SCC Releases Return-to-Campus Plan

Despite the COVID-19 global pandemic impacting communities in recent months, Spartanburg Community College has continued its critical mission of teaching and providing essential services to Upstate students, residents, business and industry. The College recently shared a return to campus plan with students, faculty and staff, outlining new and continued guidelines for the fall semester starting August 17.

“Our most important goal at all times is to protect the safety and health of our students, faculty, staff and the community, but especially now given the continued risks we face due to COVID-19,” explains SCC President, Dr. G. Michael Mikota. “We have transitioned through a very tumultuous year so far, and we will continue to adapt and change as necessary while conscientiously exercising protective measures to maintain a clean, safe, and healthy environment in meeting our mission of teaching and learning.

“We want Spartanburg, Union and Cherokee communities to know that despite the COVID turmoil, SCC has not wavered in our ability to teach our students. We have adapted and expanded, and now offer more class types that ever before for all learners, as well as many new, exciting programs. We are open, safe and ready to welcome our students on campus this fall.”

SCC’s fall semester begins on August 17 and includes multiple start dates to accommodate busy work and lifestyles of students. Start dates include:
August 17 - Full semester & first 7.5-week term begins
Sept. 17 - 10-week Flex term begins
Sept. 21 - First 5-week term begins
Oct. 12 - Second 7.5-week term begins
Oct. 28 - Second 5-week term begins

Class offerings are available in a variety of options for all students depending on their learning style and comfort level, including:
Limited face-to-face classes with restricted seat capacity
Fully online classes
Hybrid classes that have an online and limited face-to-face component
Synchronous courses that implement a platform like Zoom for scheduled, but remote instruction with online components
“Flex” courses that allow some students a face-to-face option while giving others a synchronous online option, based on individual comfort levels.

Programs with hands-on components such as welding, culinary, labs, clinicals, etc., will have most classes in a face-to-face format but delivery will be adjusted to provide as much social distancing as possible. Class size is limited to half capacity to provide safe physical distance. A full list of class types with definitions is available on the SCC website at: www.sccsc.edu/admissions/classtypes.

Necessary safety and cleaning protocols are in place at each SCC campus to minimize the spread of COVID-19, all consistent with safety recommendations issued by the S.C. Department of Health and Environmental Control (SC DHEC) and the Centers for Disease Control (CDC). Housekeeping teams are cleaning working, learning and common areas based on CDC guidelines for disinfection. College-wide control and containment measures include personal protective equipment, environmental measures, mitigation strategies including contact tracing, and isolation and quarantine. Students, faculty, staff and campus visitors will be expected to follow common sense practices such as safe social distancing, hand-washing and wearing of face masks/coverings (absent a medical condition that dictates otherwise).

Student support and engagement services are offered in-person and virtually, and in-person fall registration will be held as follows:

Giles Campus (formerly Central Campus):
Friday, August 7, 8am-5pm
Saturday, August 8 - 9am-1pm
Wednesday, August 12 - 8:30am-6pm

Late Registration:
Thursday, August 13 - 8:30am-6pm
Friday, August 14 - 8:30am-5pm

Cherokee County Campus – Downtown Campus – Tyger River Campus:
Tuesday, August 11 - 9am-6m

Union County Campus:
Tuesday, August 11 - 9am-1pm

“Now more than ever, we must be diligent in our care for each other.,” says Dr. Mikota. “Combatting COVID-19 will require an effort from the entire SCC community, and everyone will be expected to do their part to maintain a clean, safe and healthy environment in which all members of the SCC family can work and learn. We will be vigilant in our efforts to continue providing a..
S - SAFE environment
C - while maintaining high levels of COMMUNICATION
C - in order to sustain CONTINUITY in learning.

More information on SCC’s return to campus plan is available at on a deducted COVID-19 website at: www.sccsc.edu/coronavirus. Fall semester registration information is available online at: www.sccsc.edu/why-scc.