CT Community College Summer To Be Remote, Except 'Essentials'

ACROSS CONNECTICUT — Citing continued caution during the coronavirus pandemic, the head of the state university system said Thursday that summer classes at Connecticut community colleges will be offerered mostly online with the exception of programs training students in the "essential" fields.

"As you know, while there have been some encouraging signs that social distancing has slowed the spread of the virus, the Covid-19 outbreak in Connecticut continues to disrupt our daily lives and threaten the health of individuals and communities," Connecticut State Colleges and Universities President Mark Ojakian wrote im a letter to "colleagues" posted Thursday. "While I know all of us crave a return to normalcy, it is clear that the re-opening of our campuses will need to be a well thought-out and deliberative process in line with the state’s recovery framework."

He said summer classes will thus be offered online-only until "at least" Aug. 1, with the exception of "some of the on-ground courses for students almost ready to enter the work force in immediately critical non-credit and credit programs."

Examples are:

• Certified nursing assistant
• Paramedic
• Nursing
• Medical assisting
• Phlebotomy
• Respiratory care
• Radiologic technologists
• Advanced manufacturing
• Electro-mechanical courses

Classes in the fields could begin begin as early as July 20, he said.

All other on-ground/skills-based courses "should be" scheduled for the hands-on components/ lab classes after Aug. 1, including hands-on laboratory courses that were not completed in the spring, he continued.

The lecture portion of the course can be scheduled online prior to Aug. 1 with the hands-on component scheduled starting Aug. 1, Ojakian said.

He added if the pandemic prevents the colleges from being opened by Aug. 1, officials are exploring options for the hands-on portion to be offered in condensed sessions at the start of the fall semester.

The number of students allowed in a laboratory classroom may be limited by social distancing guidelines and that may necessitate offering multiple laboratory sections with a small number of students, Ojakian said.

"This was a difficult decision, and please know that it was not taken lightly," Ojakian said, citing recommendations from a "Remote Teaching and Learning Crisis Team."