Message from LRSC President Doug Darling sent the afternoon of March 12, 2020
I would like to provide some additional information to supplement the email I sent to you earlier today.
• Classes at our home campus in Devils Lake will resume after spring break (March 23rd) as currently scheduled and in their original format.
• Classes at our Grand Forks Air Force Base will resume with the start of Term IV after spring break (March 23rd).
• UND Collaborative Enrollees will be accommodated by faculty and provided a way to participate remotely until UND resumes face to face delivery.
• The Minot class of the Peace Officer Training Program will continue as scheduled.
• The Devils Lake, Grand Forks, and Mayville students in the Dakota Nursing Program will participate as required by the LRSC Nursing Director.
• As some Dakota Nursing Program campuses are suspending face to face classes, methods of instruction, testing, clinicals, labs, and simulation will be coordinated through the Director of the Dakota Nursing Program.
• LRSC Launch! classes on the campus of UND will suspend face to face classes and utilize technology to deliver coursework until UND resumes face to face operations.
• The Lake Region State College campus will remain open and faculty and staff should report to campus as scheduled.
• No changes have been made to Dining Services or our Residence Halls.
Lake Region State College is committed to the health and well-being of our entire community of faculty, staff, and students.
We will continue to monitor the situation and make adjustments as necessary. As such, a decision to suspend the face to face delivery of courses could be made quickly as new information presents itself. Faculty should prepare to teach utilizing the Blackboard Learning Management System and students should prepare to learn in this way. Please check the LRSC home page and your email daily for additional updates.
Please have a safe and healthy spring break.
Dr. Doug Darling, LRSC President
Message from morning of March 12, 2020
With cases of Covid-19 now being reported in ND, MN, and SD, it is rapidly approaching our own communities.
To better protect our students, staff, and faculty, Lake Region State College has instituted a suspension of all college-sponsored international travel through March 31. As of now, we are not suspending college-sponsored domestic travel, but all college-sponsored travel will receive ongoing regular assessment as this outbreak progresses. It is important for students to be prepared to continue their academic coursework in the event the situation escalates and the campus is unable to hold face to face classes.
We would ask students and faculty to take their electronic devices and books with them when they leave for spring break so that teaching and learning can continue uninterrupted online using the Blackboard Learning Management System.
Whether you are traveling domestically for a college-sponsored program, or traveling anywhere for personal reasons, we ask you to thoughtfully take several things into consideration to protect yourselves and others around you. These considerations are particularly important now as many of you have travel related plans over spring break.
1. The risk of acquiring infection increases substantially the more you are around other people. One of the key principles of mitigating serious communicable diseases is to practice social distancing, (i.e. avoiding events and situations that put us in close contact with many people). Travel frequently puts us in close contact with many people, such as in airplanes, airports, restaurants, and large events or gatherings. Please consider if your travel is necessary, and if it could possibly be postponed or altogether canceled.
2. People who are at higher risk of more severe outcomes from SARS-CoV-2 should strongly consider foregoing any travel. This would include people over the age of 60, or those with underlying chronic medical conditions such as diabetes, heart disease, chronic respiratory diseases, or immunosuppressive conditions.
3. If you must travel, try as much as possible to practice social distancing by avoiding large crowds and keeping space between you and others where people congregate. Practice frequent hand-hygiene by washing hands with soap and water or using an alcohol-based product.
4. Once you return home, please be vigilant for the development of any signs or symptoms of respiratory tract infection in yourself. If you develop any symptoms of fever, cough, or sore throat, please present to your own medical provider as appropriate, and do not come to work or class until you have been evaluated and your symptoms have resolved.
Keep watch in your email for further notices regarding measures being taken by the NDUS or Lake Region State College. Information and updates on this ongoing medical issue can be found at the following sites:
https://www.health.nd.gov/diseases-conditions/coronavirus
https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-nCoV/index.html