Craven Community College (Craven CC) will begin the fall semester Aug. 19 with seated, hybrid and online instruction opportunities for its students. The college has worked since March to develop safety guidelines and protocols related to COVID-19 and will continue to implement those practices across the campus.
“Face-to-face instruction is critical for many of the technical skills that we teach,” said Dr. Ray Staats, Craven CC president. “We have been planning to ensure our students are able to learn those skills this fall in an environment that minimizes risk and follows recommended guidelines from our health department.”
Craven CC is currently open and registering students on its New Bern, Havelock and Volt Center campuses. To accommodate the daily flow of potential students who are receiving advising and financial aid, the college has implemented guidelines such as social distancing, face coverings, virtual meetings and frequent cleaning in high-traffic areas around the college.
“When we first closed for the pandemic in March, we all had to change our learning environments and office interactions overnight,” said Staats. “Fortunately, we have been running classes on our campuses all summer in health, career and workforce development with fewer students than you’ll typically see in the fall. That gradual opening has also helped us plan for other contingencies by scheduling classes in larger rooms to promote social distancing. We are also encouraging everyone to follow Governor Cooper’s three Ws—wash your hands, wear a face covering and wait in line 6 feet apart.”
While several students and visitors have opted to register for classes and interact remotely through phone calls, emails and virtual conferences, they can also visit First Stop, the college’s centralized location for new and returning students to obtain information, register and receive financial assistance.
“Student Services is still open and serving students on a daily basis,” said Zomar Peter, dean of Student Services. “Our admissions specialists are here to walk students through the starting the process, our advisors are here to help students register and choose the right degree or program path and our financial aid advisors are here to support students in navigating the FAFSA and applying for scholarships and other financial assistance.”
Staff members have remained diligent about adhering to safety guidelines in an effort to provide everyone with quality service while remaining safe.
“We are all observing preventative measures to ensure our students and employees stay as safe as possible while on campus,” said Peter. “Employees are wearing face coverings and maintaining social distancing while still providing the best service to our students.”
Students interested in receiving additional information about the learning opportunities available at Craven CC this fall, including seated and online classes, are encouraged to visit First Stop, located in Barker Hall on the New Bern campus. Additional information is available at 252-638-7200, advise@cravencc.edu and online at cravencc.edu.
