Covid-19 Update: October
October 15, 2020
On behalf of Western Technical College (Western Tech), I wish to provide all of you with an update on the status of classes as we continue dealing with the COVID-19 pandemic. Western Tech has continued to be in frequent contact with local and state authorities and regulatory agencies to determine if there are any changes that should be made to the current population of students in labs and classes, in order to keep everyone safe.
Due to the number of spiked Covid-19 cases that have been reported in El Paso, Western Technical College will also be making necessary adjustments in both student and employee population that are currently in place. These changes will be in effect starting Friday, October 16, 2020 thru Friday, October 30, 2020.
STUDENTS:
Currently, WTC’s programs have been operating at 50% capacity on-ground for hands-on lab work, with few lecture classrooms. We are reducing that number to 25% population for hands-on labs only, except for BSN and PTA programs. Additional instructions will be given to students in those programs. No theory classes will be taught on the premises. All students that are online will remain online.
Our Program Directors will be working diligently to send out information to all students and notify them of the specific changes to their programs.
EMPLOYEES:
All administrative departments will receive instructions from their immediate supervisors. There will be a minimal number of employees required to avail themselves to be on campus to assist our customers, however, many employees will be asked to work from home.
We also want to remind all of you about the safety guidance protocols Western Tech has in place to help mitigate and minimize the spread of COVID-19 in our campus community. Please note that these protocols may be updated based on new guidance and information from the CDC, the State of Texas, or local officials.
I also wish to make all of you aware that WTC has contracted with a new cleaning company, the SCM Group. SCM has worked with us for a couple of weeks and have done a great job to maintain a clean and safe environment throughout the day, every day. In addition to this, WTC’s maintenance team utilizes a disinfectant fogger weekly for all labs, classrooms, open spaces, and offices.
We continue to pay close attention to the increased number of COVID-19 cases in the El Paso and surrounding areas, and if any adjustments need to be made to ensure the safety of our students and staff, we will do so, as we have in the past. We want to remind each and every one of you about the importance of keeping your masks on when you convene in groups, large and small, to wash your hands often, and to use hand sanitizer frequently.
We will keep you apprised of any new developments as they should arise.
Thank you and be safe!
Respectfully,
Mary Cano
Chief Operating Officer
Western Technical College