Coronavirus concerns push Tarrant County College to online-only classes, college says
Students at Tarrant County College will begin classwork exclusively online Monday due to rising concerns over the novel coronavirus, the community college system announced Friday.
The announcement on its website and social media came hours after the college chancellor declared students would be returning to campus.
A spokesperson for the college did not immediately respond to request for comment after regular office hours.
Classes will remain online indefinitely. Students with certain technical programs, yet to be determined, will be the only ones allowed on campus, according to the announcement.
Those technical classes will require adjustments to meet CDC guidelines, the college said. Details on those changes are not yet available.
Earlier Friday, TCC Chancellor Gene Giovanni said in an online statement that professors would be allowed to determine how their classes would proceed.
While the original Friday announcement said campus services would still be available for students, the update said all campuses will be closed.
The campus food pantry at the TCC Southeast Campus in Arlington will remain open from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Tuesdays through Thursdays, according to the college. Around 335 cars received food from the pantry Friday.
Tarrant County College operates five campuses plus an online program with 46,326 students. Its campuses are located in Fort Worth, Arlington and Hurst.
Coronavirus has infected 29 people in Tarrant County, with one elderly man dying from the virus and two patients recovering.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention warns against gatherings of more than 10 people, advises not to touch your eyes, mouth, ears or nose and encourages frequent hand washing and sneezing or coughing into your elbow or a tissue.
This story was originally published March 20, 2020 at 7:23 PM.