JSCC continues online format for spring semester

Jackson State Community College recently announced their continuation of the online format for classes in the spring semester.

After talking with president of the College, Dr. George Pimentel, he says this decision was tough.

Throughout the fall semester of meetings with department heads, the pandemic response team at JSCC decided to not go back to in person instruction for the spring semester.

“So, it was decided that we should continue with this in the spring, especially in light of a potential rise in cases through this winter", says JSCC President, Dr. George Pimentel.

The college will continue with traditional online courses as well as flex and hybrid formats they used in the fall.

But as more students take classes online the Distance Education department has had to adjust.

“We just got a whole bunch of influx of students and staff that needed help. Now especially the ground ones. What happened is they needed the help and the resources", says Director of the Distance Education department, Dr. Meisha Daniels.

Pimentel says their main concern is the students, their employees, and the community.

And they don’t feel that it is safe to bring thousands of students from across west Tennessee to campus right now.

“We’re dealing with some 4,200 students and that is very difficult to keep that number isolated, socially distanced. It’s a logistical nightmare in some ways. So, we are trying to do what both fulfills our mission and that educates students and keep everyone safe at the same time", adds Pimentel.

The campus is open to students, they just need to make an appointment with the department they want to see.

For 39 News, I’m Imani Williams, in Jackson.