Return to Campus Plan

Return to Campus Plan

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Last Updated: 6/07/21

RETURN TO CAMPUSES

The health and wellness of students and staff of Alamo Colleges District is our highest priority. Out of an abundance of caution, the Alamo Colleges District has made changes to the way we provide instruction and operate in light of the growing concerns related to the coronavirus.

Fall 2021 COVID Response
With safety as our top priority, we are implementing a slow and careful return to campuses for Fall 2021. For Fall 2021, up to 75% of instruction will be face-to-face (F2F). Students will be notified of the instructional method for the course at the time of registration.

Please see the Return to Campus Plan Highlights below for more information and monitor the college websites in the coming weeks for college-specific information.

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Summer and Fall 2021 Return to Campus Plan Highlights

  • Up to 50% of instruction will be face-to-face (F2F) during Summer sessions, and up to 75% of instruction will be F2F during the Fall semester. Students will be notified of the instructional method for the course at the time of registration.

  • Student support services at each of the Alamo Colleges will be offered both on-site and remotely during Summer and Fall 2021.

  • Health screening and temperature checks will be required for everyone on campus in Summer 2021.

  • Face coverings are strongly encouraged but not required for everyone on campus or district facilities and social distancing protocols will be followed. View the mask procedure.

  • Alamo Colleges is partnering with Community Labs to offer free COVID-19 screenings for employees and students at each of the colleges and the DSO. Go to alamo.edu/COVID-screening to see hours at each location.

  • An incident report process and incident response plan will be in place, together with a close contact identification process and disinfecting plan to deal with any persons on-site who are or become ill with COVID-19. Upon notification of exposure to COVID-19 or a positive COVID-19 test result, complete the COVID-19 Incident Reporting Form immediately and do not access campus.

  • Occupancy is limited by plan levels outlined in the Return to Campus Levels Chart.

  • On-site meetings and training will be allowed as long as attendees follow all safety protocols. Onsite meetings must not exceed 90 minutes indoors and cannot exceed more than the plan level room occupancy.

  • Student organizations and groups will be allowed to meet in person but must follow meeting safety protocols.

  • Campus activities and events (ACD and third-party events) must be approved by Incident Command.

  • All third-party requests to use facilities, including training centers, must be approved by the college president and Incident Command.

  • Employees may travel if attending in the capacity of an official of a national Higher Education Organization, or if required for accreditation or student success. All travel will require President/Vice Chancellor approval and available funds. Travel for students will remain canceled.

  • Field Trips and co-curricular events for students are allowed starting in Flex 2 if they are associated with a class/co-curricular experience.

  • No recreational sports will be offered in Fall 2021.

  • Student organizations and groups will be allowed to meet in person but must follow COVID precautions and meeting protocols.

Summer & Fall 2021 Plan and Guide

Summer & Fall 2021 Return to Campus Plan

Summer & Fall 2021 Return to Learning Student Guide

 

On-site and Remote Student Support

In order to provide greater access to support services and resources, the Alamo Colleges will offer both on-site and remote support through Summer and Fall 2021. For hours of operation, visit your college's webpage by clicking the link below.
Northeast Lakeview CollegeNorthwest Vista College Palo Alto College San Antonio CollegeSt. Philip's College

Students First Planning Process

Our Pledge

The Alamo Colleges District has developed this to guide a successful return from remote learning.

Our priority is to protect the health and well-being of our students, faculty, and staff, while also continuing to support student success, performance excellence and employee engagement. This guide reflects the policies, procedures, COVID-19 Recovery Task Force recommendations and ACD COVID-19 Incident Command decisions to support our successful return from remote learning.

We continue to align our plans with local and state declarations and follow the health and safety guidelines of the City of San Antonio’s Metro Health and the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Shared Responsibility:

Stopping the spread of COVID-19 requires responsible action by every member of the ACD family to follow the protocols outlined in this guide. All students, employees and visitors are expected to promote and abide by current policies, such as C.2.1.9 (Procedure) Use of Face Coverings/Social Distancing at College District Sites, as well as the protocols and guidelines outlined in this guide.

Student Pledge:

To support our value of “respect for all,” all Alamo Colleges students should make a pledge to each other to do their part to keep their fellow students, employees and community members safe.


As Alamo Colleges students, we pledge to:

Protect Ourselves and Our Alamo Colleges Family
  • Lead the way by doing my part to contain the spread of COVID-19 and protect myself and others 
  • Follow the encouraged recommendations to wear a face covering
  • Stay home, if I feel ill or if I am exposed to someone who is ill or has tested positive for COVID-19 
  • Practice physical distancing when recommended and possible
  • Read and follow on-campus instructional signs and directions 
  • Wash my hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds or use hand sanitizer 
  • Keep my belongings, personal spaces and shared common spaces clean 
  • Follow all public health requests and guidance to preserve the wellness of the community 
  • Follow the ACD COVID-19 reporting guidelines (Reporting Link: COVID-19 Incident Report) 

Academic Experience
Mask Procedure
Summer 2021 Semester Plan:

We will continue to implement our phased return to campus in Summer 2021.

  • Status of On-Site Instruction:

    Up to 50% of instruction will be face-to-face (F2F). Students will be notified of the course's instructional method at the time of registration. 

    We will phase up to 25% capacity on May 31, and phase up to 50% on July 7.

 

Fall 2021 Semester Plan:

We will phase up to Level 1 at the start of the Fall semester.

  • Status of On-Site Instruction:

    Up to 75% of instruction will be face-to-face (F2F). Students will be notified of the course's instructional method at the time of registration. We will phase up to 75% capacity starting on Aug. 16.

 

View the Return to Campus Plan Levels Chart (PDF)

Face Covering and Face Mask Procedure / Health Check Information

Health Check

According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), masks are an additional step to help prevent people from getting and spreading COVID-19. Students, employees and visitors at all Alamo Colleges District locations are strongly encouraged, but not required, to wear masks on campus and upon entry to any campus building and as recommended in public settings. 

View the Use of Face Coverings/Social Distancing at College District Sites Procedure

  • Everyone will be screened and have their temperature taken upon entry.

  • Everyone is asked to perform a self-assessment before visiting ACD facilities. 

    If you are have experienced any of the following symptoms or situations, please remain at home and contact your instructor or supervisor if you are expected on campus:

    • New or worsening cough       
    • New or worsening shortness of breath   
    • Chills  
    • Repeated shaking with chills 
    • Muscle pain        
    • Headache            
    • Sore throat         
    • Loss of taste or smell      
    • Diarrhea             
    • Known contact with a person who is lab-confirmed to have had COVID-19 in the last 14 days
    • Traveled outside of the U.S. in the last 14 days

How to Apply and Remove Your Mask
Face coverings and masks are meant to help prevent harmful air particles from entering the mouth and nose. Incorrect use of face coverings increases the risk of community spread.  The Alamo Colleges District encourages students, staff and faculty to wear a face covering and mask while on campus to help protect others. This guidance is intended for those who choose to wear a mask.

How to Apply Masks

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Wash your hands before wearing your mask.

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Secure the strings around your ears.

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Fix the mask to fit the shape of your nose.

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Stretch the mask over your chin.

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Do not touch the mask while using it.

How to Remove Masks

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Wash your hands before removing your mask.

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Do not touch the mask while using it.

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Remove the mask from behind by holding the strings with your hands.

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Put the mask in the trash without touching the front.

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Wash your hands after removing your mask.

 

COVID-19 Screening Available at All Alamo Colleges

As we implement our return to campus plans and more individuals are working and learning on our colleges, we want to implement safety and mitigation practices to keep our faculty, staff and students as safe as possible. COVID-19 screenings provides early alerts of infections, and weekly screening allows us to monitor the infection rate for each of our colleges and take necessary measures if the rates fluctuate.

Alamo Colleges is partnering with Community Labs to offer free asymptomatic COVID-19 screenings for employees at each of the colleges and the DSO.

Here’s what else you need to know :

  • Screenings are for individuals without symptoms. If you have any symptoms that could be COVID-19, please do not go to be tested.

  • The screening is a painless, self-administered nose swab that only takes about a minute.

  • You’re encouraged to make an appointment to save you time, but walk-ins are accepted at all locations during operating hours.

  • You will need to set up an account on the same website if you choose to schedule an appointment.

  • You will receive an email confirmation of your appointment, which you are encouraged to bring with you, along with an ID.

  • When you arrive for your appointment, you also need to provide your date of birth and/or the phone number you used at sign up to check in at the location.
  • You can log in to your account anytime to view your appointment, reschedule or cancel and to see your test results.

  • Once you schedule an appointment, you are locked in for that appointment time every week and encouraged to test weekly.

  • Your result will be available in 24 hours.

  • You should receive an email notifying you when you can see your result.

  • See your result by logging in to your account.
See Hours And Schedule An Appointment View Video About The Process

Resources

Community Resources

The San Antonio Metropolitan Health District has opened a COVID-19 hotline for residents to ask questions about the virus. The hotline is available in English and Spanish.

City of San Antonio COVID-19 Fact Sheet
(English) (Spanish)

City of San Antonio Reduce Your Risk
(English) (Spanish)

City of San Antonio COVID-19 Poster
(English) (Spanish)

Texas Department of State Health Services information on COVID-19
(English) (Spanish)

CDC information on COVID-19 in the United States
(English) (Spanish) 

CDC information on COVID-19 in Children (English)

General Information

What is COVID-19?

COVID-19 is a newly identified coronavirus that is causing an outbreak of pneumonia illness. It was first identified in December 2019 in the city of Wuhan, Hubei Province, China. Since then, cases have been identified in multiple other countries including the US.

COVID-19 causes respiratory illness in people and can spread from person-to-person. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

There are many viruses in the coronavirus family that can cause illness in both humans and animals. Many are among people all of the time and cause mild to moderate illnesses, such as the common cold.

The CDC considers this new virus a public health concern and the situation continues to evolve. The CDC is closely monitoring the situation and providing ongoing guidance.

What are the symptoms?
  • Fever
  • Cough
  • Difficulty breathing
  • Severe illness

Person-to-person spread is occurring, although it’s unclear exactly how it is transmitted and how easily the virus spreads between people.

What can I do?

The best way to prevent infection is to take precautions to avoid exposure to this virus, which are similar to the precautions you take to avoid the flu. CDC always recommends these everyday actions to help prevent the spread of respiratory viruses, including:

  • Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. If soap and water are not available, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer.
  • Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth with unwashed hands.
  • Avoid close contact with people who are sick.
  • Avoid shaking hands.
  • Stay home when you are sick.
  • Stay home if you are caring for a family member with symptoms of flu or respiratory illness.
  • Cover your cough or sneeze with a tissue, then throw the tissue in the trash.
  • Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces.
What is the Alamo Colleges District doing about the 2019 Novel Coronavirus?

The Alamo Colleges District is continuously monitoring and following recommendations from the Centers of Disease Control and Prevention, Metropolitan Health District and other official sources.

We are in regular communication with the city’s Metropolitan Health District who, in turn, receives regular updates from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Any local response to COVID-19 will be coordinated through Metro Health, the public health authority designated for our community.

  • Providing timely updates to campuses via email communication and the Alamo Colleges District website.
  • Continuously monitoring and following recommendations from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Metropolitan Health District and other official sources.
  • Adapting emergency response plans in preparation.
  • Forming a cross-district taskforce of health professionals, communicators and other key stakeholders who are in regular communication as the situation evolves.
  • Moving meetings online, when possible.
  • Suspending large event gatherings until further notice.
  • Limiting business travel outside of San Antonio until further notice.
  • Limiting out-of-area visitors until further notice.

If someone self-reports an exposure to COVID-19, please advise them to remain at their current location and contact the Alamo Colleges Police Department at 210-485-0099 (non-emergency).

We will continue to monitor this situation closely and report any updates to the ACD community. 

Return to Campus Plan