Greenville Technical College (GTC) wants its students to know, and trust, they are in a safe environment in which they can learn. With that said, we have developed a series of protocols, in line with the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), to protect the well-being of each student on our campuses. These protocols include disinfecting rooms after use, cleaning door handles, taking care to clean restrooms, deep cleaning high traffic areas, providing all personnel with disinfecting cleaners, and many other actions demonstrating to our students the assurance of a safe learning environment. While the college does not guarantee these measures to prevent all virus transmission, we do believe we are taking all the right steps to protect you during this pandemic.

GTC is made up of more than just its personnel. Students make up the largest group in our family. This fall semester our student population will be over 10,000 strong! And you need to help us curb the transmission of COVID-19. There are protocols we need you to practice as you enter any of our campuses. We call these protocols gtcSMART. Whether you are at school, home, work, or out in the community, ensuring you and others are protected from COVID-19 is being gtcSMART. We, at GTC, want you to stay on track and succeed in school, work and life. gtcSMART stands for:

S        Stay home if you are sick

M       Mask up when you are around others

A        Avoid large groups

R        Refresh indoor air

T        Ten (10) feet is better than six

In addition, we have developed a list of short videos chosen to demonstrate how you can further develop habits that are gtcSMART. These videos, developed by the CDC, give a visual representation of how these crucial habits are practiced.

• Do Your Part to Slow the Spread of COVID-19
• Clean Hands Count
• What You Need to Know About Handwashing
• Surgeon General, Social Distancing
• Prevent COVID-19 Wear a Face Covering
• How to Make Your Own Face Covering
• When to Seek Care for COVID-19

Being gtcSMART means the physical nature of meeting with college personnel has changed due to COVID-19. You will find additional gtcSMART meeting options save you time while keeping you from unnecessary exposure to COVID-19.

First, we will continue our personal face-to-face meetings with students. You will notice we have placed, like many other businesses, Plexiglas partitions in places where meetings take place. In some cases, these are permanent partitions and in others, the partitions are movable/temporary. In any case, we place partitions for your protection. Please contact the office with which you would like to schedule an appointment. They will discuss with you the process of your face-to-face appointment.

Secondly, we will conduct business by phone if you request. We ask you to schedule an appointment by contacting (by phone or email) the college personnel with whom you would like to speak. Make the appointment and we will call you at the appointment time.

Another manner of connecting with our students is through two-way texting. This operates just like any type of texting. We can connect with you and hold a virtual meeting via text on your mobile device.

Finally, one of the newest, and safest, methods of contacting college personnel is through Zoom meetings and Blackboard Collaborate. Just like the phone appointment, you can schedule an appointment and we will send you an invitation through email. You sign on at the appointment time and meet with the college personnel who can answer your questions. We have found an excellent tutorial to introduce you to Zoom meetings here: Zoom Meeting Tutorial. There is also an excellent tutorial on using Blackboard Collaborate and it can be found here: Blackboard Collaborate Tutorial.

Keep in mind, one of our goals is to help our students, and potential students, by assisting them to make the best choices about their college experience.

Expectations and Conduct when Dealing with College Personnel

For the safety of all staff and students, the following conduct rules are in place for all students. Violation of these rules will result in disciplinary sanctions.

1. Students must always wear facemasks when visiting any campus.
2. Students shall adhere to CDC recommendations for social distancing by remaining at least 6 feet away from any other person.
3. When entering/exiting the building or classrooms, students will maintain at least 6 feet of spacing.
4. Students should not gather in groups for breaks or lunch. One student per table for all classroom activities and in the student lounge.
5. If student spacing less than six feet is necessary for specific training, close contact will be limited to less than 10 minutes.
6. Students are to wash hands or use hand sanitizer or sanitizing wipes after touching any surface with bare hands and avoid touching their eyes, nose or mouth at all times.
7. If you must cough or sneeze, please do so into a disposable tissue and place it in an appropriate trash receptacle.
8. No sharing of food, drinks or utensils is allowed.
9. If at any time you do not feel well, immediately notify your instructor or any staff member that is available.

gtcSMART ZONES are areas located around the college where students can go to share concerns, ask questions, and seek guidance on COVID-19-related issues.

Locate any purple, yellow or green stickers around campus to address issues related to Access & Success, Physical Health or Emotional Well-Being.

Of primary concern is your success in the classroom. Your success there translates to graduation from GTC and finding that occupation providing you with life satisfaction. GTC offers many resources to help you navigate the academic road you have chosen for yourself. These include tutoring, academic coaching, disability services and various other support mechanisms.

Maintaining your physical health is key to your success as a student, especially in these days of COVID-19. It is of utmost importance for you to concern yourself with taking proper measures to prevent your COVID-19 and passing it on to others around you. Many people are “asymptomatic” (meaning they demonstrate no visible symptoms of the disease) and may easily pass it on to their friends, family and acquaintances. To others, the symptoms of COVID-19 do not appear for days after exposure. It is for these reasons, and others, we require you to wear a mask while on campus and ask you to practice social distancing and correct handwashing techniques. When you exercise these measures you protect yourself and others from COVID-19.

Disease outbreaks such as COVID-19 can bring on stress and increased levels of fear and anxiety. Everyone reacts differently to stressful situations. Greenville Technical College’s Counseling Center is available to offer emotional support to students and has increased available services during this stressful period. These services are available to students in person and virtually. The Counseling Center provides mental and emotional well-being resources for students as well as referrals to community resources.

Remember, many college community members have the same concerns you are experiencing. Faculty, staff and administrators are concerned with their exposure to the coronavirus and passing it along to their family members. At the core of our beliefs is to treat you, our student, with the greatest amount of care and respect when working with you. Please remember to give us the same measure of respect we believe you are entitled to receiving. Your experience with our personnel will be much better if you do.