BLINN REVEALS PLANS FOR RETURN TO CAMPUS IN FALL, APPROVES BUDGET

  

Blinn College has laid out plans outlining the changes students and employees can expect when the Fall 2020 semester begins August 24^th.

At Tuesday’s meeting of the Blinn Board of Trustees, Chancellor Dr. Mary Hensley announced “Back With Blinn”, the College’s plan covering the steps being taken on its campuses.  After Tuesday’s meeting, the College launched a new website, www.blinn.edu/back-with-blinn, which covers the College’s procedures for social distancing, cleaning, and other measures.

As part of the plan, Blinn will require employees and students to wear face masks or face coverings when in the presence of others.  Prior to returning to campus and each week thereafter, all students and employees will be asked to self-certify that they have not been COVID-19 positive, did not have symptoms, and have not been in the presence of anyone who is COVID-19 positive for the past 14 days.  Should they answer yes to any of the questions, they will be required to notify the College and self-isolate for 14 days, only returning to campus if they are symptom-free at the end of that period.  Blinn will also offer an increased number of eight-week courses, and will limit face-to-face, on-campus classes to approximately ten students, while the rest of the class participates via live video.

Dr. Hensley sent a letter Tuesday night to all faculty, staff, and students further detailing all of the changes occurring in the fall.  The full letter, along with a video, can be seen below.

https://youtu.be/ksQTH_vwhyo

Also at Tuesday’s meeting, the board adopted a $105 million budget for the 2020-21 Fiscal Year.  The budget features a net $4.5 million in revenue over expenditures, and accounts for a projected 20 percent drop in enrollment and 10 percent decrease in state appropriations.  Vice Chancellor Richard Cervantes said the College is not budgeting anything for contingency, replacements, or renovations; reserve funds will be used for replacements and renovations.  He also said reserves will need to be use to cover forecasted operational deficits, if the College does experience a 20 percent decrease in enrollment.  He said the College is currently 30 percent down for Fall registration, but believes the number will move closer to where the College would like it to be as the Fall semester draws nearer.

The College also announced it received a donation of approximately 186 acres of land in Washington County from Eunice and the late Elwood Kelm to support the College’s Agricultural Sciences Department.  Trustee Douglas Borchardt said this gift is a “testament” to their love of land and animals, and will allow Blinn to continue providing the needs for its agriculture students.  The College intends to hold an event to thank the Kelm family for its contribution once gathering restrictions are loosened.

In other business, the board authorized the College to seek qualifications for architectural services and proposals for construction manager-at-risk services related to upgrades at Leroy Dreyer Field on the Brenham Campus.  It also authorized the College to move forward with the design of a Phase II building on the RELLIS Campus, and to request proposals for construction manager-at-risk services for the facility.

Full letter from Blinn Chancellor Dr. Mary Hensley:

Dear Faculty, Staff, and Students,

I hope that this message finds you and your families in good health and spirits. As we welcome our Phase 1 employees back to Blinn College campuses, I want each of you to know that our leadership team has been hard at work preparing for the Fall semester and the return of students and employees to our campuses.

As we prepare for the Fall semester, we have two priorities that guide all our planning and preparation:

• providing a safe environment for all our students and employees
• and continuing to provide the quality, affordable education our students and communities expect from Blinn College.

With those priorities in mind, we have developed a wide-ranging plan for students’ return to campus this Fall. Available at www.blinn.edu/back-with-blinn, this plan outlines the steps we are taking on our campuses, including social distancing guidelines, advanced cleaning protocols, and the installation of Plexiglas dividers to protect employees and campus visitors. As part of this plan, Blinn requires employees and students to wear face masks or face coverings when in the presence of others. Please note that face masks are not a substitute for proper social distancing.

Prior to returning to campus and each week thereafter, all students and employees will be asked to self-certify that they have not been COVID positive, did not have COVID symptoms, and have not been in the presence of anyone who is COVID positive for the past 14 days. Should a student or employee answer yes to any of those questions, they will be required to notify the College and to self-isolate for at least 14 days as dictated by evidence-based public health protocols for the control of infectious disease, only returning to campus if they are symptom-free at the end of that period.

The Back With Blinn plan features guidelines for student housing on the Brenham Campus, including screenings that will take place when students move into their rooms and steps to ensure social distancing within housing facilities.

We also outline the changes students can expect to see in the classroom as we use virtual enhancements to limit each face-to-face, on-campus class to approximately 10 students, while the rest of the class participates via live, simultaneous video. Blinn will continue to offer blended and fully online courses, allowing students to choose the class format that best fits their learning style.

Beginning this Fall, Blinn will offer a greater number of 8-week courses, providing students greater flexibility in developing their schedules. Studies have shown that shorter terms lead to an increase in course success rates, higher persistence from semester to semester, and higher graduation rates. Additionally, 8-week courses also allow students to overcome unforeseen interruptions and to get back on track more quickly.

When students choose 8-week courses, they engage in focused classes that cover the same material as a traditional 16-week term.  Due to the time commitment involved with 8-week courses, Blinn advisors recommend that students take no more than two or three 8-week courses at one time.

To safeguard our students from community spread, Blinn will convert all its courses to an online format following the Thanksgiving holiday. While all class interactions will take place remotely after Thanksgiving, Blinn campuses will remain open and all services will remain available.

Blinn will continue to offer the same affordability it always has, with tuition and fees that save students 44% compared to the average state university and more than 200 scholarships available through a single application. We continue to transfer students to four-year universities at a rate higher than any other community college in the State of Texas.

As much as COVID-19 has changed the world in which we live, Blinn’s commitment to students and their success has never wavered. On Monday, July 6^th, Blinn’s Summer II term begins, and on Monday, August 24^th, we begin the Fall 2020 semester. As we look toward re-opening our campuses to students, faculty, and staff, we invite you to visit www.blinn.edu/back-with-blinn and learn more about what Blinn is doing to help the next generation of Blinn graduates meet their educational goals.

Sincerely,

Mary Hensley, Ed.D.

Chancellor of the Blinn College District