Coronavirus Updates - March 20, 2020

Coronavirus info for webThis past week has been an extremely difficult week for us all. We have been forced to make some very difficult decisions that impact our lives at Chattanooga State, but please know that these decisions were made to ensure the health and safety of our students, faculty, and staff, as well as our community at large.

We are all quickly adjusting to new ways of learning, teaching, and working. I am incredibly impressed, but not at all surprised, by how our faculty and staff have stepped up to ensure we can continue to serve our students. I encourage you all to continue to practice grace, patience, and understanding. We are all in this together, and we have proven this week that together we can accomplish anything. I am so grateful for our Chattanooga State family. I truly believe we will be a stronger family because of this.

Campus Access

The Chattanooga State campus will be closed to the general public beginning Monday, March 23 until further notice. The main entrance will be the only point of entry for the Chattanooga campus. All other entry points will be closed.

Access to Chattanooga State’s campus will be granted only to those students, faculty, and staff who are required to be on campus. You will be required to show your College-issued I.D. or parking permit.

Process for Students, Staff & Faculty Entering the Campus starting Mon. March 23:

  1. Enter using the main entrance at the traffic light on Amnicola Highway.
  2. Upon entering the campus, immediately shift to the two right-hand lanes.
  3. Have your college issued I.D. or parking permit ready to present.

Business Office Update

  • Beginning Monday, March 23, all mail (internal and external) will need to be picked up and dropped off at Central Storage Shipping and Receiving (#14 on the campus map). Pickup times are Monday through Friday, 7:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. and 12:30 p.m. to 2:30 p.m.
  • Beginning the week of March 23, all checks will be processed once per week on Wednesday. If direct deposit is not set-up, your check will be mailed to you.
  • For students on a fee payment plan, the $25 late fee for failure to pay the third installment for fees has been waived.

Computer Lab Access

  • For students who do not have access to a computer or internet access, beginning Monday, March 23, the Library will be available as temporary open computer lab space. Hours of operation are Monday and Thursday, 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. and Wednesday evenings, 3:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. A reservation is required, and time slots will be limited to two hours. For your safety, space is limited to no more than nine (9) students at a time in the lab, and cleaning protocols will be followed by Chattanooga State personnel. To make a reservation, visit https://calendly.com/chattstateopenlab/bookacomputer or call 423-697-4404.
  • TCAT classroom work will begin on March 23. TCAT lab work will begin March 30 instead of the previously communicated March 23. All classroom work including testing will be completed online through eLearn. For labs, in compliance with Federal and State guidelines, students will meet in groups of nine (9) or less in their campus lab on a schedule as communicated by your instructor. Please communicate with your faculty member should you have specific questions and/or need additional support.
  • Kimball Site computer labs will be open Monday through Thursday, 7:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.; Friday, 7:30 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. Room 107 will be open for general use and room 103 will be open for math students. 
  • Dayton Site computer labs will be open Monday through Thursday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.; Friday 8:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. Rooms 102 and 104 will be open. TN eCampus testing will take place in the testing lab, which will be open Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to noon.
  • Please communicate with your instructors for additional information or questions.

Student Academic Resources

  • The Math Center tutoring will be online only beginning Monday, March 23.
  • The Andrews Reading and Writing Center is online only. To schedule an appointment with a tutor in the Andrews Center, go to https://trac.chattanoogastate.edu or call 423-697-2410. Students can also email their writing as a Word document to andrewscenter@chattanoogastate.edu and complete the Online Tutoring Form.
  • The Kolwyck Library is online only. Visit the KLIC Online Library LIVE: https://library.chattanoogastate.edu/
  • Research and learning support through Kolwyck Online: https://library.chattanoogastate.edu/lite/researchhelp
  • A limited number of laptops and tablets are available to students in need. Please complete the online reservation form here http://bit.ly/390nuN3 or call 423-697-4461 to reserve a device. First come, first served basis. Pick up in IMC Room 122 with student I.D.
  • Courses will be taught on-line for the remainder of the semester. Please continue to communicate with your instructors. Online instruction begins Monday, March 23.
  • The exit exam requirement will be waived for May graduates. Summer graduates will be contacted about this requirement at a later date.

Student Support Resources

  • Student Tech Support is available to provide services online or by phone. For more information, visit https://library.chattanoogastate.edu/studenttechsupport
  • The Career Services Center is available to provide services online or by phone to Chattanooga State students, alumni, faculty and staff. Visit JOBlink to view job and internship opportunities. To schedule an appointment, please call 423-697-4421 or email careers@chattanoogastate.edu. The Career Services Virtual Office hours are Monday through Thursday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.; Friday 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
  • Counseling Services: Chattanooga State Community College is committed to and cares about the well-being of all students and employees. Our support services team is available to provide personal counseling via WebEx or phone. To speak with a counselor, please call 423-697-4483 or email studentsupport@chattanoogastate.edu. For additional information, please visit the Counseling Resources page. Additionally, the McNabb Center is an off-campus counseling resource available to Chattanooga State students. The McNabb Center can be reached at 423-266-6751 or 800-255-9711.

Faculty/Staff Resources

Please continue to check the College COVID-19 information page for resources to assist faculty and staff during this transition to online teaching and remote work.

Virtual Offices

While the College is still open, in order to minimize the risk of spreading COVID-19, we will shift our operations to serve students via online, phone, or email. In order to maintain ease of access and communications, virtual offices have been set-up. Links to these virtual offices are available on the College website homepage, as well as on the College’s COVID-19 update page. Note – the virtual office chat function will not work with Internet Explorer. Please use Chrome, Safari or Firefox.

Facility Updates

  • Beginning Monday, March 23, the College campus, including Kimball and Dayton sites, will be closed to the general public.
  • Child Development Center will be closed beginning Monday, March 23.
  • The campus bookstore will be online only beginning Monday, March 23.
  • The Printing Department hours have changed. Beginning Monday, March 23, hours will be Monday – Thursday 9:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m. and closed on Fridays.
  • Work study students should NOT report to work on campus through March 31.

Events Canceled

  • Commencement ceremonies have been canceled. We are exploring options to postpone the live event, as well as virtual options. The exit exam requirement for May graduates has been waived.
  • All pinning ceremonies planned for this semester are canceled. We are exploring options to reschedule these events.
  • All on-campus events originally scheduled for March and April are canceled.
  • All spring athletics are canceled.

Please continue to check the College COVID-19 information page for updates.

Please try to relax over the weekend. This is a stressful time for all of us, and you must remember to take care of yourself in times like this.
You will get through this.  We will get through this.

Sincerely,
Rebecca Ashford, Ed.D.
President