ANKENY, Iowa—DMACC administrators are making plans this month to start a “new normal” in College operations when fall classes resume on August 25. That includes a return of most face-to-face classes at all 12 DMACC campuses and learning centers across Central Iowa.
“2020 was a difficult and painful year for our students, faculty and staff,” said Rob Denson, DMACC President. “While I’m proud of what everyone has accomplished during the pandemic, we’re eager to see our students on campus again. With thousands of COVID-19 vaccines being administered and more on the way, we’re confident the College can begin near normal operations this fall.”
While most face-to-face classes are scheduled to return this fall, Denson said the College plans to take additional proactive steps, based on Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and public health precautions then in place, that represent the “new normal” to keep students, faculty and staff safe. That includes:
· Continuing a College-wide evaluation of building HVAC systems (Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning) and installing new, higher capacity air filters
· Continuing to require masks at all DMACC locations
· Making sure DMACC faculty and staff have had access to a COVID-19 vaccine and for at least two weeks for it to take effect
“Our Deans, Provosts and Center Directors are meeting with faculty to make sure they have the appropriate resources and time to prepare a full and robust schedule of face-to-face instruction,” noted Denson. “We have had more than a year of our own positive experiences, including DMACC Career and Technical classes that have met face-to-face for months with good results, to guide our path.”
Denson said he has heard from a number of students who struggled with online instruction.
“Online is excellent, but isn’t for everyone and we know that students of all ages have decided to wait until in-class instruction returns. It’s important to give students their choice of learning modality. As a result, we want to make sure they have a choice that best suits their learning style. That includes their option to access face-to-face instruction. All of us are looking forward to experiencing the energy and enthusiasm our students bring to DMACC,” said Denson.
Plans are also underway for DMACC to deliver Student Services in person, and also to continue to accommodate a virtual experience. “The pandemic taught us that there is a demand for services at a distance in addition to those we offer in person. Now that we know how to deliver remote services, we will continue to make them available, especially for our working adult students,” said Shelli Allen, VP of Enrollment Services.
DMACC has offered in-person services with reduced staffing since August, but more robust levels of staffing will be needed to meet the demands of students taking face-to-face classes. “All of us are looking forward to the fall semester and returning to a new normal,” she added.
Denson and Allen said DMACC’s preparations would be based on the latest and best pandemic and health practices. While planning is underway for normal operations, this could change depending on the state of the pandemic this summer and fall.
About DMACC
Des Moines Area Community College, a public institution serving the educational and career training needs of Iowans, is committed to the lifelong success of its students. Situated in one of America’s most vibrant regions, DMACC offers 200 programs, certificates and transfer degrees, annually serving more than 70,000 credit and noncredit students on six campuses and six learning centers. Thanks to college-wide innovation including Continuous Process Improvement (CPI), new programs and affordable tuition, DMACC continues to experience solid growth. For more information, please visit www.dmacc.edu.
