GCCC Moving Online for Remainder of Spring 2020

Tuesday, March 17, 2020

Campus Message from GCCC President Dr. Ryan Ruda

GCCC students, staff, & faculty:

As the COVID-19 outbreak continues and new guidelines and recommendations to mitigate its spread are issued daily, Garden City Community College leadership remains vigilant regarding the safety and health of our campus and our community. Every day we continue to monitor the latest developments and its effects on our academic, athletic, and community services. As a college, we've had to quickly make difficult and far-reaching decisions amid uncertainly and evolving circumstances.

CAMPUS OPERATIONS

Now, based on new recommendations by the White House, Centers for Disease Control, and the state of Kansas, we have decided that all academic instruction that can be delivered online will remain online for the remainder of the spring semester (through May 14, 2020).

Our extended Spring Break ends March 29, and classes will resume in this online format starting March 30. Schedules to online classes have not changed. Students in technical programs that require hands-on instruction or clinicals will receive information directly from their instructors and/or program directors. Please visit our online directory for a complete list of campus contacts.

In addition, guided by the urgent need to take preventive measures in the wake of this public health crisis, GCCC campus buildings will close to the public, effective 4:30 P.M. on Wednesday, March 18, and will remain closed until further notice.

We understand that these changes are disruptive; however, please know that while our doors are shut, our services are still available to you. Our professional staff will continue to be available during normal business hours via phone, email, and other telecommunication methods. What this means is that students like you will still be able to register for classes, get assistance with financial aid, access academic advising, and more. In fact, we are currently exploring opportunities to connect through alternative digital platforms because we want to ensure that our student and community services are delivered in the best way possible and that your needs are met. In the meantime, contact information to reach student services and other important campus buildings and departments is available below.

A note to our local and/or on-campus students with limited computer and/or internet access: Starting March 30, GCCC will maintain two open computer labs inside the Academic Building and the Penka Building. These labs will be open 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., Monday through Friday, and will be cleaned and sanitized daily to ensure safety and health for all users.

CANCELLATIONS

All on-campus events, sponsored by GCCC or by outside entities, are hereby cancelled through the end of the spring term. This includes our commencement ceremony, which was originally scheduled for May 8, 2020.

As president of this college, I want to reiterate what an incredibly difficult decision this has been and not one that has been made lightly. This year -- 2020 -- represents our 100^th graduating class, an incredible milestone for our institution and for Buster Nation. Commencement represents the hard work, dedication, and, in some cases, sacrifices that students like you have made during your time here at GCCC to learn, to grow, and to succeed. These achievements deserve to be recognized and to be celebrated.

To that end, we are currently exploring options to host a virtual commencement ceremony for our 100^th graduating class, one that can be "attended" remotely by you, your family, and other supporters. We will be in contact with members of our graduating study body and members of the public as we coordinate these details in the weeks ahead.

Furthermore, athletic events and practices are also cancelled for the remainder of the spring semester, in line with the NJCAA ruling announced earlier this week.

These are unprecedented times, and we don't have all the answers yet. However, we will continue to stay in contact with our students, our employees, and the public to communicate as much information as we can, as quickly as we can. This I can promise you. Please stay informed about our continued response and our efforts on our COVID-19 webpage.

In the meantime, we encourage everyone to continue to follow CDC recommendations regarding preventive health measures like social distancing and avoid traveling to areas with known cases. As Busters, each of us plays an important role to protect the health of our community at large.

Respectfully,

Dr. Ryan Ruda

Office of the President - Garden City Community College

Campus Contact List

GCCC Main Line: 620-276-7611

Student & Community Services Center

Admissions

620-276-9608

admission@gcccks.edu

Financial Aid

620-276-9519

finaid@gcccks.edu