BC3 To Begin Spring Semester With Remote, Online Formats for 3 Weeks

(Butler, PA) All Butler County Community College credit courses opening the spring 2021 semester will be delivered by remote or online instruction through Feb. 8 as a precaution with regard to possible changing transmission levels of COVID-19 during the traditional flu season.

BC3’s 15-week Session 1 begins Jan. 19. After three weeks, Session 1 courses will transition to their scheduled format. Scheduled formats include face-to-face, blended and hybrid, or the continuation of remote or online instruction.

The college’s spring semester also features a 10-week Session 2 and three consecutive five-week Fast Track sessions, each of which will be held fully online.

BC3’s 10-week Session 2 begins Feb. 15. Fast Track 1 starts Jan. 19; Fast Track 2, on Feb. 22; and Fast Track 3, on April 5.

Members of BC3’s faculty have indicated their preferred teaching format for the spring semester. College officials are finalizing what will be a maximum percentage of face-to-face instruction.

A decision will be made prior to Jan. 19 regarding whether clinical training for certain credit healthcare programs will begin in a face-to-face format.

Finals week starts May 4 and will be held in the course’s scheduled format.

Formats vary in delivery

Face-to-face courses are traditional in delivery, with students and instructors within classrooms or labs, or physically attending clinical or practicum training.

Remote instruction includes video conferencing, email and Internet-based learning management system formats.

Blended instruction features regularly scheduled face-to-face meetings and remote instruction.

Hybrid and online instruction includes the use of video conferencing, Internet-based learning management system formats and other web-based applications. Hybrid courses also require four or more face-to-face meetings at a BC3 location.

Tuition and fees for BC3 students from Butler County in the spring 2021 semester cost $170 per credit, and for BC3 students from other Pennsylvania counties, $270 per credit, for face-to-face, remote and blended instruction courses.

All students will be charged an additional $25 per credit for a scheduled online or hybrid course. A lab fee of $35 will be charged for certain courses.

Noncredit instruction begins Jan. 2

Noncredit courses and trainings offered at BC3 by the college’s Workforce Development division will begin Jan. 2 and use face-to-face, online and hybrid formats.

BC3’s Workforce Development division will continue to follow all safety guidelines set forth by the national Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the state Department of Health and by BC3, as well as by appropriate regulating authorities with regard to its public safety training departments.

The college’s noncredit adult literacy program will offer classes that begin Jan. 19 through only a remote format. Its class that begins Jan. 26 will be held face-to-face at a location other than BC3.

Noncredit BC3 courses and trainings instructed at locations other than BC3 will operate under the location’s requirements.

BC3’s noncredit Lifelong Learning division will begin spring semester classes Jan. 19 at BC3 locations and at locations other than BC3 in a face-to-face format.

Access to buildings on BC3’s main campus and at its additional locations will be open from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday beginning Jan. 4. Occupancy within the buildings will be limited according to state guidelines with regard to COVID-19.

All employees, students and visitors to BC3 locations must follow current requirements and guidelines as defined by Gov. Tom Wolf, the state Department of Health, the state Department of Education and the national Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Those requirements and guidelines include the wearing of masks or face coverings, and the maintaining of social distancing, and are incorporated into BC3’s COVID-19 planning and response and into the college’s fall 2020 health and safety plan. Both can be viewed at bc3.edu/covid.

BC3 continues to closely monitor requirements and guidelines provided by state and national governing agencies. Additional information may be announced at a later date.