College-wide communication related to the COVID-19 outbreak

August 21, 2020

Here are some adjustments to our institution for the fall semester we believe will still allow us to reach our mission and goals and keep students, faculty, and staff safe:

A blended method of instruction will be used. We will have a combination of face-to-face and online learning experiences. Clinical training will be face-to-face at clinical sites and through simulation activities on campus. Laboratory work will primarily be on campus. Lecture or didactic work will be a combination of face-to-face and online delivery. The College will minimize the need for students to come back to campus for face-to-face classes after the Thanksgiving break. Courses have been changed to have students on campus in small groups and for shorter periods of time. All classrooms and laboratories have been set up to comply with established social distancing and cleaning protocols. While on campus, students, faculty, and staff will be asked to practice hand hygiene and wear face coverings. The campus will be cleaned regularly with high-touch areas and classrooms being cleaned multiple times a day. The Residence Hall will offer only single occupancy rooms. Community areas, such as the Learning Commons, study rooms, the Academic Support Center, Career Services, the Writing Center, and lobbies will have a smaller capacity and mandated social distancing to keep everyone safe. Large gatherings such as assembly, convocation, dedications, and others will be either virtual or done with proper social distancing and safety guidelines.

MAY 15, 2020

Screening Station Process:

If you are sick, DO NOT COME TO CAMPUS. If you have COVID-19 symptoms, you will be sent home. The screening station will be open Monday-Friday. The hours will be 7:30 am – 9:30 am and 11:30 am – 1:30 pm daily. It is required to wear a mask at all times on campus. Please bring a mask with you to campus. Please only use the stairs in the Boonshoft to go up and down throughout the building. Please only use the elevators if necessary. If you come to campus at times when the KC screening station is not open, you will need to be screened at Kettering Medical Center hospital entrance. Once you have completed screening, please contact your instructor, who will meet you at the front of the building to let you in. YOU MAY NOT ENTER THE BUILDING IF YOU HAVE NOT BEEN CLEARED THROUGH THE SCREENING PROCESS. Kettering College students, faculty, and staff may use the Kettering College screening station when it is open to be screened. Please come 10-30 minutes before you are required by your program, as there could be a wait time to go through screening.

MAY 11, 2020

MAY 11, 2020–We are entering Phase 1 of our campus reopening plan. Here are some high-level points:

Every student coming on campus must go through screening Every student must wear a mask (we encourage you to bring you own, but if you do not have one, please ask for one at screening) Classes remain online for the summer, with the exception of clinical and lab training (you will be notified by your professor/program if you need to be on campus) Faculty and staff will remain working remotely for the summer, with the exception of clinical and lab training

Click HERE to view the full document on the Phase 1 reopening plan.

MAY 1, 2020

MAY 1, 2020–Ohio Stay Healthy Order

Yesterday, ODH director Dr. Amy Acton issued the “Stay Safe Ohio” order (SSOO), replacing the prior stay at home order. Several aspects of the order provide guidelines and guardrails for Kettering College as we get set to engage in teaching and learning. Here are a few specifics regarding the summer semester at Kettering College:

Classes Remain Online

Our classroom meetings (“classes”) will continue to be delivered online for this summer semester. One result of continuing to deliver in this mode is that it will maximize flexibility for students in clinicals. This is important for several reasons. First, clinical site activities are coming back slowly, with many offices closed and activities curtailed entirely during the shutdown. Second, ODH guidance limiting group sizes to no more than ten will require additional flexibility in delivering some in-person clinicals, training, and laboratory activities.

Labs and Clinicals Will Slowly Ramp Up

Laboratory and clinical-based training will be permitted, subject to restrictions on group size and other considerations. Program faculty and college leadership are working continually with clinical sites and Kettering Health Network leaders to ensure that our students have the best experiences possible under these circumstances. Kettering Health Network prioritizes available clinical spaces for Kettering College students, and that will be important as we regain normal levels of clinical training after this period of disruption.

Life On Campus

For now, campus activities will continue to look much more like they have for the past few weeks than “B.C.” (before coronavirus). College staff will be encouraged to work from home when possible. Students should limit coming to campus for required meetings and learning activities. Anyone who feels sick should stay away from campus! Everyone who visits campus will be screened on entering the campus buildings. This will consist of a couple of verbal yes/no questions and a temperature reading. In accordance with the SSOO, we will be practicing social distancing and strongly encouraging the wearing of face coverings in public areas.

April 22, 2020

Seventh-day Adventist Higher Education in North America Issues Statement During COVID-19 Pandemic Closures (Link)

MARCH 24, 2020

March 24, 2020–Update

Kettering College announced in addition to completing the spring semester online, classes will continue in their online-only format for the summer semester, which begins May 4, 2020, in a video update to campus.

Nate Brandstater, president of Kettering College, alongside members of the college executive council made the decision to continue summer semester classes in the online-only format to comply with all of the state orders in teaching and learning operations. “The safety and well-being of our students, faculty, staff, clinical faculty and staff, patients, and their family members is of paramount importance to us,” Brandstater explained.

Continuing on in the video, Brandstater went on to thank the faculty at the college “for making it [teaching online] look easy and natural.” He also mentioned certain laboratory and clinical training activities may be altered in the format or delivery as part of this new plan.

Link to video posted to Facebook here: https://www.facebook.com/KetteringCollege/videos/557920821745070/

MARCH 19, 2020

March 19, 2020–Update

After careful consideration, Kettering College will suspend all clinical training activities by Friday, March 20, 2020, for the remainder of the spring semester. Program chairs and clinical coordinators/instructors are continuing to work to put plans in place for students in their programs.

“Our decision to suspend clinical activities ensures Kettering College plays its part in making sure our students stay safe and healthy, which include keeping their families safe and healthy,” President Brandstater said in a video to students. “This also ensures our healthcare providers and professionals who our students learn from are kept safe and healthy, so that they can continue providing care to patients.”

Due to Kettering College suspending clinical training and moving all face-to-face instruction online, it is also closing the residence hall as of this weekend, Sunday, March 22, 2020. The college is working to help make arrangements for remaining residents to find safe and appropriate housing.

Link to video posted on Facebook here: https://www.facebook.com/142990832437308/videos/664645620937046/

MARCH 18, 2020

March 18, 2020–Update

Kettering College is postponing the spring commencement ceremony previously set for Friday, April 24, 2020 due to the novel coronavirus.

Kettering College is still intending to hold the summer commencement ceremony for Friday, July 10, 2020. Any student who would have been eligible to participate in the spring commencement ceremony may choose to participate in the summer ceremony scheduled for July.

College leadership will continue to evaluate how this pandemic will impact Kettering College activities. Leadership will update this announcement on or before June 1, 2020.

MARCH 17, 2020

March 17, 2020–Update

Over the last few days, Governor DeWine has signed several orders aimed at reducing the transmission of the novel coronavirus, primarily by increasing social distancing and banning mass gatherings.

With Kettering Health Network, limiting visitor access and elective surgeries, Kettering College has closed all doors and will need badge access to enter. As of Monday, March 16, 2020, everyone entering Kettering Medical Center will be screened for their temperature, including the tunnel access to the cafeteria.

Clinical training is still taking place. Program directors and clinical instructors are in constant communication with administration on clinical sites and their situation. Kettering College recognizes that there many be some students whose situations may limit their ability to continue their clinical training activities (e.g., older adults and/or have serious chronic medical conditions like: heart disease, diabetes, lung disease, or you are taking an immunosuppressive agent). If students are unable to complete their regularly scheduled clinical rotations, the student must contact their program’s clinical coordinator and/or program director.

MARCH 10, 2020

March 10, 2020–Kettering College is taking the following actions:

Beginning tomorrow, Wednesday, March 11, all face-to-face lecture class meetings are canceled until further notice. Classes will continue online and through digitally mediated means. Individual faculty members will decide the most appropriate way to maintain continuity of their courses and the quality of the learning experience for students in a particular course. Most courses will utilize Canvas for at least some aspects of this way of maintaining continuity of our courses and learning activities.

Clinical training activities for students are continuing at this time. Students and clinical instructors who appear ill should not attend clinicals. If you are sick, stay home and report your absence to your clinical instructor or program director.

If you have questions about specific academic activities (e.g., service-learning, IPE and simulation laboratory activities, & etc.) please contact your instructor for the activity or your program director.

All co-curricular and social gatherings and activities are canceled until further notice. SPECIAL NOTE REGARDING SPRING COMMENCEMENT: At this time KC Commencement on April 24 will occur as scheduled.

Beginning on the morning of Wednesday, March 11, the Kettering College campus will be closed to all non-essential personnel. If you can perform your work from home, please work from home. If you have questions about whether you should come to campus or not, please communicate with your immediate supervisor.

We are maintaining a policy suspending all international travel and all “non-essential” domestic travel. All KC-sponsored travel now requires a review and approval by the KC executive counsel. Prior travel approval is hereby rescinded. SPECIAL NOTE REGARDING THE IMM TRIP TO PERU: At this time Kettering College is not making a determination regarding whether to continue or cancel the Peru trip.

We will continue to provide information to the Kettering College community through email, Canvas, as well as this dedicated page.

Through these actions we at Kettering College are working hard to play our part in minimizing the impact of the novel coronavirus and Covid-19 on our community. Please continue to pray for our college and our community, and please continue to follow CDC and Ohio Department of Health guidance regarding hygiene and other important practices.