Tool URL: https://www.lakeareatech.edu/about-us/covid-19/

Institution URL: www.lakeareatech.edu

The toolkit and guide for individual programs to prepare for returning students can be obtained by contacting LATC President Michael Cartney at cartneym@lakeareatech.edu.  Additional resources pertaining to Covid-19 can be found at www.lakeareatech.edu/about-us/covid-19/ 

Lake Area Tech is the leader in technical education in northeast SD working in partnership with industry and all levels of education and workforce training.

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Lake Area Technical College's COVID-19 Risk Mitigation small cohorts (called bubbles) approach enabled us to fully open campus face-to-face in June 2020 and to operate safely throughout the Fall semester.  With an on-campus population of over 2000 daily and full adherence to CDC guidelines, LATC active COVID-19 cases were minimal as were students impacted by quarantine.  The results were an environment safer than the general population, even though our students live on the economy.

1) Safeguard our at high-risk staff and students; and 

2) Maximize the on-campus hands-on time and opportunities for our students.

Input was gathered from a variety of sources: state, city, healthcare providers, industry, and the school district.  In addition, each department was guided through a series of questions on what it would look like when students returned to campus.  High visibility of leadership and constant communication with staff and students were paramount. As were stressing that following guidance on and off campus was key and getting outstanding support and compliance by the students and staff is what truly enabled the success. 

The three intertwined levels of guidance/rules are:

Institutional level: guidance applies campus-wide.

• Access to buildings is limited to designated doors with temperature checks and screening.
• Social Distancing and face-coverings required in hallways and common areas.
• Maintenance Department prepared for sanitizing and disinfecting areas more often.
• Timely notifications to staff and students.
• Provide training.
• Educate students and employees on COVID symptoms and mitigation strategies.

Program/department level: guidance applies all institutional level guidance and requires departments/programs to develop customized plans that use applicable industry standards and allow students, faculty and staff to apply CDC guidelines to mitigate viral spread in their specific classroom/lab setting. Department plans will address protection of FAR and procedures in cases where a student/staff is symptomatic or tests positive for COVID-19

• Establish “bubbles”.
• Prepare course delivery modification plans.
• Student exposure tracking and notification plan.
• New technology or additional equipment.

Individual level: guidance applies institutional and applicable departmental guidance. Individuals must apply CDC guidance. High risk (FAR) individuals must inform their respective department or office (i.e. you have self-identified as “at high risk” or “family at risk”, you have had COVID and recovered, you have been exposed, you are being tested, you are having symptoms).

Students are educated on personal responsibility: social distancing, face-coverings, washing hands, using sanitizer, staying with your bubble, and when to seek help and notify those who need to know of an infection.

The list of questions guiding instructors on how to prepare for returning students and the plan itself are available by reaching out to LATC President Michael Cartney at cartneym@lakeareatech.edu

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Keeping Campus Safe (monitoring campus spread), Number of students tested positive for Fall 2020 Semester, Number of students quarantined for Fall 2020 Semester, Number of students recovered for Fall 2020 Semester, Maintaining Enrollment

Keeping Campus Safe: There was no campus spread during the Fall 2020 semester.

Number of students tested positive for Fall 2020 Semester: 187

Number of students quarantined for Fall 2020 Semester: 474 (contains duplicated count)

Number of students recovered for Fall 2020 Semester: 197

Maintaining Enrollment: We did see a decrease in students (unduplicated headcount) for the Fall 2020 Semester as well as the Spring 2021 Semester.  The decrease was 11 and 34, respectively.

Fall 2019 Unduplicated Headcount: 2228        Spring 2021 Unduplicated Headcount: 2139

Fall 2020 Unduplicated Headcount: 2217        Spring 2021 Unduplicated Headcount: 2105

There was, however, an increase in the number of new Spring 2021 students: 391 versus 353 last January (+38)

Our annual Unduplicated Headcount is up: 2608 versus 2581 last year (+27)

Administration, faculty, and staff worked diligently from the time we were shut down and throughout the summer so that by the time classes resumed on August 17^th the campus was as safe as could be and all the departments were ready to teach on campus as well as accommodate students learning from home while quarantined. 

Department faculty worked together and completed the list of guiding questions helping them determine the necessary changes that would need to be made when classes started in the fall.

Department supervisors and administration used the information from the guiding questions to start preparing for the Fall 2020 semester (ordering plexi glass, masks, sanitizer, cleaning supplies, gloves, etc., preparing for distance learning if necessary, and identifying classrooms to accommodate for social distancing). This allowed for a smooth transition for students.

A committee worked throughout the spring and summer to draft a living plan and provided education/training on the coronavirus to instructors, staff, and students.  This committee continues to meet to discuss what is working and what changes need to be made. 

High visibility of leadership and constant communication with staff and students were paramount; stressing that following guidance on and off campus was key; and getting outstanding support and compliance by the students and staff is what truly enabled the success.

Existing Personnel (salaries/benefits), Staff Development Time, CARES Funding

We continue to meet periodically to discuss what is working and what we can do differently.  Some examples of items that have been changed include allowing students to monitor their own temperatures and unlocking doors.  Even though the numbers of positive Coronavirus cases are declining in SD, we continue to implement the recommended CDC guidelines by wearing facial coverings and social distancing. 

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Michael Cartney, President

Lake Area Technical College

1201 Arrow Avenue, PO Box 730

Watertown, SD 57201

Michael Cartney, President

Lake Area Technical College

1201 Arrow Avenue, PO Box 730

Watertown, SD 57201