NIACC closing all buildings to protect students from coronavirus

To The Press

The North Iowa Area Community College announced its main campus east of Mason City and all NIACC centers will be closed to the public.

“A limited number of staff will continue to work on campus to maintain business and educational continuity, but the majority of staff and faculty will begin working at home effective Monday, March 23,” the college said in a press release.

The college had announced last week that it would extend its spring break for another week and not hold in-person classes this week, and that beginning next Monday, March 23, the majority of classes would be held online.

The announcement released Wednesday afternoon said that all face-to-face classes, including labs and hands-on courses, will be suspended until April 13.

“However, to the extent possible, those classes will be moved online to allow students to be able to complete their current classes,” the college said. “Instructors will be reaching out to current students with more information.”

Classes that have already moved online will remain online until at least April 13.

Continuing Education classes are suspended until April 13.

“All college buildings and locations will close their doors on Friday, March 20, at 4 p.m. to everyone except for those identified employees needed on campus to perform specific in-person tasks required to maintain business and educational continuity, and the safety of the campus from March 20 through April 13,” the statement said.

All events, including events in the college’s Performing Arts Series, are canceled until further notice, it said.

“The Pappajohn Center will continue to serve as a resource for local businesses, however all contacts will occur online,” it said. Updates will be posted on the website and Facebook page.

Phone lines have been rerouted and even though most staff will not be on campus, they will be available by phone, email and Zoom video calls.

“Students will have full access to their instructors via the telephone and email, as well as through their online class software,” the college said. “All offices, such as advising, financial aid and the business office will be reachable via the telephone and email.”

The announcement, which stressed that no cases of COVID-19 had been identified on campus, said the measures were being put into place to “protect the health and safety of our students.”

It said that the plans are subject to change, and that ongoing updates will be posted at: www.niacc.edu/coronavirus.