Yavapai College has officially given the “green light” for students and staff to return to in-person classes and services for the summer and fall semesters.
The move to the “code green” stage of the college’s four-phase COVID-19 re-entry plan went into effect June 1, bringing all classes back in-person and allowing most staff to return to work on campus.
This stage also allows those who have been vaccinated to go mask-free while those who have not been vaccinated will still be required to wear a mask and social distance. YC President Lisa Rhine is excited by the announcement and looks forward to seeing students back on campus again.
“I am beyond excited to see people at our campuses and centers again. The first day of the fall semester might be an emotional one for me. It has been far too long seeing empty buildings and classrooms. I’m proud of how far we’ve all come as a college and a community, together, and can’t wait to welcome new and returning faces back to YC,” she said.
The decision to move into the more relaxed phase of the plan was based on national and state regulations as well as Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommendations, Rhine said.
“We have erred on the side of caution, with the No. 1 goal of doing everything we can to mitigate the spread of COVID-19 to our students, employees and visitors,” she said. “The move to the green phase was made due to the current low transmission of the virus in Yavapai County, as well as the continued increase in individuals who have been vaccinated.”
Though the college maintains that those who have not been vaccinated must wear a mask and social distance, they will not be requiring proof of vaccination.
YC student Olivia Potter said that while she has doubts that the college will be able to successfully enforce their mask policy now that not everyone is required to wear them, she has faith in her fellow students and would feel comfortable returning to in-person classes.
“I do not think that the college will be successful in attempting to regulate who has been vaccinated and who has not. There is a very fine line within asking someone if they are vaccinated or not,” she said. “I would like to think that my peers will be smart and ultimately respectful of other peers’ decisions on vaccinations and social distancing, whether those differ from their own opinions or not.”
While in-person classes will once again be an option, those who prefer to take online, hybrid or WebLive classes will still have the option to do so. In fact, the majority of summer classes, which begin June 7, will still be online, as was the case even before the pandemic, Rhine said. So it probably won’t be until the fall semester begins August 16 that campuses will start to see a lot more in-person activity.
“Many students prefer to take classes in person for a variety of reasons,” Rhine said. “We believe that offering different types of classes allows for a greater opportunity for students, especially working adults with family commitments and those who prefer to take classes at their own pace online utilizing night and weekends.”
This rings true for students like Potter, who, like many other YC students, is taking most of her classes online this semester so she can successfully juggle school and a full-time job. Even though she will be choosing to take mostly online classes, Potter supports the move to return in person.
“I think this could benefit the student learning environment because it will increase the awareness in every student on a daily basis,” she said.“ Humans need to learn how to co-exist, especially when there are differing opinions about a serious matter like a global pandemic.”
While Rhine said it is still too early to say for sure how final admission numbers will be affected by COVID-19 restrictions easing up, they are currently seeing an uptick in enrollment for the fall 2021 semester.
“Classes are beginning to fill up quickly, so I would urge anyone that may be interested to register sooner rather than later to lock in their spot,” she said.
