Midlands colleges get ready to safely welcome students back to campus

Some are requiring social distancing and mask-wearing both inside and outside the classroom

COLUMBIA, S.C. (WOLO) —With students set to return to college campuses in the fall, some Midlands schools are making plans to curtail any sort of spread of COVID-19.

Some are requiring testing for students and staff, while others are toying with scheduling models in case the virus makes a resurgence this fall.

The University of South Carolina already announced that students and staff will need to be tested once they return to campus, and that they will have strictly online classes once Thanksgiving comes around.

Others, like Columbia College, Columbia International University, and Midlands Technical College, are not going to require their campus community to be tested, but will encourage them to be diligent and respectful.

Columbia College is going to have their students sign off on a pledge to wear a mask and adhere to social distancing guidelines, which will include limits on visitation at dorms. Students would face disciplinary action, like being sent home, if they are caught not wearing a mask on multiple occasions.

“If you refuse to wear your mask and you refuse to cooperate with the others, to me that means you refuse to be part of a caring community, and that will be clearly articulated to the parents and the students,” said Columbia College President Dr. Peter Mitchell. 

Meanwhile, CIU and Benedict College are among the schools not allowing most students back on campus following Thanksgiving.

Dr. Ronald Rhames, the President of Midlands Technical College, says his team is researching calendar models that would accommodate for both in-person instruction and distance learning.

“We think keeping the semester added to the fact we don’t have the boarding situation where students go away, go out of state, and then come back, most of our students live in the community, we think that gives us the most flexibility if the environment changes,” Dr. Rhames said.

Even though it won’t be a traditional semester for several schools, some would chalk Fall 2020 up as a success if people take the virus seriously.

“We all want normal, we don’t know exactly what normal is going to look like. However, we do want to make sure that we’re creating a positive, healthy safe environment for our students when they come here on campus,” said Dr. Rick Christman, the Vice President of Student Services at Columbia International University.

Here is a full list of how Midlands colleges are addressing the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic:

University of South Carolina, Allen University, Benedict College, Columbia International University, Columbia College, Midlands Technical College