Citing rising COVID-19 numbers, Oklahoma City Community College announced Wednesday it is moving all its classes this fall online. It's the first public college in Oklahoma to announce such a move.
State data show there are almost 1,700 active, known cases in Oklahoma County. College officials say that many cases means it’s unsafe to have OCCC's 17,000 students flock onto campus, though it will stay open for people who have internet connectivity issues at home.
"Simply put: We can’t educate students, and students can't get a proper education, if we’re all ill," said OCCC Provost Dr. Jeremy Thomas. "It's up to us to keep each other safe."
The online option is a novel approach when compared to other colleges around the state.
For example, Tulsa Community College announced Wednesday it would be returning with at least some of its students in person. The college, like many others, will make efforts to limit the number of people coming into contact, requiring masks and screening people for exposure to the coronavirus.
