Snow College stays open, but going to online instruction
By Robert Green
Staff writer
3-18-2020
EPRHAIM—The new coronavirus outbreak will be changing Snow College in a big way.
Snow will follow the CDC higher-ed guidelines for the COVID-19 outbreak and all gatherings of more than 10 people will be discouraged, said Marci Larsen, senior assistant to the President.
But it is important to note that Snow College will remain open and the staff will be available to help students anyway they can, she said.
The biggest challenge Snow faces is the move to online classes. Classes at Snow College will be cancelled March 19 and 20; and Spring Break will be held March 23-27.
The college will transition to online coursework starting on Monday, March 30 and continue online through the end of the semester, April 29.
“It’s a huge task get everything online,” Larsen said. “We are working hard to make the transition and we asking our professors and staff to be creative and flexible.”
The school is working on a check-out plan for students who don’t have a computer; they can come to the computer lab, which will still be open, or check-out a laptop for use at home, Larsen said.
Student housing will remain open and all of the buildings have internet access. Students have the option of staying in the dorms or going home to be with their families.
Basically, all performances, ensembles, convocations and other events with over more than 10 people are cancelled until further notice. This edict also includes events at the Richfield Campus and the Sevier Valley Center.
As of now, food service will be available throughout the rest of the semester, Larsen said. But some of the decisions are being re-evaluated as conditions change.
The Snow College webpage http://www.snow.edu has a devoted section on all the new coronavirus updates. It is an excellent source to find out what is happening. There is an important section on frequently asked questions and a coronavirus hotline number.
The latest update reports that, “Given the White House’s advice to avoid public groups of more than 10, the Horne Activity Center, the Bergesen Athletic Center and the Richfield Campus Fitness Center will be closed effective March 18. The Little Badgers Early Learning Center will also close on March 18.
“Non-college guests are discouraged from visiting campuses. Should there be a need to come to one of our campuses, please call prior to arriving to make appropriate arrangements.”
Students are also encouraged to self-report any travel outside of Utah upon their return to Ephraim. The information gathered in the travel forms will help the college understand where our employees and students have been and evaluate emerging trend lines.
The local health department will be advising students with COVID-19 symptoms, Larsen said. According to the webpage, if a student contracts the virus and is not retained in a hospital or home setting, student housing has rooms set aside with their own bathrooms to support self-isolation.
Both the library and computer labs will remain open with limited face-to-face hours. The writing and math labs are the same.
Some of this information may change depending on conditions, and people are encouraged to visit www.snow.edu for the latest updates.
