Flint Hills Technical College spent part of its monthly meeting Monday adjusting its coronavirus procedures for the coming fall term.
Masks are going from optional to mandatory for students, faculty, staff and visitors with the exception of private offices or workspaces. President Caron Daugherty says Monday afternoon’s decision followed discussions by the college’s executive team Friday and again Monday morning
The increased enrollment means less space for social distancing without any time to find any adjunct professors before the first day of class Aug. 16. Daugherty says this is the right move for the college for a number of reasons.
The required mask use will be reviewed on a weekly basis and will be dropped if community transmission is in the low or moderate categories, based on data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. However, with the current situation in the significant to high transmission category, the new procedure begins Tuesday.
People not following the policy will be asked to leave campus until properly masked. If students or staff continue violating the new mask procedure, they will be subject to additional disciplinary action, including suspension, expulsion or termination.
To improve the chances of a relatively short masking period, Daugherty says FHTC has partnered with the Greater Emporia Area Disaster Relief Fund’s #VaxToNormal campaign for a public vaccination event, including a primary dose clinic Aug. 26 and a secondary clinic Sept. 16. Both will be held at the FHTC Conference Center, 3301 West 18th. Pre-registration information will be divulged soon.
The move by FHTC to adjust the mask plan comes just days after Emporia State University modified its mask usage plan to mandate masks in classrooms, labs and the Student Wellness Center while recommending masks in all other indoor spaces.
More information is online at www.fhtc.edu/covid.
