Author: Greg Gaspard
FLETCHER STATEMENT REGARDING COVID-19
Schriever, LA – In consultation with state and local government agencies, the decision has been made to transition to remote instructional delivery and online operations for a majority of courses, effective Tuesday, March 17, 2020, until further notice. On Monday, March 16, 2020, the college will be closed. No faculty, staff or students should report to campus. Please be aware there are no confirmed cases of COVID-19 on Fletcher’s campus.
On Tuesday, March 17, 2020, through Sunday, March 22, 2020, Fletcher will conduct Spring Break. Spring Break was originally scheduled on April 10, 2020, through April 17, 2020, and that will no longer take place in April. All classes will resume on Monday, March 23, 2020, as outlined below. The start date for Minimester B that was originally scheduled to start on Wednesday, March 18, 2020, will also resume on Monday, March 23, 2020.
To be clear, Fletcher Technical Community College will remain open as a college through remote instruction and online operations. The physical campus will have limited access to essential personnel starting Tuesday, March 17, 2020, until further notice. We are taking these measures out of an abundance of caution in order to safeguard the well-being of our students, faculty and staff.
Beginning on Monday, March 23, 2020, and until further notice, all in-person classes will be delivered remotely, with the exception of technical programs and nursing and allied health clinical coursework. Instructors will communicate relevant information to their students on how the courses will be conducted. Fletcher faculty and students are to continue fulfilling course responsibilities online and per the college’s business continuity plan.
Fletcher staff are to continue fulfilling all operational responsibilities online and in coordination with their supervisors.
All Fletcher events are postponed immediately, starting Friday, March 13, 2020, until further notice.
The college is committed to ensuring that all students can complete their Spring semester coursework on time and with minimal disruption.
Advising and Registration for both the Summer and Fall 2020 semesters will proceed online as planned, beginning April 6, 2020.
Online coursework and operations will continue until such time that public health authorities provide guidance that it will be safe to resume normal campus and face-to-face classes, events, and operations.
These precautionary actions will help limit potential exposure to COVID-19 and enhance our ability to protect the well-being of the Fletcher Technical Community College community. This period of online classes will limit interactions and hopefully allow us to see reductions in the spread of COVID-19. We thank you for your patience and understanding as we navigate these unprecedented times, particularly as the situation continues to evolve.
Moving forward, we will continue to provide updates as new information emerges on COVID-19 and its impact on Fletcher Technical Community College. Please be aware that the Marketing and Communications Office and the Office of the Chancellor are the official sources of information regarding the operations of the college. Fletcher students, faculty and staff should regularly check email, Fletcher’s web site, and social media for updates.
We will also use SmartNotice when and if appropriate. SmartNotice is an emergency notification system used by Fletcher Technical Community College to inform students, faculty and staff of an emergency situation via email, cellular text or telephone. If Fletcher students, faculty, and staff have not done so already, please be sure to sign up for SmartNotice notifications here: https://www.fletcher.edu/smartnotice-instructions/.