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In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, Dr. Beth Norton announced the formation of the fall 2020 COVID-19 Academic Affairs Task Force subcommittee. Dr. Norton appointed Dr. Martina Harris, Assistant Dean of Nursing & Allied Health, as chair of the task force. The 5 task force members ( Jennifer Arbogast, Guy Davis, Skylar Davidson, Robert Pace, Richard Washick), were appointed by deans and VPAA to represent administrative divisions across campus.

At the forefront of the subcommittee’s recommendations is the goal of providing a safe, positive student educational experience. It is understood that the fall semester will be different from prior fall semesters, and the subcommittee recommendations are geared toward minimizing negative impacts, caused by the pandemic, on the student experience, quality of instruction and student progression toward graduation.

The subcommittee, in coordination with the COVID-19 Task Force and the President’s Cabinet, assure members of the Chattanooga State community (students, faculty, staff, affiliates and visitors) that the College will take all reasonable measures in accordance with federal, state and local health department guidelines to ensure the safety and health of our campus community. The Academic Affairs Task Force subcommittee therefore makes the following recommendations: 

Teaching & Learning During COVID-19

• Everyone must complete the COVID-19 daily health screen questionnaire and agree to the Chattanooga State Safe Community Pledge prior to arriving on campus each day.
• Faculty should utilize virtual and online course instruction as the preferred instructional methodologies. For courses that require a hands-on component, faculty should only bring students on campus when necessary. The goal is to minimize the number of individuals on campus this fall in order to mitigate the risks associated with COVID-19.
• Faculty are encouraged to work remotely during fall 2020.

Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) & Safety Protocols

• All instructors shall include on each course syllabus a statement reinforcing the mandatory mask requirement. Statement should read, “Masks are required when on the Chattanooga State campus or at any instructional site. Masks must be worn in common areas (hallways, cafeteria, restrooms, etc.), confined spaces (classrooms), shared spaces (indoor or outdoor), and/or when two or more individuals are within 6-feet of each other.”
• The College will provide a sufficient supply of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), including facemasks, hand sanitizer and sanitation (cleaning) supplies for faculty, as well as for use in scheduled classrooms, labs, and other shared learning spaces.
• Plant Operations will provide protocols and instructions on cleaning designated equipment, following best practices as outlined by the CDC.
• Faculty will ensure proper cleaning of utilized class and/or lab spaces.

Maintaining Social Distancing

• All individuals on campus shall adhere to the recommended room occupancy guidelines, based on FEMA and CDC recommendations, allowing for 113-square-feet per participant to ensure appropriate social distancing. Plant Operations will distribute room occupancy guidelines for use campus wide. 
• In order to ensure appropriate social distancing, all individuals shall maintain a minimum of at least 6-feet of space between individuals.
• All instructors shall include on each course syllabus a statement reinforcing the social distancing requirement. Statement should read, “All individuals on Chattanooga State’s campus or at any instructional site shall follow social distancing guidelines. Social distancing means maintaining space of at least six feet apart from others at all possible times.”
• Faculty should seek to maintain social distancing during periods of movement (i.e., students entering and exiting class).
• For on-campus instruction, faculty must utilize and maintain an accurate and up-to-date seating chart and attendance records for all students coming to campus.

Implementation of Workspace Redesigns

• Plant Operations will assist with implementation of classroom space redesigns utilizing the room occupancy guidelines in order to adhere to social distancing guidelines and maintain a minimum of 6 feet spacing within shared spaces. For reassessment of academic spaces and occupancy guidelines, work order requests should be submitted by deans and department heads.
• To assist with social distancing by people in lines or waiting in high traffic areas, floor decals will indicate appropriate six feet of separation. Plant Operations will work to place the markings in conjunction with VPAA and Deans.
• To assist with traffic control and minimizing congestion, the College will use one-way entrance and exit points for all buildings with posted signs indicating entrance and exits.
• The College is designating additional socially distanced spaces with Wi-Fi access to ensure that students have a place to study and access courses remotely if needed. The Library will serve as the primary space for all students. Additional lab space will be available by division for use by students within those programs.

All recommendations are made in accordance with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Tennessee Department of Health and Chattanooga-Hamilton County Health Department guidelines, in addition to higher education industry standards. It is important to note that as more information develops around COVID-19, these recommendations will continue to evolve based on recommendations therein.