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Effective at 5 p.m. today, March 16, Beaufort County Community College will transition all face-to-face instruction to online instruction through the Blackboard learning management system. The college is taking this action in order to prevent the possible transmission of the COVID-19 virus on campus.

We will continue with this instructional mode through April 5. At that time, we will reassess the transmission of COVID-19 in our service region and determine whether to continue in online instructional mode.

Also, we will postpone all continuing education courses that cannot meet in an online format through April 5 and reassess attendance policies at that time. All events on campus are canceled through May 1.

It is very important to understand that the college is not closing. Each credit course section at BCCC possesses an online Blackboard site designed for just such situations. Students can still sign up for classes, speak to financial aid representatives and pay for classes online and over the phone. We will have post updates and plan to post answers to frequently asked questions on the homepage of our website, www.beaufortccc.edu.

The administration, maintenance and custodial staffs will remain on a regular work schedule on campus. All non-critical function, full-time employees and permanent part-time employees will telecommute at least through April 5. The BCCC Library will remain open for students but not for the general public, as will the Learning Enhancement Center.

Exceptions to the online transition include nursing and allied health practicals and basic law enforcement training (BLET). For classes that require a face-to-face lab experiences, we will ensure students and faculty practice safe social distancing procedures (6 feet of space). Cosmetology lab hours will be postponed until after April 5.

During this online instruction period, while the public school districts in the region are closed, BCCC will keep open our Washington County Center in Roper and our Hyde County-Davis Center in Engelhard on normal schedules. These sites will enable early college high school students in those counties to access the computer labs and internet connections at those locations so as to continue with college coursework. Additionally, BCCC will provide a portable computer lab at Tyrrell Hall in Columbia to provide access for Columbia High School early college students.

These are difficult actions for the college to take in the middle of the semester, and we want to thank our students in advance for their cooperation, understanding, and assistance in enabling the college to continue operating during this unprecedented time.  BCCC has a mission to meet the postsecondary education needs of all citizens in its large service area—to enable them to better their lives and look to a better future for themselves, their families, and their communities.  We hope to remain a beacon of hope by persevering in this time of adversity.