East Georgia State College: A State College of the University System of Georgia

   Dear EGSC Students,
   The one thing at the top of my mind this week is your personal health and safety. Please take this COVID-19 crisis with highest level of seriousness. Stay at home. Stay safe.
   The next thing on my mind this week is your long-term success. Together, our East Georgia State Bobcat family successfully completed our first full week of wholly online classes. Now, let’s keep the momentum going. Please continue to be patient, flexible, diligent and strong and successfully complete all of your spring semester courses. As you are doing that, please don’t forget to register for your next semester. When this crisis is finally over, this will assure that you are in great position for long-term success.
   There were some major developments this week concerning your personal safety and your college education. (Clicking on each heading below takes you to more detailed information about each of these)

• Wholly Online Classes Extended Through Maymester and Summer Semester 2020
• University System of Georgia Announces Plans to Return to Normal Operations for Falls Semester 2020
• Governor Kemp Issues Shelter in Place Order
• Other Important Information
• Review of This Week's Activity

Wholly Online Classes Extended Through Maymester and Summer Semester 2020
   The following important information was received earlier this week from the University System of Georgia:

“May and summer semester instruction will be delivered remotely with limited exceptions, … The Governor’s Executive Orders on schools and shelter in place allow for continued access to remote education and maintaining minimal operations ….”

University System of Georgia Announces Plans to Return to Normal Operations for Falls Semester 2020

   The University System of Georgia also made the following announcement:

“USG institutions will return to normal operations for fall semester assuming health conditions allow for it.”

Governor Kemp Issues Shelter in Place Order

• Later in the week, Governor Kemp issued another Executive Order. That Order includes the implementation of a State-wide shelter in place directive. That Order went into effect on Friday, 4/3/2020 at 6 PM.
• EGSC’s faculty and staff are devoted to your future and will be complying with the Governor’s Executive Orders by continuing to offer all of your courses wholly online.
  I strongly encourage you to stay healthy and safe by fully complying with the Governor’s shelter in place Order

Other Important Information

• Thank you for adapting to the new normal (wholly online classes) with a positive approach. Please continue to be patient and flexible to adjust to this new online environment and we will get through it together and we will all be better for it.
• Some of the resources shared with you last week bear repeating:
• Message from Lori Burns, EGSC’s Director of Counseling to students:
  If you would like to schedule an appointment to speak to a counselor, please contact us via email (lrburns@ega.edu or sroyals@ega.edu). We will be monitoring our email accounts during normal operating hours, Monday-Friday from 8am-5pm. For emergencies, call 911 or the Georgia Crisis and Access Line by dialing 1-800-715-4225.
• Information about how to access your online courses
  http://www.ega.edu/help/details/how-do-i-access-my-online-courses-or-troubleshoot-problems-using-gaview-d2l
• For quick access to your online courses via your cell phone, download the GeorgiaView Brightspace Pulse app to your iPhone or Android device.
• For quick access to your EGSC student email (CatMail) via your cell phone, download the Microsoft Outlook App.
  http://www.ega.edu/help/details/im-a-new-student.-how-do-i-setup-email-on-my-phone.
• This website includes an abundance of information that will answer most of your questions.
  www.ega.edu/covid19

As a review, here are some link’s to this week’s activity:

• A Declaration of a State of Emergency Emanuel County and Municipalities, 4/1/20
  http://www.ega.edu/announce/COVID-19-Declaration-and-Ordinance.pdf
• Governor Kemp’s Executive Order, 4/1/20
  http://www.ega.edu/announce/Gov_Kemp_EO_04012020.pdf
• Governor Kemp’s Executive Order, 4/2/20
  http://www.ega.edu/announce/Governor_Kemp_Executive_Order_040220001.pdf 
• Update/Message from Emanuel Medical Center 3/30/20
  http://www.ega.edu/covid19#emc-updates
• Apple Inc. – in partnership with the White House Coronavirus Task Force and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, including the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) – released an app and website that guides Americans through a series of questions about their health and exposure to determine if they should seek care for COVID-19 symptoms.  The tool provides CDC recommendations on next steps including guidance on social distancing and self-isolating, how to closely monitor symptoms, recommendations on testing, and when to contact a medical provider.
  CDC Statement on COVID-19 Apple App
• Georgia Broadband Deployment Initiative
  https://broadband.georgia.gov/georgia-internet-access-covid-19-update
• From the Library - Hotspot Map for Free Wi-Fi Access
  https://georgialibraries.org/library-everywhere/ (a direct link to the map is here: Library Wi-Fi in Georgia). Scroll down the page just a bit and you'll see it.
• Cyber-criminals are hard at work.  Please be extremely careful with the emails and messages you open and respond to.  The IRS or Treasury Department will not contact you asking for information.  Text messages to “not wait for the government stimulus money – get it now” are scams.  Be vigilant and call EGSC IT at 478-289-2066.
• Remember to complete the Travel Registry found on the website www.ega.edu/covid19
• The Student Health Center will remain open to serve students who will continue to reside in the residence halls on Monday-Thursday from 1-5 PM. Swainsboro students not living on campus may call the clinic during those hours at 478-289-2182.
• All events scheduled with visitors on campus, including meetings, are cancelled for the rest of spring semester. No face-to-face meetings will be held. All meetings will be via telephone, Zoom or Skype or other electronic means.
• All events at the Fulford Community Learning Center and The Morgan House of East Georgia State College are cancelled. There will be no visitors to the Fulford Community Learning Center.
• The gym and fitness center, and our athletic facilities including outdoor basketball courts, playing fields and tennis courts are closed. EGSC’s dining hall, bookstore, campus café, and Common Grounds Coffee Shop are closed.
• We are following the guidance of the NJCAA and the GCAA: all spring athletic games and practices are cancelled.
• Study Abroad Programs have been cancelled.
• Plans for Student Center Grand Opening are cancelled. This will be rescheduled for a date in early fall 2020.
• Please follow the links below to learn more about COVID-19 responses and offerings from the providers/resources listed (offerings subject to change):
  Federal Communications Commission “Keep Americans Connected Pledge”
  Comcast COVID-19 Response
  Charter Communications COVID-19 Response
  AT&T COVID-19 Response
  Verizon COVID-19 Response
  Sprint COVID-19 Response
  T-Mobile COVID-19 Response
  Pineland Connect2PinelandFree Program
  Northland Communications Response to COVID19
  Another very useful website allows you to enter your zip code to determine internet options that are available in your area: www.broadbandnow.com
• Message from Representative Butch Parrish, Georgia General Assembly
  To stay up to date on our state’s response to COVID-19 and explore options for financial relief during these uncertain times check out the following:
  • https://dph.georgia.gov/novelcoronavirus
  • https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-nCoV/index.html
  • https://dph.georgia.gov/covid-19-daily-status-report
  • https://gov.georgia.gov/press-releases
  • https://gov.georgia.gov/executive-action/executive-orders/2020-executive-orders
  • https://disasterloan.sba.gov/ela
  • https://dol.georgia.gov/blog/new-information-filing-unemployment-partial-claims-and-reemployment-services
  It is also important to note that state and federal taxes will not be due until July 15, 2020. Stay safe and remain cautious!
• Message from Senator Jack Hill, Georgia General Assembly shared these key links about Fourth District Schools feeding children:
     • FOURTH DISTRICT SCHOOL SYSTEMS FEEDING CHILDREN
     • Bulloch County Schools
       For information on free meals, visit here
     • Candler County Schools
       Food delivery site info available here
     • Effingham County School District
       School buses will deliver meals to designated locations; visit here for more information
     • Emanuel County School System
       School buses will deliver meals to designated locations; visit here for more information
     • Evans County School System
       Visit here for "Feeding Site Fast Facts"
     • Tattnall County Schools
       Feeding plan in place on Mondays and Wednesdays and will be suspended April 13-17 for spring break. More info on the school website

   This week has presented us with many important decisions and developments in our ongoing response to COVID-19, and I write today to thank you for your continued support as we adapt to our ever-changing environment. Every single one of you strengthens our Bobcat team with your unwavering commitment and your genuine concern for others.
   Stay in touch and check catmail, texts and social media regularly.  Stay in touch with your professors and instructors. I realize these emails are lengthy and I applaud your diligence in paying attention to each word.  Stay strong and stay resilient.  We remain focused on the health and safety of those in our campus community and we will emerge from this crisis with renewed commitment.  With every challenge, there is opportunity.
   My sincere wishes for another great week. Stay safe, EGSC Bobcat Family!
   Bob Boehmer
   President