Per guidance from the University System of Georgia, Georgia Department of Public Health and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, South Georgia State College will move instruction completely online for the remainder of the spring 2020 semester. The college has also canceled its Spring 2020 Commencement Ceremonies.
“We understand the disappointment of our SGSC students and families at the cancellation of our May 2020 commencement exercises. This is indeed a special time for families, friends and SGSC faculty, staff and administration to celebrate the accomplishment of the graduates,” said SGSC President Ingrid Thompson-Sellers. “We are committed to seeking alternate ways to celebrate our graduates and will communicate our plans in the very near future. These students are very deserving of this recognition, and we will make every attempt to recognize this very important milestone in their lives.”
SGSC will remain open with minimal staff physically on-campus to ensure continuity of certain services for students. Campus facilities are currently closed to the general public.
Residence halls have been closed on SGSC’s Douglas Campus. A comprehensive plan has been established to allow residential students to return to campus and move out in an orderly fashion. Students are asked to check their SGSC email accounts regularly for information forthcoming from the college on move out procedures and available dates. Information regarding refunds for housing, dining, and other services will be communicated to students via their SGSC email accounts in the near future.
SGSC’s faculty has been working closely with the college’s Office of Academic Affairs to transition face-to-face and hybrid courses to an online format. For students currently enrolled in online courses, please be prepared to resume your virtual presence starting the week of March 23rd. For students enrolled in face-to-face or hybrid classes, please check your SGSC student e-mail account during the week of March 23rd for further information from your instructors about the transition of these classes. SGSC is making every effort to keep students on track to finish their courses and to keep progressing towards degree completion.
Academic advising for fall semester will be available before fall registration opens Tuesday, April 7. Advisors are reaching out to students to make appointments via phone and/or Skype. Students will book appointments as normal, and their advisor will call them.
Per directives from the state and federal government to suspend large events, and to promote social distancing, all on-campus events have been canceled for the remainder of spring semester. This includes but is not limited to intercollegiate athletics, performances, on-campus student activities, Honors Night and Commencement.
SGSC wants to ensure that faculty, staff and students are safe, that everyone does their part to help stem the spread of the coronavirus in Georgia, and that the college fulfills its mission to graduate students even in the face of these challenging times.
More information can be found on SGSC’s COVID 19 update page at http://www.sgsc.edu/alert.cms.