April 19, 2024

GCCC Adopts Safety & Health Policies Ahead of Reopening

Garden City Community College

[Garden City, KS] June 29, 2020 – Garden City Community College will be welcoming back employees to campus on July 6 and reopening to public traffic on the same day.

In anticipation of employees and visitors returning to campus (which has remained closed to the public since March 23), GCCC has developed a comprehensive reopening plan to outline specific safety and health policies.

These guidelines are designed to protect the health and safety of employees, students, and visitors and mitigate the spread of COVID-19. The plan is available for full viewing at https://www.gcccks.edu/covid-19/reopening_plan.aspx

To prepare for the return of students and on-ground instruction this fall, GCCC has already installed plexiglass barriers and will be sharing best-practices across campus via print and digital signs.

Students and employees will also be provided with face masks, health monitoring tools, and will continue to have access to physical and mental health resources to help ensure a successful and healthy semester for all.

“At GCCC, the health and safety of the people who live, work, and study on our campus is our number one priority,” Dean of Physical Planning Derek Ramos said. “We are working closely with the Finney County Health Department & emergency management team, as well as following the latest CDC guidelines to provide the safest possible environment for all of our stakeholders.”

Enhanced cleaning and sanitization across campus facilities is another mainstay of the reopening procedures and will be performed twice daily in many common areas across campus by custodial staff.

Additionally, employees will also be trained and supplied with cleaning materials to ensure timely and effective sanitization across classrooms, offices, and other meeting areas to supplement standard cleaning of shared spaces.

GCCC is also implementing multiple new measures to protect students who live and dine on campus.

This includes but is not limited to how meal services are administered, how and when living and common areas are cleaned and sanitized, and quarantining procedures for students with COVID-19 related health concerns.

In the academic arena, GCCC is utilizing a mix of classroom formats to encourage and ensure proper social distancing measures can occur this fall.

In addition to fully on-ground courses, many courses will be blended with hybrid and live Zoom delivery modes. Specific information regarding classroom delivery options will be communicated directly with students and the public in the weeks ahead. 

Furthermore, academic instruction will resume online on Nov. 30 for most all students following the week-long Thanksgiving holiday (Nov. 23-29, 2020).

The transition to online or remote delivery for the last week of instruction and final exams are designed to limit the times students are leaving and returning campus.

Fall classes begin August 17. Enrollment is now open. Visit www.gcccks.edu to learn more, apply for admission, or connect with an academic advisor to enroll.

Garden City Community College exists to produce positive contributors to the economic and social well-being of society.