Goldsboro – Wayne Community College is heeding Gov. Roy Cooper’s stay-at-home order.
College services will be provided remotely from Tuesday, March 31 through at least April 29.
The move completes the college’s transition to “teleworking” for its personnel. Instruction was migrated to online platforms on March 23, with a few exceptions to accommodate the critical need for public safety and public health services.
A “Current Operating Status” page on the college website provides departmental contact information for those who need to interact with any departments. Chat boxes have been added to the college’s web pages.
Campus buildings will be secured. Campus police will continue to patrol and monitor activity.
For those students who do not have internet access at home, the college suggests they check the North Carolina Department of Information Technology’s broadband availability information at www.ncbroadband.gov/covid19broadband/.
“We are fortunate that we can put measures in place to protect the health of the college community while continuing to provide instruction and services,” said Public Information Officer Tara Humphries. “The digital age in which we live affords us fabulous tools and we are employing them to keep teaching and help individuals create better lives for themselves.”
WCC also has modified its events schedule. The suspension of campus events has been extended to the end of Spring semester. Some activities will be rescheduled if possible.
The 2020 graduations will be postponed. The Transitional Programs for College and Career (Adult High School, High School Equivalency, and English as a Second Language programs) ceremony was scheduled for May 11. The curriculum (college credit) ceremony was set for May 12. Tentative new dates for both ceremonies are in late July.
“This was a very difficult decision. At this time, we can’t predict how long our area will be impacted,’ said Joanna Morrisette, WCC Associate Vice President of Academic and Student Services.
“Our commencement ceremonies are a celebration of our graduates’ hard work and we want to be able to provide a safe celebratory atmosphere that does not risk the health of our students, their families, or other members of the college community.” Morrisette said. “Unfortunately, that means we must postpone the May ceremonies. We will formally announce the rescheduled dates when we can.”
Spring break for academics will be shortened. It will now be Friday-Monday, April 10-13. The calendar change allows April 14-17 to return to regular academic instruction days.
“Changing spring break will allow WCC to make up time for the days we suspended classes in order to shift away from face-to-face instruction,” explained Dr. Patty Pfeiffer, WCC vice president for academic and student services. “Additionally, we hope this change will allow us to end the semester as originally scheduled.”
“We are open for business, just not at 3000 Wayne Memorial Drive. We are going to get through this together in spirit but safely physically separate, and we will be happy to get back to the campus we love when the time is right,” Humphries said.
