Kellogg Community College announced today it is extending the closure of its buildings and facilities through April 13 -- with plans to reopen on Tuesday, April 14 -- in order to comply with the State of Michigan's most recent executive order prohibiting most travel and gatherings of people during the coronavirus (Covid-19) pandemic.

Prior to an order from Gov. Gretchen Whitmer this week, KCC had previously announced plans to reopen its facilities on April 6. The College formally closed its physical campuses in Barry, Branch and Calhoun counties as of noon March 18. Access to buildings during the closure is limited to essential personnel who are specifically identified to conduct minimum basic operations.

Despite the facility closure, KCC this week resumed many of its formerly face-to-face classes in an online-only format. Those classes had been suspended for a week while faculty and staff worked to redeploy as many as possible online.

"Our campus doors remain closed as we do our part to slow the spread of the virus, but our online instruction and institutional operations are proceeding," said Dr. Adrien Bennings, president of KCC. "Our faculty and staff are continuing to deliver education to our Bruins, thanks to our institution's dedication to student success and our agility in leveraging online learning platforms."

In keeping with state and federal guidance regarding social distancing during the pandemic, KCC determined last week it will no longer provide face-to-face instruction for the remainder of Spring 2020 semester, which officially ends May 4.

However, some courses with hands-on instructional components which can't be delivered online are being postponed. Students in those courses will be or have been informed of the College's Incomplete Contract process, which allows them the opportunity to complete their course's outcomes at no additional cost if certain requirements are met. An incomplete does not affect a student's grade point average, but it may have an impact on a student's federal financial aid and credit transfer plans in the long term. For more information about Incomplete Contracts, visit the KCC registrar's Grading System web page at www.kellogg.edu/grading-system.

As the semester progresses at KCC, students are encouraged to monitor their KCC email accounts daily and communicate their questions and concerns directly to their instructors. Additionally, they may submit specific questions regarding services -- financial aid, online tutoring and more -- via KCC's Virtual Services web page at www.kellogg.edu/virtualservices.

Looking forward to its upcoming summer semester, which begins May 11, KCC is currently making plans to offer courses online through the summer months.

"Like every educational institution in the United States right now, we are closely monitoring a rapidly changing global situation, adapting to every health agency recommendation and following every governmental order as we also continue in our mission of providing accessible, high-quality education that enriches our community," Bennings said.

For the latest information about KCC's response and planning, visit www.kellogg.edu/coronavirus. Students and staff are advised to continue checking their KCC email for updates.

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