Allan Hancock College faculty can switch in-person classes to hybrid or remote

Allan Hancock College faculty will have the option to convert an in-person class to a remote or hybrid option, and there will be testing requirements for students and staff who are not vaccinated against COVID-19.

During a special meeting Tuesday, the Board of Trustees heard what Superintendent/President Kevin Walthers called “a lot of mixed opinions” on in-person versus remote classes, testing requirements and vaccine exemptions.

The board previously approved a vaccine mandate for students and staff, effective Oct. 1.

The discussion came three weeks into the fall semester, when the college noted 18 positive COVID-19 tests the first week, six during week two and one so far this week with seven other test results pending. The challenge stems from the number of students and staff forced into quarantine, not necessarily because of positive cases.

“This will allow the faculty a chance to flex and do more,” Walthers said of the new memorandum of understanding with the faculty.

Even if the instructor is remote, classrooms will remain open for students to participate from there, in hopes of overcoming concerns about the difficulties some expressed regarding finding a quiet place for class in a multifamily household.

“Having that classroom setting, I think, is going to alleviate the vast majority of those issues,” Walthers said. “If the students don’t have a laptop, we’ll turn on the overhead projector and put the Zoom up on the screen. I know a lot of our students use their phones. We will have that space for them.”

Student trustee Jacqlyn Rayas said that it appeared to be a great option, especially for students or staff who have to quarantine.

“Having this to fall back on definitely does alleviate a lot of my worries and the worries that a lot of students have,” Rayas said.

The procedures should be clearly spelled out for all students to understand, she said, adding that any uncertainty can affect students’ success and their trust of faculty and the college.

“I believe this is a workable alternative,” she said.

Walthers said he expected some faculty members will flex back and forth depending on COVID-19 positive rates and other factors.

One instructor has half of her class in person while the other half remains remote on Tuesdays, with the groups switching for Thursday.

Another instructor said some students close to completing a certification program had planned to drop out because of the vaccine mandate, and the revisions would lead to inclusivity.

A “room and Zoom,” or hybrid, option would increase the workload for instructors so the college will treat it like a large lecture class and offer an additional $500 per unit stipend to the instructor.

“We think it’s a good option for students and for staff,” Walthers said.

Classes will continue to meet at their scheduled times despite the method that the instructor uses.

Additionally, any changes in how classes are offered must be approved by college administrators.

Students who decide to drop the class because of a changed modality can receive an excused withdrawal without negatively affecting their transcripts, officials said.

In another matter, the board agreed to allow vaccine exemptions for medical reasons and “sincerely held personal beliefs,” rather than religious reasons.

After Oct. 1, anyone who is not vaccinated would have to provide confirmation of a negative test within the prior three days before they could enter campus, according to the board decision.

Noozhawk North County editor Janene Scully can be reached at jscully@noozhawk.com. Follow Noozhawk on Twitter: @noozhawk, @NoozhawkNews and @NoozhawkBiz. Connect with Noozhawk on Facebook.