Communication to Students and Faculty RE: COVID-19

Communication to Students and Faculty RE: COVID-19

photo of John RothJohn Roth Dean of Academic Affairs

 

We hope you are staying safe and well and are following your respective community’s shelter orders. The situation surrounding the COVID-19 virus remains extremely fluid. The following communication was sent to students, faculty and staff on April 3 as an update to the communication sent on March 23, 2020. The letter below has been updated with the latest information as it pertains to KPSAHS campus operations (updates are highlighted in bold):

 

The arrival of the COVID-19 virus in the Bay Area has required many difficult and significant adjustments by students, parents, businesses, educational institutions, and health care providers in response to guidance from the state and county.

 

Most recently, Contra Costa County has issued an updated Stay-at-Home Order directing people to shelter at home, except when providing or receiving essential services, through May 3, 2020.

 

 

In response to these state and county public health directives, and for the safety of our valued students, faculty and staff, KPSAHS is making adjustments to its Spring 2020 instruction as noted below:

 

  1. Courses scheduled for face-to-face lecture (or “didactic”) instruction will transition to the online modality effective March 30, 2019. Online instruction will continue until KPSAHS believes it is safe for our students, faculty and staff to return to campus.
  2. You will receive information from your instructor(s) about accessing online course materials and technology-enabled synchronous discussions and/or lectures.
  3. Laboratory courses are suspended while shelter-in-place measures are in effect through May 3, 2020. Additional guidance will be provided based on public health guidelines after this date.
  4. The suspension of all clinical education remains in effect, and we will provide an update when the situation changes. 

Student schedules for Spring 2020 will reflect days and times for didactic instruction, with labs and clinical class times omitted until more information is available.

 

The KPSAHS campus is closed and will remain so while the shelter-in-place order is in effect. Faculty and staff can be reached via email, and a directory by functional area is provided on page four of the KPSAHS student handbook.

 

In addition, program start dates for phlebotomy and sonography students have been moved from the Spring 2020 quarter to the Summer 2020 quarter.

 

We will keep you posted as we receive new information, and please do not hesitate to reach out to your program director should you have specific questions.

 

Stay safe.

 

Sincerely,

 

John Roth
Dean of Academic Affairs
Kaiser Permanente School of Allied Health Sciences
938 Marina Way South, Richmond, CA 94804

 

 

Covid-19 FAQs

When will we return to class?

All KPSAHS classes have been moved online. Classes will continue to be taught online until state and county shelter-in-place orders have been lifted or relaxed.
If shelter-in-place orders remain in effect in the summer, classes offered in the Summer 2020 will be taught online.

When will we go back to lab?

State and county shelter-in-place orders are still in effect. With these orders, we currently cannot bring students to campus for either lecture or laboratory classes. Plans for laboratory classes will be made once we know the date the order will be lifted, or relaxed.
Labs may have to be scheduled for late afternoon/early evenings to better support students’ childcare situations, given that K-12 schools may still be closed.

What additional safety precautions will be taken in labs?

When we do return to labs, they will most likely be in smaller groups with multiple sections.
Additional use of PPE will likely be required. KPSAHS will provide access to the necessary equipment.
All students and employees will have their temperatures taken before entering the building. Anyone with a temperature of 100 degrees or above will not be allowed in the building and will be asked to set up a video/e-visit with their doctor. We will also be screening for coughing and other breathing issues.
Some programs may transition some or all of the laboratory classes to distance education.

When will we be able to resume our clinical hours?

All clinical training is currently suspended until further notice. Your Program Director will notify you via email when we have been able to resume clinical hours.
Kaiser Permanente and other clinical partners have suspended clinical education for all pre-licensure allied health programs, including KPSAHS’s programs and those at other colleges. To lift the suspension, adequate testing and personal protective equipment (PPE) must be available for students in all programs, not just for KPSAHS’s students. Guidelines for how to implement this are still being developed.
Your program director will contact you via email when KPSAHS has been notified that clinical hours may be resumed.

How will my graduation date be affected?

As soon as we know if graduation dates will be extended you will receive an email from your Program Director. Our ultimate goal to graduate students on time or as close to on time as possible but accrediting and state agencies have requirements for numbers of credits, competencies, and/or clinical hours that must be maintained.

Is the September 2020 graduation ceremony still taking place?

A decision on the September 2020 graduation ceremony will be made by the end of May.

How are campus services affected by the shelter-in-place order?

Campus services continue, though the format or timelines may be different. We are still printing official transcripts, offering career services, and providing library services.

How does the shelter-in-place order and shift to online coursework alter my tuition?

Total program tuition will not go up – your tuition charges are part of the contract you signed with KPSAHS when you enrolled.
Students will not be charged tuition for classes they do not take. If you have registered and paid for classes that you can no longer participate in due to hardships around coronavirus, your tuition will be refunded.
Students will not lose scholarships or VA funding because of coronavirus.

Where can I found out more about health services guidelines?

Contra Costa Health Services Guidelines
US CDC Health Services Guidelines

What if I do not see my question listed here?

Submit a question