Piedmont Tech Planning for In-Person Semester this Fall

Piedmont Technical College is planning for a return to in-person classes for the upcoming Fall 2021 semester. While the college will continue to offer hybrid and online classes for those who prefer the flexibility these options provide, students will have a wide variety of face-to-face options across all programs. Fall registration will open on April 1.

“This is really good news, especially for students who prefer face-to-face classes,” said PTC President Dr. Hope E. Rivers. “As we continue to monitor the Covid-19 pandemic, the trend lines are encouraging, and we are expecting to see vaccines become widely available as this year progresses. We expect to be in a much more ‘normal’ situation this Fall, as experts continue to indicate.”

Dr. Keli Fewox, PTC vice president for academic affairs, noted that the expedited changes in course format that were prompted during the crisis came with valuable lessons for the college, primary among them the importance of continuing to maximize flexibility for students in any range of circumstances.

“While we are getting back to more widely available face-to-face instruction, we learned a lot about being nimble in our course delivery,” she said. “At Piedmont Tech, it has always been a priority to schedule our courses to make attendance possible for students with busy schedules so they can fit a college education in between jobs, parenting and other life responsibilities.”

In an abundance of caution, the college will continue to implement its existing Centers for Disease Control (CDC) safety guidelines, including the requirement that everyone on any PTC campus properly wear face coverings and maintain social distancing wherever possible.

“With the increasing availability of vaccinations, we anticipate a lowering of infection risk throughout the summer,” Dr. Rivers said. “But we also recognize the need to closely monitor any additional spread of the COVID-19 virus and its variants. This is certainly no time for complacency. If we are to truly prevail over this pandemic, everyone must do their part by getting vaccinated when eligible and protecting those around them by continuing to wear a mask.”

PHOTO:  PTC President Dr. Hope E. Rivers

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