Beaufort Co.’s TCL to teach all classes online through July during coronavirus close
All of Technical College of the Lowcountry’s courses will be online when students return from spring break April 1 — and they’ll stay online through July, college officials said Wednesday.
The news comes a day after Governor Henry McMaster and State Superintendent Molly Spearman announced they would extend the closure of all SC schools through the end of April as reported coronavirus cases in the state rise.
The college will shut down physical operations through the rest of its spring semester and for both its summer class sessions, which go run July, spokeswoman Mary Lee Carns said Wednesday.
Instructors will utilize students’ pre-existing Blackboard accounts to hold previously in-person classes, she said, along with Zoom meetings and YouTube for some courses.
Carns said one of the biggest concerns is students without a computer or internet access.
“We’re actually making personal calls to every student enrolled at this time,” Carns said.
With the help of $40,000 in donations, the college has purchased 140 laptops for a “library loaner” program, and has bolstered campus internet signal so students “can sit in their car in the parking lot and have Wi-Fi access,” Carns said.
The college is still opening class registration for summer and fall sessions on April 1, Carns said, as well as “hosting virtual open houses” and inviting current and prospective students to join them on Facebook Live.
The college’s May 8 commencement ceremony will be held digitally instead of being postponed, Carns said. College staff are meeting next week to plan commencement.
In the meantime, Carns encouraged students to check out the college’s coronavirus resource webpage, which includes information on free Wi-Fi, food banks and online learning resources.
“The college, the faculty are ready to go,” Carns said. “Now it’s time to help our students.”
This story was originally published March 25, 2020 at 12:13 PM.