a COVID site supervisor on site to ensure that facemasks are being worn, social distancing protocols are being adhered to, and regularly sanitizing frequently touched surfaces. Classrooms and labs will be thoroughly sanitized between uses. Access to other services, such as advising, tutoring, financial aid, and the library and printing, will occur remotely or through contact-free options.
What are the steps that I need to take to come to campus?
- Complete the campus access form online at My现金网平台 at least 24 hours before you plan to arrive at campus. If you are not able to access the form because of limited access to the internet, please check in at the gate, and you will be given additional directions.
- Access campus through the main gate on Fort Road. All persons coming to campus must wear a facemask.
- Stop at the screening checkpoint in the parking lot, put on your mask while in your vehicle, roll down your window to have your temperature taken.
- After screening, park as you would normally.
- COVID site supervisors will be available to direct you to safe study areas and answer any questions you have.
We recommend that you allow extra travel time when coming to campus to allow for screening.
I’m worried about my safety and am nervous about coming to campus. What are my options?
We completely understand your apprehension. The good news is that unless you are in one of the medical sciences majors, you will likely not have to come to campus. Almost all of our classes can be attended remotely, and most of our services, such as tutoring and advising, can be accessed online as well. Even if you need to come to campus to pick up books from the library or any materials you need to have printed, you can receive these through curbside pick-up.
I don’t have a laptop or internet access. How am I going to be able to take classes?
You can check out laptop computers and video cameras from IT that you can take home with you to use for the semester. If accessing the internet or finding quiet places where you can study is a challenge, you can come to campus to attend classes or use one of our study areas to attend classes remotely and do homework.
Will I be attending classes in person on campus or remotely for fall semester?
You have several options on how you attend classes this semester: in person on campus in real-time, online in real-time (synchronous), or online at a time that best suits your schedule (asynchronous). All classes will be held on their scheduled days and times. Besides a few labs for the medical sciences majors and a few studio arts courses, you have the choice of attending class remotely through your computer at home or on campus or coming to campus and attending the course with fellow students in the assigned classroom. Classrooms will have limited seating to facilitate social distancing, and the lecture may be streamed live into the classroom if your instructor has elected to work remotely. All classes will be recorded and the lecture will be accessible online at any time. If you are unable to attend class at its assigned time, you can attend asynchronously by viewing the recorded lecture. You can also use these recorded lectures as an added resource for your learning. They will be posted online for the duration of the semester, and you can revisit them as many times as you need to learn the material.
When will I hear from my professor if my course will be offered in-person or remote only, and will my professor be live, in the classroom?
Most professors will post their class delivery model in advance. We recommend that you attend all of your classes remotely on the first day, whether from home or by coming to campus to access a computer or an internet connection for your personal computer. On that first day, the semester plan will be outlined and discussed, along with the syllabus, so that you can understand all of your options. All courses will have the option for you to attend remotely and many in person. However, your professor may not be physically present in the classroom with you and the other students who choose to attend in person. Just as students have the option to choose whether they attend remotely or in person, so do the professors. Some of our faculty and staff are at a higher risk, or are caregivers of someone who is at higher risk of complications should they be infected. In the classes where instructors work remotely, they will be live-streamed into the classroom during the day and time of the lecture.
How will I access my online class?
All online classes are linked to your class schedule on My现金网平台. Imbedded into the class listing is the link to connect to the class via Zoom. Click on that link and follow the connection instructions.
What will the in-person classes look like?
In-person classes will take place on the days and times of the scheduled class. In some cases, even if you chose to attend live in the classroom, you and your peers will then access the course via Zoom where you will be connected with the rest of your peers who are working remotely and the instructor if he or she is also working remotely. You will be able to interact with your peers, both in the classroom and those attending remotely, and your instructor in real-time. Students who choose to attend class in person will be seated at least six feet apart.
If I decide I want to attend classes remotely at the start of the semester, will I be allowed to attend in person later on?
Yes. Our goal is to give you maximum flexibility and maximum safety. You can attend classes in a manner that best suits your needs. That could mean you attend online synchronously one day, in-person on campus the next, and asynchronously the following day. You should remain in contact with your professor to ensure that he/she is aware of your planned attendance, so you get full credit for participating.
Should I come to campus on the first day of the semester?
We recommend that you attend your first class remotely, whether at home or by coming to campus to access a computer and/or the internet. All campus facilities will be operating at reduced capacity to enable social distancing. As such, we will not be able to accommodate all students if everyone came to campus that first day. However, attending this first class is critical to your future success. You, your peers and your instructor will spend most of your time on this first day going over the syllabus; talking about the plan for class attendance over the course of the semester; and discussing important information such as how course work should be submitted, how students are expected to participate in class, how to reach your instructor if you have any questions, and how to form study groups.
Will all professors be on campus to teach?
No, just as you have the option to attend class remotely, so too does our faculty. Some of our faculty are in the high-risk group for complications should they contract COVID-19, or they are caring for loved ones who are at risk. Those who will not be on campus will be teaching remotely via Zoom and will still be accessible to you outside of the classroom via email, Zoom, and other platforms. He or she will share the best way to contact them outside of class time during the first day of class.
Will lab and art studio classes be held in person or online?
We have made investments in software programs that will allow for most lab classes to be held online for fall semester. The exceptions will be labs for the medical sciences majors: nursing, medical laboratory science, and physician assistant. We have made a significant investment in technology that allows for high quality, online lab experience that will provide you with the experience you need to master the lab. Your professors will explain the online labs on your first days in class For those labs and the studio arts courses that will meet in person, strict social distancing and sanitizing protocols will be adhered to for your safety.
What does communication between my professor and other students look like? How will I work with my professors, form study groups, etc.?
This is why it is vitally important for you to attend the first class at the start of fall semester. You, your professor, and your peers will exchange contact information and discuss the best way to communicate with each other throughout the semester. You and your classmates may decide to create virtual workgroups or small groups that will meet on campus for study sessions.
Are most of the classes scheduled once a day, or does that vary?
Class schedules vary from class to class. Very few meet daily. Most meet one, two, or three times a week. Your class schedule will have the classes you are taking this semester and the days and times that they meet.
Is there a standard procedure for exams?
No. Each professor manages their courses differently, including expectations for class participation, coursework, term papers, testing, and the grading process. You will learn all about what you can expect on the first day of class when you go over the syllabus.
How long will lectures be made available to watch asynchronously?
Recorded classes will be available online throughout the semester and beyond.
On the first day of school, will there be someone there to help me find my way around campus?
Yes, we will have staff positioned throughout the campus to assist you throughout the first week of the semester. Additionally, all 现金网平台 University faculty and staff are eager to help. You can ask anyone, and they will assist you.
What is going to happen for my required practicum and/or student teaching?
Your professors are working as diligently as possible to secure practicums and student teaching assignments. They will explain in more detail on the first day of class.
How many students will be allowed in a classroom?
The maximum capacity of each classroom varies depending upon its size and configuration. All classrooms and study areas are being configured to ensure students can maintain at least six feet of separation. The site supervisor will monitor classroom sizes.
Will students be able to access university resources such as the library, tutoring, and printing?
Yes. You will have access to all of the services you receive under normal circumstances; however, there will be some modifications in how you access these services. For example, the library will have curbside pick-up for resource materials that you want to check out. We will have more information when it becomes available. The facility itself will be open to use as a study area, but with reduced capacity to maintain social distancing. Printing services will operate similarly with your orders placed remotely and picked up through a contactless process; more information is forthcoming. The ASC will be open with reduced capacity. Most one-on-one tutoring will take place remotely by appointment.
What will the ASC, Tutoring, and the Writing Center be like?
The physical location of the Writing Center will be closed during fall semester. However, the tutoring services that functioned out of that space will continue remotely. The ASC will be open with limited capacity and on-site tutoring. However, the full range of tutoring services will be available by appointment via Zoom. The good news is that the service hours are extended to times outside of ASC and the university’s hours of operation. You will be able to schedule your tutoring session through the ASC’s web page.
Will food service be available on campus?
The café will open on September 14 with a limited menu. Seating will not be available at this time. We highly recommend that you bring a sack lunch with you if you plan to be on campus for an extended period of time.
What happens if we hit Phase 4 during fall semester? Will distance learning stop? Will we be forced to attend classes in person?
No, even if our county meets the criteria required to enter into Phase 4, you will continue to be able to access your classes online synchronously and asynchronously for the semester’s duration.
I need to work while going to school. How many hours do you recommend I work, and how much time should I dedicate to studying outside of my classes?
Most 现金网平台 University students work while attending college. There is no standard formula for how you should divide your time between school and working. The usual recommendation for study hours outside of class is 20 hours a week. However, exactly how much time you will need depends upon your situation and learning style. We understand that you need to work to pay your bills. We recommend that you work with your employer and your professors to find a balance that allows you to work as much as you need to sustain yourself while allowing sufficient study time. If you find you have any issues understanding your course content or completing your assignments, speak to your professors as soon as possible to avoid falling behind.
Do you have any recommendations on how to participate in the Zoom lecture and take notes in Google Docs?
In today’s technology-driven world, many of us use online tools to take notes during lectures. Some great open-source products out there, such as Google Docs, allow you to save your notes in the cloud. However, accessing two online functions can present a bit of a challenge when you are taking your course remotely. There are a couple of things that you can do to manage this.
- Work in split screens with Zoom and Google Docs reduced in size so that they each share part of your screen, allowing you to work in both platforms simultaneously.
- Use the old-fashioned method of taking notes with paper and pencil and later transcribing your notes into the online platform of your choice. This has the added benefit of allowing you to review your notes, thus improving retention.
- Use the asynchronous online option to your benefit by participating in your synchronous class without taking notes, then go back to the lecture later and watch it again while you take notes. Again, this will allow you to improve your retention of the materials presented.
What is happening with classes in the 三城市?
CBC is allowing in-person classes to happen on campus with adherence to social distancing protocols. At this time, they are not allowing access to the campus for any other activity, such as access to technology or study areas. Please connect with the 三城市 staff for up to the minute details.
(509) 542-5506
(509) 542-5520
tricities@heritage.edu
Can students in the 三城市 take classes at the toppenish. campus?
Students in the 三城市 move through their classes in a cohort model, which means they all take the same classes at the same time. Taking your core classes from the toppenish. campus may be difficult, but not impossible. However, if you choose to take an additional elective that isn’t part of your cohort course plan, you could do so. Talk to your advisor for help with this and any other scheduling questions.
What should I do if I develop symptoms of COVID-19 or tested positive, and I had been on campus?
Contact the Office of Ability Services right away. All information shared will be strictly confidential. However, we will conduct our contract tracing protocols as required by the Yakima County, assist others in being tested, and suggest they quarantine. This is also why it is very important you wear a mask at all times.
现金网平台 University COVID-19 (coronavirus) Employee Action Plan
Resources
Bookmark these pages for the latest official information about the coronavirus:
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Official Coronavirus Webpage
- World Health Organization Official Coronavirus Webpage
- CDC Official Map of Confirmed US Cases
- Johns Hopkins CSSE Map of Global Cases
- Public Health Agency of Canada Official Coronavirus Webpage
- Public Health England Official Coronavirus Response Page
- Health Protection Scotland’s Coronavirus Update Center
