OGLESBY – Illinois Valley Community College President Jerry Corcoran on July 9 outlined the college’s plan to safely deliver instruction this fall.

“Most of our fall semester classes will be online and blended except for career and technical programs, health professions, and science labs,” Corcoran said at the monthly board meeting.

Daily temperature checks will be performed on everyone entering the college at the main entrance or east campus via three stand-alone temperature check units.

“No one will be admitted unless their temperature is below 100.4,” Corcoran said.

In addition, everyone is expected to wear a face covering. Employees may remove face coverings while in their individual offices but are expected to don them when they depart.

Social-distancing guidelines will require students and employees to maintain at least six feet from each other. Where this is impossible, plexiglass walls will be installed to lessen the need for additional Personal Protective Equipment (PPE).

To allow for social distancing, large rooms such as the Ralph Scriba Meeting Room (CTC 124-125), the former Math lab (B-201), lecture hall D-225 and the Dr. Mary Margaret Weeg Cultural Centre will be used for classes.

Corcoran credited Dean of Workforce Development Shane Lange for leading a committee of administrators and faculty deliberating instructional challenges.

“Shane’s group found reasonable solutions that support the health and well-being of students and employees. Everyone who had something to say was heard,” said Corcoran.

He also noted, “Everything we are proposing is in step with Illinois Community College Board recommendations.”

In a related development, athletics has prepared a “Return-to-Play” plan allowing student athletes and teams to “engage in low-risk events” provided they adhere to social-distancing, daily temperature testing by coaches, daily COVID-19 screening forms, sanitizing hands before practice and wearing face coverings.