Denmark Technical College announced today its reopening plan for the 2020 fall semester and an added Accelerated Summer session to be held July 13 -24, to allow graduates in the areas of Building Construction Fundamentals, Cosmetology, Barbering and Welding to complete the lab portions of their instruction on campus. Phase 1 of the College’s three-phase re-entry plan has been in effect since June 15. Phase 2 will commence on July 6, with the return of all staff employees, and Phase 3 will begin on July 13, with the addition of select students and faculty members scheduled to provide lab instruction for the Accelerated Summer session. Remaining faculty will report on August 3, and new and returning students, for the start of the fall semester, will return on August 8 and 12, respectively.
“At Denmark Technical College, our priority from the beginning of this pandemic has been the health and safety of our students, faculty, and staff,” said Willie L. Todd, Jr., President of Denmark Technical College. “Our phased approach to returning employees and students to the campus highlights that priority and permits us to ensure that our decisions going forward will provide for the most effective instructional delivery and working and learning experiences. Our plan for reopening incorporates health and safety measures that adhere to evolving local, state, and federal guidelines, including the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and is based on the recommendations made by the College’s Re-Entry Taskforce.” Key features of the plan include:
• Safety and Monitoring: Enhanced cleaning and hygiene protocols will continue to be implemented on campus, signage and other communications will guide and direct safe practices and on-campus safety protocols have been established that include required face coverings, daily self-screening questionnaires, and posted occupancy limits for common area spaces, classrooms, and offices.
• Phased Return for Faculty, Staff, and Students: Essential staff have been ensuring on-going operations on-site; remaining staff to return on July 6 to further implement safety and operational measures to ensure that the fall semester will be as seamless as possible. Select faculty and students to return on July 13, with remaining faculty returning on August 3, and new and returning students reporting on August 8 and 12, respectively.
• Academics and Academic Technology: Reduced classroom occupancy limits will allow for physical/social distancing; some classes may operate in a rotation between in-person and online attendance, investments in new on- campus technology will ensure maximum flexibility for teaching and learning. Many classes that will operate on campus will be live-streamed to allow students to log-in to classes from home if they prefer to do so. In these cases, students in the classroom and online will be together at their scheduled meeting time, with Zoom-based live lectures and interactive classroom discussions. Additionally, in anticipation of the confluence of COVID-19 with the seasonal flu, the fall semester has been shortened to end on November 19, 2020.
The College will continue to follow the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control and Centers for Disease and Prevention guidelines and is poised to adjust plans based on any new directives and guidelines issued.
About Denmark Technical College
Denmark Technical College is a dynamic, rurally based two-year technical college whose students are seeking an education that will not only assure they can survive but will thrive in life by getting the most out of their education. Founded in 1947 as an Area Trade School, Denmark Technical College offers undergraduate degree, certificate, and diploma programs.
