COVID-19 (coronavirus) Information

COVID-19 Report

  • Active Positive Cases: 0

  • Total Recovered Positive Cases: 208

  • Total Positive Cases: 208

  • Preventative Quarantine due to Symptoms: 0

  • Preventative Quarantine due to Internal Exposure: 0

  • Preventative Quarantine due to External Exposure: 0

Testing Updates

All members of the LEC community are required to be tested before returning to campus.

  • 0% positivity rate for total positive cases (active only, whole community)

Quarantine Data

  • Quarantine Due to Symptoms: 93

  • Quarantine Due to Exposure: 313

  • Quarantine Due to Ext Exposure: 46


April 26, 2021

  • Active Positive Cases: 2

  • Recovered Positive Cases: 206

  • Total Positive Cases: 208

  • Preventative Quarantine due to Symptoms: 0

  • Preventative Quarantine due to Internal Exposure: 28

  • Preventative Quarantine due to External Exposure: 1

Testing Updates

All members of the LEC community are required to be tested before returning to campus.

  • 0.2% positivity rate for total positive cases (active only, whole community)

Quarantine Data

  • Quarantine Due to Symptoms: 93

  • Quarantine Due to Exposure: 313

  • Quarantine Due to Ext Exposure: 46


April 19, 2021

  • Active Positive Cases: 7

  • Recovered Positive Cases: 200

  • Total Positive Cases: 207

  • Preventative Quarantine due to Symptoms: 1

  • Preventative Quarantine due to Internal Exposure: 9

  • Preventative Quarantine due to External Exposure: 3

Testing Updates

All members of the LEC community are required to be tested before returning to campus.

  • 0.6% positivity rate for total positive cases (active only, whole community)

Next Available Testing Date

  • THURSDAY, April 22 1:00 - 4:30 p.m. (Coe Conference Room, Holden 3rd Floor)

Quarantine Data

  • Quarantine Due to Symptoms: 90

  • Quarantine Due to Exposure: 284

  • Quarantine Due to Ext Exposure: 46


April 12, 2021

  • Active Positive Cases: 14

  • Recovered Positive Cases: 187

  • Total Positive Cases: 201

  • Preventative Quarantine due to Symptoms: 4

  • Preventative Quarantine due to Internal Exposure: 46

  • Preventative Quarantine due to External Exposure: 3

Testing Updates

All members of the LEC community are required to be tested before returning to campus.

  • 1.2% positivity rate for total positive cases (active only, whole community)

Next Available Testing Date

  • Thursday, April 7, 1-4:30 p.m. (Coe Conference Room, 3rd floor, Holden Center)

Quarantine Data

  • Quarantine Due to Symptoms: 87

  • Quarantine Due to Exposure: 277

  • Quarantine Due to Ext Exposure: 44


April 5, 2021

  • Active Positive Cases: 17

  • Recovered Positive Cases: 168

  • Total Positive Cases: 175

  • Preventative Quarantine due to Symptoms: 4

  • Preventative Quarantine due to Internal Exposure: 10

  • Preventative Quarantine due to External Exposure: 0

Testing Updates

All members of the LEC community are required to be tested before returning to campus.

  • 1.5% positivity rate for total positive cases (active only, whole community)

Next Available Testing Date

  • Wednesday, April 7, 7:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. (Osborne Athletic Center Lobby)

Quarantine Data

  • Quarantine Due to Symptoms: 85

  • Quarantine Due to Exposure: 231

  • Quarantine Due to Ext Exposure: 39


March 29, 2021

  • Active Positive Cases: 33

  • Recovered Positive Cases: 138

  • Total Positive Cases: 171

  • Preventative Quarantine due to Symptoms: 1

  • Preventative Quarantine due to Internal Exposure: 38

  • Preventative Quarantine due to External Exposure: 3

Testing Updates

All members of the LEC community are required to be tested before returning to campus.

  • 2.8% positivity rate for total positive cases (active only, whole community)

Next Available Testing Date

  • Tuesday, March 30, 7:00 - 11:00 a.m. (Osborne Athletic Center Lobby)

  • Wednesday, April 7, 7:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. (Osborne Athletic Center Lobby)

Quarantine Data

  • Quarantine Due to Symptoms: 75

  • Quarantine Due to Exposure: 212

  • Quarantine Due to Ext Exposure: 39


March 22, 2021

  • Active Positive Cases: 12

  • Recovered Positive Cases: 128

  • Total Positive Cases: 140

  • Preventative Quarantine due to Symptoms: 6

  • Preventative Quarantine due to Internal Exposure: 100

  • Preventative Quarantine due to External Exposure: 0

Testing Updates

All members of the LEC community are required to be tested before returning to campus.

  • 1% positivity rate for total positive cases (active only, whole community)

Next Available Testing Date

  • March 23, 2021 10:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m. at the Coe Conference Room

Quarantine Data

  • Quarantine Due to Symptoms: 61

  • Quarantine Due to Exposure: 173

  • Quarantine Due to Ext Exposure: 31


March 15, 2021

  • Active Positive Cases: 1

  • Recovered Positive Cases: 127

  • Total Positive Cases: 128

  • Preventative Quarantine due to Symptoms: 4

  • Preventative Quarantine due to Internal Exposure: 0

  • Preventative Quarantine due to External Exposure: 0

Testing Updates

All members of the LEC community are required to be tested before returning to campus.

  • <0.1% positivity rate for total positive cases (active only, whole community)

Next Available Testing Date

  • March 23, 2021 10:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m. at the Coe Conference Room

Quarantine Data

  • Quarantine Due to Symptoms: 52

  • Quarantine Due to Exposure: 85

  • Quarantine Due to Ext Exposure: 30


March 8, 2021

  • Active Positive Cases: 0

  • Recovered Positive Cases: 127

  • Total Positive Cases: 127

  • Preventative Quarantine due to Symptoms: 3

  • Preventative Quarantine due to Internal Exposure: 0

  • Preventative Quarantine due to External Exposure: 2

Testing Updates

All members of the LEC community are required to be tested before returning to campus.

  • 0% positivity rate for total positive cases (active only, whole community)

Next Available Testing Date

  • March 8, 2021 7:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. at the Osborne Athletic Center Lobby

Quarantine Data

  • Quarantine Due to Symptoms: 45

  • Quarantine Due to Exposure: 85

  • Quarantine Due to Ext Exposure: 30


March 3, 2021

  • Active Positive Cases: 5

  • Recovered Positive Cases: 122

  • Total Positive Cases: 127

  • Preventative Quarantine due to Symptoms: 2

  • Preventative Quarantine due to Internal Exposure: 4

  • Preventative Quarantine due to External Exposure: 2

Testing Updates

All members of the LEC community are required to be tested before returning to campus.

  • 0.5% positivity rate for total positive cases (active only, whole community)

Next Available Testing Date

  • March 8, 2021 7:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. at the Osborne Athletic Center Lobby

Quarantine Data

  • Quarantine Due to Symptoms: 42

  • Quarantine Due to Exposure: 85

  • Quarantine Due to Ext Exposure: 29


March 1, 2021

  • Active Positive Cases: 5

  • Recovered Positive Cases: 119

  • Total Positive Cases: 127

  • Preventative Quarantine due to Symptoms: 2

  • Preventative Quarantine due to Internal Exposure: 5

  • Preventative Quarantine due to External Exposure: 4

Testing Updates

All members of the LEC community are required to be tested before returning to campus.

  • 0.5% positivity rate for total positive cases (active only, whole community)

Next Available Testing Date

  • March 8, 2021 7:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. at the Osborne Athletic Center Lobby

Quarantine Data

  • Quarantine Due to Symptoms: 42

  • Quarantine Due to Exposure: 85

  • Quarantine Due to Ext Exposure: 28


February 22, 2021

  • Active Positive Cases: 2

  • Recovered Positive Cases: 119

  • Total Positive Cases: 121

  • Preventative Quarantine due to Symptoms: 5

  • Preventative Quarantine due to Internal Exposure: 7

  • Preventative Quarantine due to External Exposure: 4

Testing Updates

CAMPUS TESTING AVAILABLE - Tuesday, February 23, 7:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m., COE Conference Room, 3rd floor of the Holden Center

Surveillance testing will begin in February with 10% of community total tested bi-weekly at random

  • 0.2% positivity rate for total positive cases (active only, whole community)

Quarantine Data

  • Quarantine Due to Symptoms: 40

  • Quarantine Due to Exposure: 77

  • Quarantine Due to Ext Exposure: 26


February 15, 2021

  • Active Positive Cases: 0

  • Recovered Positive Cases: 119

  • Total Positive Cases: 119

  • Preventative Quarantine due to Symptoms: 0

  • Preventative Quarantine due to Internal Exposure: 0

  • Preventative Quarantine due to External Exposure: 4

Testing Updates

All members of the LEC community are required to be tested before returning to campus

  • Employee Tests: 100% Complete

  • Student Tests: 98% Complete* *14 students need testing

  • 0% positivity rate for total positive cases (active only, whole community)

Quarantine Data

  • Quarantine Due to Symptoms: 34

  • Quarantine Due to Exposure: 70

  • Quarantine Due to Ext Exposure: 22

Surveillance testing will begin in February with 10% of community total tested bi-weekly at random


February 8, 2021

  • Active Positive Cases: 9

  • Recovered Positive Cases: 110

  • Total Positive Cases: 119

  • Preventative Quarantine due to Symptoms: 1

  • Preventative Quarantine due to Internal Exposure: 2

  • Preventative Quarantine due to External Exposure: 3

Testing Updates

All members of the LEC community are required to be tested before returning to campus

  • 1% positivity rate for total positive cases (active only, whole community)

Quarantine Data

  • Quarantine Due to Symptoms: 27

  • Quarantine Due to Exposure: 70

  • Quarantine Due to Ext Exposure: 18


February 1, 2021

  • Active Positive Cases: 9

  • Recovered Positive Cases: 107

  • Total Positive Cases: 116

  • Preventative Quarantine due to Symptoms: 1

  • Preventative Quarantine due to Internal Exposure: 1

  • Preventative Quarantine due to External Exposure: 2

Testing Updates

All members of the LEC community are required to be tested before returning to campus

  • Employee Tests: 100% Complete

  • Student Tests: 98% Complete* *14 students need testing

  • 1% positivity rate for total positive cases (active only, whole community)

Quarantine Data

  • Quarantine Due to Symptoms: 22

  • Quarantine Due to Exposure: 69

  • Quarantine Due to Ext Exposure: 15


January 28, 2020

  • Active Positive Cases: 11

  • Recovered Positive Cases: 99

  • Total Positive Cases: 110

  • Preventative Quarantine due to Symptoms: 7

  • Preventative Quarantine due to Internal Exposure: 11

  • Preventative Quarantine due to External Exposure: 3

Testing Updates

All members of the LEC community are required to be tested before returning to campus

  • Employee Tests: 100% Complete

  • Student Tests: 97% Complete* *20 students need testing

  • 1.2% positivity rate for total positive cases (active only, whole community)

Quarantine Data

  • Quarantine Due to Symptoms: 17

  • Quarantine Due to Exposure: 68

  • Quarantine Due to Ext Exposure: 14

Testing Benchmark

  • 724 Tests Were Administered for Fall Semester 2020

    • Total Community Members in Fall 2020: 1179

  • 810 Tests Have Been Administered for Spring 2021

    • Total Community Members in Spring 2021: 899

Testing Timeline

  • November 24: Final day of the Fall 2020 semester ▼ December 28: Begins the return to athletic teams to campus; Campus-wide testing begins ▼ January 4: Return from break, campus-wide testing continues ▼ January 18: Campus-wide testing concludes ▼ January 19: NCAA Athletic mandated testing continues weekly


January 25, 2021

  • Active Positive Cases: 14

  • Recovered Positive Cases: 94

  • Total Positive Cases: 108

  • Preventative Quarantine due to Symptoms: 3

  • Preventative Quarantine due to Internal Exposure: 10

  • Preventative Quarantine due to External Exposure: 2

Testing Updates

All members of the LEC community are required to be tested before returning to campus

  • Employee Tests: 99% Complete

  • Student Tests: 96% Complete *26 students need testing, 8 not registered

  • 2% positivity rate for total positive cases (active only, whole community)

Quarantine Data

  • Quarantine Due to Symptoms: 10

  • Quarantine Due to Exposure: 62

  • Quarantine Due to Ext Exposure: 13


January 22, 2021

  • Active Positive Cases: 44

  • Recovered Positive Cases: 63

  • Total Positive Cases: 107

  • Preventative Quarantine due to Symptoms: 3

  • Preventative Quarantine due to Internal Exposure: 25

  • Preventative Quarantine due to External Exposure: 2

Testing Updates

All members of the LEC community are required to be tested before returning to campus

  • Employee Tests: 99% Complete

  • Student Tests: 94% Complete *34 students need testing, 8 not registered

  • 5% positivity rate for total positive cases (active only, whole community)

Quarantine Data

  • Quarantine Due to Symptoms: 8

  • Quarantine Due to Exposure: 62

  • Quarantine Due to Ext Exposure: 13


Jan 13, 2021

  • Active Positive Cases: 54

  • Recovered Positive Cases: 11

  • Total Positive Cases: 65

  • Preventative Quarantine due to Symptoms: 2

  • Preventative Quarantine due to Internal Exposure: 25

  • Preventative Quarantine due to External Exposure: 4

Return to Campus Updates

Numbers reflect totals from 12/28/2020 Through the Current Date Above. All members of the LEC community are required to be tested before returning to campus.

  • Employee Tests: 75% Complete

  • Student Tests: 60% Complete

  • Overall Community Total: 62% Complete

Remaining Testing Dates

  • Jan 14 @ 12pm-4pm


January 11, 2021

  • Active Positive Cases: 40

  • Recovered Positive Cases: 7

  • Total Positive Cases: 47

  • Preventative Quarantine due to Symptoms: 0

  • Preventative Quarantine due to Internal Exposure: 16

  • Preventative Quarantine due to External Exposure: 1

Return to Campus Updates

Numbers reflect totals from 12/28/2020 Through the Current Date Above

All members of the LEC community are required to be tested before returning to campus

  • Tests Administered: 329

  • Testing Needed: 508

  • Results Received: 329

  • Positive Results: 36

Remaining Testing Dates

  • Jan 11 & 14 @ 12pm-4pm Jan 13 @ 9am - 1pm Jan 14 @ 12pm-4pm


December 22, 2020

  • Return to Campus

    All members of the LEC community are required to get a PCR test upon return. Quarantine will be required for the following reasons: 1) Traveled from a restricted state within 14 days of the return to campus (Access the list of states here) 2) Traveled to campus in a mode of transportation that involved 5 or more individuals — i.e. train, bus, airplane, etc. 3) Experiencing any symptoms up to 72 hours prior to arriving on campus 4) Awaiting the results of their required campus PCR test 5) Positive COVID-19 test results or known exposure to COVID 19 within the last 10 days

  • Testing Dates

    Jan 4-8 @ 9am - 4pm Jan 11 & 14 @ 12pm-4pm Jan 13 @ 9am - 1pm

  • Testing Location

    Holden Stage

    Please follow enter and exit only signs . Common traffic is highly encouraged to use the lower level door .

  • Community members are required to bring a Photo ID, wear a mask and maintain safe social distance at all times . Anyone who wishes to not participate in campus-wide testing must do one of the following: 1) Quarantine for 10 days upon arrival to campus. A note confirming quarantine from the employee or student must be submitted for official documentation. 2) Provide a negative PCR test result from an outside medical provider within the last 5 days of arrival to campus. All medical notes will be verified — notes should be submitted to Kim Robare (krobare@lec.edu) or Adrea Myers (amyers@lec.edu).

  • Updated Covid Protocol

    With the guidance of the CDC, the Lake County Health Department and University Hospitals, the Emergency Response Team has created this plan to keep our campus and community safe and healthy. All members of the Lake Erie College community (students and employees) are required to follow the protocols listed in this ReEnvision Plan. Any student who is found in violation of COVID-19 policies and procedures will be subject to judicial sanctions without warning. Students will have a choice between a $5 fine or 2 hours of community service per each violation. Employees found in violation of COVID-19 policies and procedures will be subject to Human Resources documentation. Required quarantine for positive tests and exposure has been changed from 14 days to 10 days . No outside guests will be permitted in residential spaces for the month of January .

  • Residential Students

    Required to sign up for return here Break keys are required before Dec 31 Call On Call Staff for questions

  • On-Call Numbers

    Security: (440) 375-7575

    Student Life: (440) 679-4884

  • Community members are required to complete the SAFER Survey by Healthy Roster DAILY 1. Be honest about how you are feeling, take your temperature and fill out the survey before arriving to campus. 2. Green Screens with each person’s name and accurate date should be shown daily while entering common areas including classrooms, workout areas, the library and the dining hall 3. Faculty members should view green screens prior to each class! Questions should be submitted to Kim Robare (krobare@lec.edu) or Andrea Myers (amyers@lec.edu)


November 30, 2020

  • Active Positive Cases: 25

  • Recovered Positive Cases: 22

  • Total Positive Cases: 47

  • Preventative Quarantine due to Symptoms: 2

  • Preventative Quarantine due to Internal Exposure: 76

  • Preventative Quarantine due to External Exposure: 6

Important Protocol Updates

As of Monday, November 30, 2020, Lake Erie College will be available through remote operations through Friday, December 18, 2020. Members listed as "essential personnel" will be present on campus to continue some day to day operations. For a complete list, pleases review the ReEnvision Plan.

Lake Erie College is closed for the holiday break from December 18, 2020 at 12 PM and will reopen January 4, 2021 at 8:30 AM

For immediate needs or emergencies, please contact the following numbers:

  • Security: 440-357-7575

  • Student Life On Call: 440-679-4884


November 23, 2020

  • Active Positive Cases: 25

  • Recovered Positive Cases: 22

  • Total Positive Cases: 47

  • Preventative Quarantine due to Symptoms: 2

  • Preventative Quarantine due to Internal Exposure: 76

  • Preventative Quarantine due to External Exposure: 6

Important Protocol Updates

As of Monday, November 30, 2020, Lake Erie College will be available through remote operations through Friday, December 18, 2020. Members listed as "essential personnel" will be present on campus to continue some day to day operations. For a complete list, pleases review the ReEnvision Plan.

Lake Erie College is closed for the holiday break from December 18, 2020 at 12 PM and will reopen January 4, 2021 at 8:30 AM

For immediate needs or emergencies, please contact the following numbers:

  • Security: 440-357-7575

  • Student Life On Call: 440-679-4884


November 20, 2020

  • Active Positive Cases: 25

  • Recovered Positive Cases: 21

  • Total Positive Cases: 46

  • Preventative Quarantine due to Symptoms: 2

  • Preventative Quarantine due to Internal Exposure: 81

  • Preventative Quarantine due to External Exposure: 18

Important Protocol Updates

We are committed to in person learning for the remaining days, so please read the updated protocol:

Limit face to face interaction with others, and always have a mask on covering your nose and mouth

Offices will have limited staff, but available normal hours to assist any student needs Employees are asked to limit their locations on campus, only entering buildings if absolutely necessary.

Outside of the classroom setting, all meetings should take place virtually and group gatherings are prohibited.

No outside guests are permitted at this time to help reduce traffic and spread of germs within our community.


November 16, 2020

  • Active Positive Cases: 12

  • Recovered Positive Cases: 16

  • Total Positive Cases: 28

  • Preventative Quarantine due to Symptoms: 3

  • Preventative Quarantine due to Internal Exposure: 90

  • Preventative Quarantine due to External Exposure: 20

Important Protocol Update:

Limit face to face interaction with others, and always have a mask on covering your nose and mouth.

Offices will have limited staff, but available normal hours to assist any student needs.

Employees are asked to limit their locations on campus, only entering buildings if absolutely necessary.

Outside of the classroom setting, all meetings should take place virtually and group gatherings are prohibited.

No outside guests are permitted at this time to help reduce traffic and spread of germs within our community.

FREE PCR TESTING NOW AVAILABLE: Wednesday, 11/18 from 12-4 PM @ Multipurpose Gym in the Osborne Center


  • Active Positive Cases: 11

  • Recovered Positive Cases: 16

  • Total Positive Cases: 27

  • Preventative Quarantine due to Symptoms: 9

  • Preventative Quarantine due to Internal Exposure: 88

  • Preventative Quarantine due to External Exposure: 20

As we near the end of the semester, it is important you take the necessary steps to keep yourself safe!

Maintain 6 feet distance from others whenever possible. If not possible, limit the time to less than 10 minutes.

Always wear a mask or face covering when with others (inside or out) and when outside your residential space.

Wash your hands frequently with soap and water and hand sanitizer.


November 12, 2020

  • Active Positive Cases: 6

  • Recovered Positive Cases: 15

  • Total Positive Cases: 21

  • Preventative Quarantine due to Symptoms: 9

  • Preventative Quarantine due to Internal Exposure: 35

  • Preventative Quarantine due to External Exposure: 16

Numbers reflect totals from start date of 8/16 through current date above.

An additional 49 members were placed in 24 hour quarantine and released during the contact tracing confirmation process.

A total of 667 test have been administered to Lake Erie College community members between 9/3 through 10/29 through surveillance testing.


November 9, 2020

  • Active Positive Cases: 5

  • Recovered Positive Cases: 15

  • Total Positive Cases: 20

  • Preventative Quarantine due to Symptoms: 7

  • Preventative Quarantine due to Internal Exposure: 29

  • Preventative Quarantine due to External Exposure: 7


November 2, 2020

  • Active Positive Cases: 5

  • Recovered Positive Cases: 12

  • Total Positive Cases: 17

  • Preventative Quarantine due to Symptoms: 4

  • Preventative Quarantine due to Internal Exposure: 61

  • Preventative Quarantine due to External Exposure: 6


October 26, 2020

  • Active Positive Cases: 4

  • Recovered Positive Cases: 10

  • Total Positive Cases: 14

  • Preventative Quarantine due to Symptoms: 10

  • Preventative Quarantine due to Internal Exposure: 74

  • Preventative Quarantine due to External Exposure: 5


October 19, 2020

  • Active Positive Cases: 1

  • Recovered Positive Cases: 10

  • Total Positive Cases: 11

  • Preventative Quarantine due to Symptoms: 9

  • Preventative Quarantine due to Internal Exposure: 1

  • Preventative Quarantine due to External Exposure: 3

Testing Results were from 537 tests that were administered to the Lake Erie College community members between 9/3-10/7


October 12, 2020

  • Active Positive Cases: 1

  • Recovered Positive Cases: 9

  • Total Positive Cases: 10

  • Preventative Quarantine due to Symptoms: 7

  • Preventative Quarantine due to Internal Exposure: 3

  • Preventative Quarantine due to External Exposure: 4

Testing Results were from 499 test that were administered to the Lake Erie College community members between 9/3-10/7


October 5, 2020

  • Active Positive Cases: 1

  • Recovered Positive Cases: 9

  • Total Positive Cases: 10

  • Preventative Quarantine due to Symptoms: 11

  • Preventative Quarantine due to Internal Exposure: 3

  • Preventative Quarantine due to External Exposure: 2

Testing Results were from 499 test that were administered to the Lake Erie College community members between 9/3-9/24


September 28, 2020

  • Active Positive Cases: 0

  • Recovered Positive Cases: 9

  • Total Positive Cases: 9

  • Preventative Quarantine due to Symptoms: 7

  • Preventative Quarantine due to Internal Exposure: 0

  • Preventative Quarantine due to External Exposure: 0

Testing Results were from 499 test that were administered to the Lake Erie College community members between 9/3-9/24

Including the numbers above, below are the OVERALL campus numbers to date:

35 in preventative quarantine. 46 in preventative quarantine due to internal exposure. 21 in preventative quarantine due to external exposure.

Red light, Green Light Please be mindful of the enter and exit only signs for each of our buildings. We want to limit the amount of contact with each other as much as possible. Please only use the enter and exit exit doors for the their intended COVID purposes.

Your Distance Matters Lake County Health District defines exposure as a person within six feet for longer than 10 minutes. Be mindful of your distance from others. Think of the length of a yoga mat.


September 21, 2020

  • Active Positive Cases: 0

  • Recovered Positive Cases: 9

  • Total Positive Cases: 9

  • Preventative Quarantine due to Symptoms: 7

  • Preventative Quarantine due to Internal Exposure: 0

  • Preventative Quarantine due to External Exposure: 0

Testing Results were from 491 test that were administered to the Lake Erie College community members between 9/3-9/14

Red light, Green Light Please be mindful of the enter and exit only signs for each of our buildings. We want to limit the amount of contact with each other as much as possible. Please only use the enter and exit exit doors for the their intended COVID purposes.

Your Distance Matters Lake County Health District defines exposure as a person within six feet for longer than 10 minutes. Be mindful of your distance from others. Think of the length of a yoga mat.


Monday, September 14, 2020

Dear campus community, When we all parted ways in March during the height of the pandemic, the campus was just beginning to get its green color.  Here we are on the first day of week 5 and the colors on campus are changing again, to bright reds and yellows. Talking about COVID-19 becomes more of the norm each passing day, and we continue to work through new information and procedures as they become available from health officials. To date, we have completed 474 tests on campus and have produced a total of 6 asymptomatic positives. I am pleased with all of the policies we have worked to put in place to keep our percentage just above 1% positivity. We continue to take feedback from our campus community and alter anything in our ReEvision plan as needed to protect each other from the pandemic as best we can. Please read the additional updates below: Testing: With the assistance of the Sports Medicine staff, we were able to obtain PCR testing for the campus community.  As we find in the state of Ohio, tests can be difficult to come by and do have a cost associated. Because of this, we have been rolling out testing in phases, which will also let us accommodate all of the quarantine needs and requirements given to us by the Lake County Health District and the CDC. To date, including testing that took place on campus today, we have tested 491 of students faculty and staff from the following criteria:

  • Student Living environments (e.g., residence halls)

  • Learning in a patient-care environment

  • Academic experiential activities that require off-campus travel and contact with non-campus individuals (e.g., internships, education practica, or community-based learning, etc.)

  • Student-athletes and members of the athletic department staff to comply with the required NCAA rules and regulations regarding COVID-19.

  • Equestrian team riders, and/or therapeutic horsemanship students

We are scheduled to receive results from today’s testing within 24-48 hours. Quarantine Requirements: Using the SAFER survey from Healthy Roster, our staff are working through symptomatic community members to ensure the health of everyone remains the first priority. The protocols in place regarding symptom watch and required quarantine continue to produce good results as you can see in the numbers shared above. We are continuing to work to improve food delivery service to those who are quarantined on campus. The Office of Student Life is working closely with Metz to not only provide accurate service but also meet the needs of dietary restrictions. As the numbers of students in quarantine fluctuate, we will continue to work on best practices for staffing and delivery options that will benefit all involved. Updates and Questions: As a reminder, you can find up to date statistics and the revised ReEnvision Plan on LEO on the COVID-19 page. Weekly emails will be sent every Monday, highlighting any new policy or reminders.  Any concerns or questions related to COVID-19 should be directed to Kim Robare (krobare@lec.edu). Before we know it, campus will be a blanket of white snow and common colds and flu season will add just another challenge into the ways we are keeping our campus community healthy. Information about flu shots will be available soon, and I encourage all students, faculty and staff to take the time to take care of themselves mentally and physically. Thank you for your adherence to the safety guidelines in place and your patience as we work through our protocols. 

Brian Posler, PhD President Lake Erie College


September 14, 2020

Active Positive Cases: 6

Recovered Positive Cases: 3

Total Positive Cases: 9

Preventative Quarantine due to Symptoms: 4

Preventative Quarantine due to Internal Exposure: 36

Preventative Quarantine due to External Exposure: 0

One Way Only Please be mindful of the enter and exit only signs for each of our buildings. We want to limit the amount of contact with each other as much as possible. Please only use the enter and exit exit doors for the their intended COVID purposes.


September 7, 2020

Active Positive Cases: 7

Recovered Positive Cases: 2

Total Positive Cases: 9

Preventative Quarantine due to Symptoms: 1

Preventative Quarantine due to Internal Exposure: 38

Preventative Quarantine due to External Exposure: 2

Future Testing Information regarding COVID-19 testing for the campus community will be available in the coming days. Please keep your eye on your email for updates. Red light, Green Light Please be mindful of the enter and exit only signs for each of our buildings. We want to limit the amount of contact with each other as much as possible. Please only use the enter and exit exit doors for the their intended COVID purposes.

Your Distance Matters Lake County Health District defines exposure as a person within six feet for longer than 10 minutes. Be mindful of your distance from others. Think of the length of a yoga mat.


September 6, 2020

Dear Campus Community, I am pleased to inform you that Lake Erie College has secured a significant number of PCR tests for the COVID virus. We were able to begin an extensive testing program this week, which will shed some light on the prevalence of asymptomatic cases in our community. On this past Thursday and Friday, we conducted 459 PCR tests on community members. We began with the NCAA students, coaches, and trainers, due to the NCAA rules and requirements. We will continue the testing program very soon, by making tests available for all of our residential students. We are in the process of assembling guidelines and procedures by which we can make the test available in the upcoming weeks to other members of our campus community. We received the test results from this first round of testing yesterday, and six individuals tested positive.  So, for those tested, we had just about 1.3% positivity. This is significantly lower than many campuses are facing around the country. The College is again taking all necessary next steps including notifying the individuals who may have been exposed, assigning them to precautionary quarantine and thoroughly cleaning and sanitizing any possibly contaminated areas and surfaces. If we have reason to believe you may have been exposed to the individual who tested positive, we will be contacting you by today. It is absolutely vital that all of us continue to follow our very important protocols to ensure our positivity rate remains low. I am pleased that we have been able to begin asymptomatic testing, and this low positivity rate is further evidence that our protocols are working as intended. We also continue to work in conjunction with University Hospitals and under the guidance of the Lake County Health Department, individuals and the College are following all necessary protocols including notification of others exposed, self-isolation, and assistance and support of the College community. No other details will be shared to protect the privacy of the College members. For the latest updates on LEC’s response to COVID-19, visit https://www.lec.edu/covid-19-coronavirus-information and also be sure to review the College’s ReEnvision Plan detailing the guidelines and procedures we’ve put in place to keep our campus safe. You can also access the most up to date numbers on LEO. Students on campus who develop COVID-19 symptoms should contact Student Affairs or email Kim Robare at krobare@lec.edu. Employees who develop COVID-19 symptoms should contact Human Resources or email Andrea Myers at amyers@lec.edu. I am grateful for your continued adherence to our social distancing and safety guidelines. Thank you for your patience as we work our response protocols through this situation. We will continue to research and provide resources to keep the campus community healthy.

Brian Posler, PhD President Lake Erie College


August 31, 2020

Active Positive Cases: 2

Recovered Positive Cases: 1

Total Positive Cases: 3

Preventative Quarantine due to Symptoms: 5

Preventative Quarantine due to Internal Exposure: 1

Preventative Quarantine due to External Exposure: 3

Important reminders:

Don't move the furniture! According to the CDC, exposure is defined by the distance a person is to the positive/symptomatic individual. All locations have been properly socially distanced to protect our community. Please don't move the furniture, especially in the Dining Hall! Green means go! Your SAFER Survey green screen is very important! It is your travel ticket throughout campus. Show your green screen to get into class, the dining hall, the library, to workout, and other offices on campus! Cover your mouth... and your nose! Proper mask wearing is over both your mouth and your nose. As a reminder, masks are required everywhere on campus! Don't leave home without it! Don't move the furniture!

According to the CDC, exposure is defined by the distance a person is to the positive/symptomatic individual. All locations have been properly socially distanced to protect our community. Please don't move the furniture, especially in the Dining Hall! Green means go! Your SAFER Survey green screen is very important! It is your travel ticket throughout campus. Show your green screen to get into class, the dining hall, the library, to workout, and other offices on campus! Cover your mouth... and your nose! Proper mask wearing is over both your mouth and your nose. As a reminder, masks are required everywhere on campus! Don't leave home without it!


August 25, 2020

Dear college community,

I just received word that a third member of the Lake Erie College community has tested positive for the Coronavirus. This positive case was contracted off-campus, and was not caused by a spread within our community. 

The College is again taking all necessary next steps including notifying the individuals who may have been potentially exposed, assigning them to precautionary quarantine, and thoroughly cleaning and sanitizing any possibly contaminated areas and surfaces. If we have reason to believe you may have been exposed to the individual who tested positive, we will be contacting you by noon tomorrow (Wednesday, August 26).  We also continue to work in conjunction with University Hospitals and under the guidance of the Lake County Health Department, the person and the College are following all necessary protocols including notification of others exposed, self-isolation and assistance, and support of the College community. No other details will be shared to protect the privacy of the College member.

You may have heard of other colleges and universities suspending students for not following safety guidelines and protocols. I trust that our community can take on the challenges before us responsibly. In order to remain in-person this semester, something we all want, we need each and every member of our community to do the things that will allow for a safe and successful semester. Wear a face mask. Practice social distancing. Attend no large events or gathering on and off-campus. Use the Healthy Roster app daily to self-monitor your health. Wash your hands frequently. Clean and sanitize your workspace after use. Adhere to the signage around campus. If you are sick, stay home. 

For the latest updates on LEC’s response to COVID-19, visit https://www.lec.edu/covid-19-coronavirus-information and also be sure to review the College’s ReEnvision Plan detailing the guidelines and procedures we’ve put in place to keep our campus safe. Students on campus who develop COVID-19 symptoms should contact Student Affairs or email Kim Robare at krobare@lec.edu. Employees who develop COVID-19 symptoms should contact Human Resources or email Andrea Myers at amyers@lec.edu.

Beginning next week, A COVID-19 weekly update will be sent each Monday at noon, sharing the latest total count of positive cases. As always, thank you for your patience as we work our response protocols through this situation. We continue to put the safety of our students, faculty, and staff first and we will continue to implement processes and provide resources to keep the campus community healthy.

Brian Posler, PhD President Lake Erie College


 August 23, 2020  Dear college community,  In accordance with our commitment to sharing important information during the COVID-19 pandemic, I am notifying you that a second member of the Lake Erie College community has tested positive for the virus.

The College is taking all necessary next steps including notifying all known individuals who may have been potentially exposed, assigning them to precautionary quarantine, and thoroughly cleaning and sanitizing any possibly contaminated areas and surfaces. If we have reason to believe you may have been exposed to the individual who tested positive, we will be contacting you today.

Working in conjunction with University Hospitals and under the guidance of the Lake County Health Department, the person and the College are following all necessary protocols including notification of others exposed, self-isolation and assistance, and support of the College community. No other details will be shared to protect the privacy of the College member. 

Thus far, the safety protocols outlined in the ReEnvision Plan are working as planned.  In this case, the daily use of Healthy Roster helped identify the need for further testing, and the use of masks and social distancing helped reduce the likelihood of transmission. You can do your part to keep the community healthy by following all of our protocols and paying particular attention to taking attendance and remembering with whom you have been in close contact to aid in contact tracing should it become necessary. As the number of confirmed COVID-19 cases continue to occur in Lake County and Ohio, students, faculty, and staff should remember to assess their own health. If you are sick for any reason, stay home. The College community should be performing daily health checks through Healthy Roster each day before leaving their living area or prior to arriving on campus. Students on campus who develop COVID-19 symptoms should contact Student Affairs or email Kim Robare at krobare@lec.edu. Employees who develop COVID-19 symptoms should contact Human Resources or email Andrea Myers at amyers@lec.edu. I urge you all to continue following the safety measures put in place to keep our campus healthy including wearing a mask, staying six feet away from each other, and using Healthy Roster each day to self-monitor your health. For the latest updates on LEC’s response to COVID-19, visit https://www.lec.edu/covid-19-coronavirus-information and also be sure to review the College’s ReEnvision Plan detailing the guidelines and procedures we’ve put in place to keep our campus safe. We will continue to research and provide resources to keep the campus community healthy. Because the situation is ever-changing, the College is prepared to alter our operations, including a pivot to remote instruction, if deemed necessary, and we are monitoring indicators that will guide our decisions. Those decisions will be based on the latest and best information available to protect the safety of students, faculty, and staff. Thank you to those who have been working so diligently to execute the plan we have in place and to the community for adhering to the safety guidelines. 

Brian Posler, PhD President Lake Erie College


August 19, 2020 Dear Lake Erie College community,

In keeping with our commitment to share important information during the COVID-19 pandemic, I am notifying you that a member of the Lake Erie College community has tested positive for the virus. Under the guidance of the Lake County Health Department, the person and the College have followed all necessary protocols including notification of others exposed, self-isolation and assistance and support of the College community. No other details will be shared to protect the privacy of the College member. As the number of confirmed COVID-19 cases continue to occur in Lake County and Ohio, students, faculty and staff should remember to assess their own health. If you are sick for any reason, stay home. The College community should be performing daily health checks through Healthy Roster each day before leaving their living area or prior to arriving on campus. Students on campus who develop COVID-19 symptoms should contact Student Affairs or email Kim Robare at krobare@lec.edu. Employees who develop COVID-19 symptoms should contact Human Resources or email Andrea Myers at amyers@lec.edu. For the latest updates on LEC’s response to COVID-19, visit https://www.lec.edu/covid-19-coronavirus-information and also be sure to review the College’s ReEnvision Plan detailing the guidelines and procedures we’ve put in place to keep our campus safe. We will continue to research and provide resources to keep the campus community healthy. As we face this ever-changing situation together, please remember a team of leaders are working to make thoughtful decisions based on the latest and best information available to protect the safety of students, faculty and staff. I thank them and all of you for your commitment, hard work and flexibility during these times.  

Brian Posler, PhD President Lake Erie College


August 4, 2020

Dear campus community,

We are very excited to have everyone back on campus in just a few short weeks. Because the well-being of our students and employees is our number one concern, you will notice we’ve made modifications to spaces and posted safety signage throughout campus. Please watch the video below to see some of the measures we’ve taken. Even though campus may look a bit different, our community remains united and supportive in our mission of a highly personalized education.

Looking forward to seeing you all very soon!

Campus Updates - Fall 2020 Plans

Campus is going to look a little different this fall, but we're excited to be working together again! Music: https://www.purple-planet.com

July 24, 2020

As we navigate the ever-changing COVID-19 environment and plan for our fall return to campus, you may have many questions and concerns. As promised last week, answers for the most frequently asked questions have been posted in LEO. You can find this document in the ReEnvision LEC (COVID-19) section on the left. Although all of the questions you have may not be answered within this document, we will continually add to it as we learn more.

Here’s where you can find the FAQ document within LEO:

Faculty Tab, ReEnvision LEC Plan (COVID-19) Page on the leftStudents Tab,  ReEnvision LEC Plan (COVID-19) Page  on the leftStaff Senate Tab,  ReEnvision LEC Plan (COVID-19) Page on the left  (all staff should have access with their email login to LEO).

We are all looking forward to having a full and vibrant campus in just a few weeks. Thank you for your continued support and patience


July 10, 2020

Dear Lake Erie College community,

I want to begin today by thanking all of you who were involved in the on-campus new student orientation this week.  Our new students were very engaged and excited to be joining our fall class.  Our faculty and staff did a fantastic job modifying our traditional orientation due to COVID concerns.  All participants did well at heeding our advice for safety, including the wearing of masks and social distancing to keep each other safe.  Overall the day felt very comfortable, and ran smoothly despite all of the changes.  This was excellent progress as we near the time when our students will return.

We continue to adapt to changing conditions, altering and revisiting plans as needed.  This week, the Governor extended indefinitely his order which in part forbids gatherings of more than 10 people.  There are some exceptions, and a new exception was carved out for both K-12 and Higher Education institutions so that we can proceed with on-ground courses.  It has forced us to revisit some other decisions.  We have officially cancelled the August 1st commencement exercises, as well as the outdoor garden party for the seniors the night before at the Manor House.  This is very disappointing for me and for the roughly 100 graduates who wished to participate.  I am extending an alternative option for those who wish; we are scheduling individual appointments for each interested graduate and their family to come have an miniature, individualized ceremony, complete with diploma photo shoot with me.

This order will also force us to continue to alter more plans for welcome week, including new student convocation, so some colleagues are currently working on alternate ideas that will allow us to comply.

The governor also unveiled his long-awaited guidance for the higher education sector related to guidance for opening during the pandemic.  I was able to weigh in on an early draft, and was pleased that the current LEC ReEnvision Plan meets all of the required guidance, and most of the best practices recommended.  I have attached an info-graphic he shared, so that you can all see their advice.

This is one more reason for us to be proud.  Many of our employee Work Teams have been working very hard to determine best practices and to plan.  I have set the expectation that we must do everything reasonable in order to open as safely as possible.  Given the new guidance from the state, I ask that all of the Work Teams as well as the Emergency Response Team should take one more pass through the LEC ReEnvision Plan, looking for any new changes we should implement based upon the state’s guidance.  Then, by the end of next week, we will launch a web page with all of the details that will hopefully answer most questions of faculty, staff, students, and their families.  As a reminder, the current version of the ReEnvision Plan, the Visitor Log, and the symptom check guide are located in the shared drive- "COVID 19" folder and in LEO. 

This remains a very fluid regulatory environment, and I am so grateful for all of the if-then planning that has happened this summer on campus.  Even though we have different perspectives, or ideas about what is possible or reasonable to accomplish, I know that everyone has been focused on finding ways to best serve our students and fulfill our mission.  I am so proud of the ways our campus has responded, and I feel blessed that we are weathering this storm so well.

Thanks to all of you for your patience with each other and for your hard work.

Brian Posler, PhD, President, Lake Erie College


May 11, 2020

Congratulations on your successful completion of this very unusual spring semester. Lake Erie continues to follow all changing guidance by national, state and local authorities as the College plans your return to campus this fall.

We currently plan to welcome students back for an on-ground residential college experience this fall semester as safely as feasible. To that end, the College’s calendar has been modified. Lake Erie College will be moving the start of the fall semester up by one week to August 17th and its conclusion to the end of Tuesday, November 24th (immediately before the Thanksgiving holiday on November 26th). This calendar will allow us to align with state, federal and accreditation regulations for the required number of weeks (15) in the semester. Clinical calendars will remain the same for now. There may be circumstances that change between now and August 17th, but this is the College’s plan moving forward.

  • The summer session will end on Friday, August 7, instead of Monday, August 10

    .

  • Final exams will be November 18-20 (Wednesday-Friday) and November 23-24 (Monday and Tuesday)

    .

  • In order to finish by Thanksgiving, we will not be able to take a fall break, so it is cancelled.

The College is looking forward to the return of students to campus while also ensuring the health and safety of the campus community related to holiday travel, the flu season and a potential second wave of COVID-19. Courses will run as scheduled (other than the earlier start and end dates) in the fall, but we will remain prepared to adapt to online teaching (either in part or full) if circumstances change.

We will continue to add to, and refine plans throughout the next several months and adjust plans as needed for the well-being of the students, employees and community. We will be responsive to state and local guidance and direction as provided by the Governor, Ohio Department of Health and Lake County Health Department.

The College plan reflects the information available now. There is, however, some urgency with removing as many uncertainties as possible regarding the fall semester. Thank you for your flexibility and patience as the College continues to navigate these most unusual and unprecedented times.

If you have not yet registered for fall semester classes, please contact your academic advisor. As always, we might be forced to cancel some low enrolled courses so it is important that we know your plans.

We are looking forward to seeing you all this fall!

Brian Posler, PhD, President, Lake Erie College


May 6, 2020

Dear members of the Lake Erie College community,

Congratulations on the completion of this very unusual spring semester.  We continue to follow all changing guidance by national, state, and local authorities, as we make plans to return to a greater physical presence on campus.

Our goal is to have an on-ground, residential college experience for our students ready by the beginning of the fall semester.  We are hard at work determining how we can modify our work to meet that goal as safely as feasible.  To that end, I am pleased to share our current plans with you.  This sensible, phased approach will ensure that we balance the safety needs of our various constituencies while also continuing to meet our mission.

I wish to thank the members of the Emergency Response Team, under the leadership of VP Billie Dunn, for crafting this plan.  We will continue to add to, and refine plans throughout the next several months.  Our expanded cabinet meets tomorrow to continue discussions on how best to deliver academic coursework in the fall.  We will continue to closely monitor the transition and will adjust our plans as needed out of the well-being for our students, employees and community.  We will also be responsive to state and local guidance and direction as provided by the Governor; Ohio Department of Health and Lake County Health Department.

To review the most updated plan and documents, open these files: Re Envision Plan  and COVID-19 Wellness Check 

I am proud of our students, faculty and staff, as they navigate through the crisis and keep our students’ learning at the forefront.  Thank you for all you are doing.

Brian Posler, PhD, President, Lake Erie College


April 17, 2020

Dear Lake Erie College community,

I hope this message finds you feeling well.  As of today, we have heard of only one faculty member who is experiencing Coronavirus symptoms and is in self-quarantine.  As far as we know, no students or staff members have reported confirmed cases.

I remain grateful to all our faculty and staff, for their hard work in these stressful times.  I am proud of the ways we have continued to serve our students well.  Students, I am also proud of you, and the ways you have battled adversity and continued to make progress in your studies.  I look forward to welcoming you back to campus in person this fall.

While students are away, we will continue to make progress on physical improvements for campus.  I am pleased to see work begin this week on the new equestrian riding arena.  Improvements to residence halls will continue through the summer, including new carpets and remodeled bathrooms.  This summer’s theater renovations are still on schedule.  Two additional, high-tech classrooms in Garfield are scheduled to be ready by fall.  Masons are currently working on preserving the brickwork on College Hall, and construction is set to begin on the updates in the entryway.

We continue to monitor changing conditions, to make decisions, and to plan for the future.  We empathize with our colleagues at colleges around the state and nation that are facing significant budget cuts and job losses, and are grateful that we are not currently in that same vulnerable position.

This week, I can announce the following decisions:

1) We will not hold in-person, on ground courses this summer, with the exception of some Professional Development courses. All course work will be virtual for all summer sessions.  Individual internships, independent studies, and clinical rotations are still permissible, if safeguards are in place and they are approved by the school’s dean.

2) Large, physical gatherings of 10 or more individuals on our campus are cancelled from now through June 26th.  This deadline may be extended depending upon changing conditions between now and then.  I encourage events that can happen virtually to continue if possible.

3) Because we will not be holding courses physically on campus, we will also close our food service venues for the summer.  Meal plans will conclude by May 1st, and that will be our last date to offer regular food service until the fall. 

Do please take care of each other, and continue working hard to successfully conclude the semester.  Thanks for all you are doing.

Brian Posler, PhD, President, Lake Erie College


April 6, 2020

Recognizing the unique Spring Semester circumstances and the challenges that might come with adapting to online course delivery, Lake Erie College has made an important decision allowing students considerable flexibility in determining their grade options for ongoing Spring 2020 courses. 

These options are available only to undergraduate students and for classes that were changed from on-campus classes to remote learning.  Classes that were online as of the start of the semester are not eligible.

Students wishing to request an alternate grade for a class must submit the Alternate Grade Option Request Form to the Registrar’s Office.  The form may be found on LEO (Students Tab, Spring 2020 Special Undergraduate Grading Options page on left) or requested from the Registrar’s Office (registrar@lec.edu).  Each request will be reviewed by the Academic Affairs team to ensure the student understands all possible ramifications before final approval is granted.

Deadlines to request an alternate grade option:

  • Graduating May Seniors: Monday, May 11, 2020, 4:30 p.m.

  • All Other Undergraduates: Friday, May 15, 2020, 4:30 p.m.

Student Options:

  1. Late Withdrawal:

     

    Request a late withdrawal from a specific class.  The grade of “W” will not earn credits nor calculate in the term or cumulative GPA.

  2. Incomplete:

     

    Request an Incomplete for a specific class.  This option must have instructor’s support and approval.  The deadline for a final letter grade to be submitted is December 4, 2020.

NOTE: Students who have an Incomplete from Fall 2019 will receive an extension to December 4, 2020 without applying for an exception as stated in the Incomplete Grade Policy.

  1. Pass/Fail Grade:

      Request for a specific class to be graded as Pass/Fail.  Credit will be earned for the class without a grade point average calculation for term or cumulative GPA. 

Due to the extenuating circumstances, Lake Erie College has suspended the rules of the Pass/Fail grading option per the 2019-2020 Undergraduate Academic Catalog (pg. 47-48).  The following will apply for the Spring 2020 semester only:

    1. All undergraduate students are eligible for the option.

    2. Students may request the Pass/Fail option regardless of current academic standing.

    3. Students are not limited to the number of classes requested as Pass/Fail.

    4. Pass/Fail may be requested for any class, whether CORE curriculum, major, minor or concentration requirement, or an elective class.

    5. Grades of D- or better will be equal to a Pass.  

    6. The instructor will submit the letter grade for the class in LEO as usual.  The Registrar’s Office will post the final Pass/Fail grade based on the established criteria. 

Dean’s List: Students who earn a 3.50 term GPA or higher with a minimum of nine credit hours of letter-graded coursework will be eligible for the Spring 2020 Dean’s List.  Choosing the Pass/Fail option may impact students’ Dean’s List achievement.

Latin Honors: There will be no change to the calculation for Latin Honors for graduating students for May 2020 degree conferral regardless of spring 2020 grades.

Have a question or need clarification?

Contact Dr. Brent Robinson, Dean of Students Academic Success, brobinson@lec.edu or Barb Helms, Registrar, bhelms@lec.edu.

Or Join us for an open session:

  • A Google Chat hosted by Dr. Brent Robinson will be held on Wednesday, April 8, 2020 from 12:00 pm to 1:30 pm.

  • A Google Meeting session for Faculty will be hosted by Barb Helms on Thursday, April 9, 2020 at 3:30 pm.  Please RSVP sending an email to bhelms@lec.edu to join the meeting.

 


March 25, 2020

Dear Lake Erie College community,

Our senior leadership group is meeting daily, and our emergency response team also met again this morning.  My thanks to all who are working so hard to make things work during this unusual set of circumstances.

Based upon recommendations by our Commencement Committee, I am able to announce the following:

Although we will officially grant degrees on schedule, our May 9th commencement ceremony is officially postponed.  The new date and time for our “spring” commencement exercises will be on August 1st, at 10 am.  It is my hope that all eligible students will return and celebrate the granting of your degrees at that time.

Seniors, I join you in mourning the loss of our ‘senior week’ activities, as that week is steeped in tradition and excitement for students being graduated.  Please hold the date of July 31st, for we will have a party for you and your loved ones to celebrate the conclusion of your academic journey.  More details will be announced soon.

The other significant item to share with you all today is that all offices on campus will cease physical office hours until the state restrictions are lifted.  The work of those offices will continue, but will be done remotely, so feel free to contact them through email or by phone.  Phone messages may take a little longer than usual for a response, so please be patient. 

Of course, food service, security, housing, barn staff, and physical plant workers will still be here, doing what they need to do to serve our residential students.  Our IT staff will continue to serve in person as needed. Mail service continues, but if no one is present when you stop by, you will need to contact either security or student life to obtain your mail or packages.

Security remains present and on call 24/7 and can be reached at 440-375-7575.  Student Affairs remains available during this remote learning period to assist with needs.  Please be sure to reach out by phone or email with any questions or concerns. The Office of Student Life is open Monday-Friday from 9am-4pm and Saturday and Sunday from 11am-5pm.  They can also be reached after hours at 440-679-4884 and studentlife@lec.edu.  Residence Life staff remains on call for students who remain in the halls and apartments, due to hardship, after hours.  They can be reached at 440-897-8513 AND 440-679-4884. 

Brian Posler, PhD, President, Lake Erie College


March 22, 2020

Dear Lake Erie College community,

Conditions continue to change quickly, and we continue to adapt.   Following the latest news out of New York, Pennsylvania, and elsewhere, as well as receiving updated guidance from national, state, and local governments, we continue to re-evaluate our responses.

The safety of all of us is the most important imperative, so this is what we are going to do now.  For the next two weeks, we will direct the vast majority of our employees to work from home. Only those in roles which must be on campus will be asked to report.  All others should stay at home, and do their best to accomplish their work from there. Your supervisors will be in touch soon to let you know their plan for your department, if they have not yet done so.

The roughly one-third of residential students remaining due to their particular circumstances are still welcome to stay in campus housing, but we ask them to stay in their apartments or residence hall rooms as much as feasible, adhering to social distancing principles.  Many offices will be operating remotely, but our food service will continue to serve meals, our cleaners will continue to disinfect surfaces, and critical offices will be staffed to help you meet your needs. Security can let you into the library if there are resources you need.

Students, as your coursework continues in the new format, we will continue to plan for the future during discussions this week.  Contact your Academic Advisor to help you enroll in summer and fall classes remotely. Housing selection begins tomorrow, and will proceed remotely.  Please don’t allow your lack of in-person courses halt your progress toward your goals, for this unsettling situation is temporary.  

Anyone may reach Security at 440-375-7575, and Student Life’s On Call number is 440-679-4884.  Both of these numbers are answered 24 hours/day.

We should all be very proud at the way our entire community is coming together in this important moment.  Together we will make it through our challenges, and thrive on the other side.

Brian Posler, PhD, President, Lake Erie College 


March 19, 2020

Dear Lake Erie College community,

Our emergency response team met again this morning, and we continue to gauge the changing conditions and evaluate our responses and plans.

We have determined the following:

  1. We had earlier committed to virtual learning for all courses, at least through April 12th.  Given the updated guidance from the Ohio Department of Health and governor, we have now decided that the remainder of the Spring 2020 semester will be virtual.  There will be no more face-to-face class meetings for the remainder of this semester. Faculty will continue to work with students to achieve course outcomes in the new format.  If on-campus residential students now choose to depart, please contact Student Life to schedule checkout. Student Life will be in touch with residents who are not currently on campus regarding their move out process.

  2. Given that we now have a confirmed case of the virus in Lake County, we ask for additional diligence for all of us. Governor DeWine today advises us all to check our temperature prior to coming to work. Common symptoms with this virus include a temperature exceeding 100.3 degrees, a cough, and possibly shortness of breath.  From the first moment that anyone experiences one of these symptoms, they are encouraged to self-quarantine, take their temperature twice daily, and to log their symptoms by date/time. Do not travel to access care without first calling your primary care physician and sharing the logged data.  

  3. In response to the governor’s call regarding gyms, we have closed both the Osborne Center and Richie Gym for all physical activity.  Offices in those locations may still be used by staff members, but the exercise equipment may not be used.  

  4. The Lincoln Library remains accessible, for now, but with limited hours.  Patrons are asked not to congregate in groups, but individual students may access the resources needed for study and for their coursework.  New hours are Monday-Thursday 8:30 am - 8:00 pm, and Friday 8:30 am - 4:00 pm. The library will be closed on weekends.

  5. Our Metz food venues are experiencing much lower than typical demand, so we have made the decision to not keep open all three venues.  Effective today, we have closed the Lincoln Lounge until further notice. We will continue with a single venue within the Holden Center. It will be open for three hot meals each day, but all meals must be taken “to go.”  Revised hours on weekdays are 8:30-10 am breakfast, 11 am-1 pm lunch, and 4:30-6 pm dinner. Weekends will have Brunch from 11 am-1 pm, and 4:30-6 pm dinner.

I am proud of the way our campus community has met the daunting challenges surrounding our situation. We have come together to accomplish much in a very short amount of time, and we are all continuing to find our way through this circumstance. Nonetheless, every day brings us closer to a sense of normalcy. I will continue to keep you informed and updated.

Brian Posler, PhD, President, Lake Erie College


March 18, 2020

Dear Lake Erie College community,

Overnight, we have learned that two of our students were potentially exposed to a person who has subsequently tested positive with COVID-19.  Potential exposure occurred before that person was symptomatic and happened off campus. 

Contact has been made with both students to confirm: they are not currently on campus; to be cautious they are self-quarantined, and they are in contact with their medical providers.  Additional attention is being paid to recent areas one of the individuals had visited on campus.  

We have contacted all known LEC individuals who may have had contact with these two students since their potential exposure. I am confident that all reasonable steps are being taken to limit additional exposure on campus from these individuals.

We remain in contact with and will continue to take guidance from the Lake County Health Department and Ohio Department of Health. Please continue to take all recommended social distancing precautions, and help us continue to disinfect hard surfaces near you.

Brian Posler, PhDPresidentLake Erie College


 March 17, 2020

Dear Lake Erie College community,

We understand the dynamic pressures faced by our students, employees and families related to changing restrictions on k-12 schools, restaurants, theaters, gyms, and now possibly day cares.  

We continue to balance our need to serve our students well while recognizing that it is challenging to execute our roles in our communities despite the changing guidance.  However, our faculty and staff continue to go above and beyond my expectations with creative thinking, problem solving and leading with compassion.  

Each of our employees has different stresses related to this outbreak, whether it is the need to find adequate child care, or caring for an aging parent, or simply feeling the stress caused by keeping up on the news.

For now, I do not expect every single employee to need to be here on campus all day every day.   We have been working on new policies to allow for Flexible Working Arrangements for many of our employees.  I know that I can trust our people to ensure that the vital work gets done and that our students will receive the best care and services we can provide, but I also expect us all to engage in self-care and in adequate care for our loved ones.  Watch your email for communication from HR, and you will see that with this temporary policy the decisions will lie at the supervisor level, and that they are charged with balancing both goals.

For those of you who have very little vacation or sick leave accumulated, please be in contact with HR as conditions warrant.  I do not want anyone who feels symptoms to feel that they need to come to work. HR will work with you individually if you need to be on leave.

As a reminder, I encourage employees to use resources (supervisors/HR/VP) to communicate their individual needs.   Students are encouraged to communicate their needs to Student Life (studentlife@lec.edu or 440.679.4884).  I know that together we can ensure we fulfill our mission while also meeting the needs of our people.  

I hope this increased flexibility will provide some comfort as we continue to adapt.  I am very proud of how you all have pulled together, and with the tremendous progress made as we work to transition into these new situations.  Our students are blessed to have so many of you working so hard to find a successful path forward through adversity.  I am proud to be your president.

Brian Posler, PhDPresidentLake Erie college 


March 13, 2020

Dear Lake Erie College community,

Our update today is brief.  Our NCAA conference, the GMAC, has officially cancelled all spring seasons of competition, and the NCAA has cancelled all Division II championships.  In addition, all LEC athletic team activities are suspended, at least through April 12th.  We will revisit closer to mid-April, but that prohibition may be extended. 

Our Equestrian teams and academic riding courses will follow suit.  As of this Monday, all team activities will be cancelled through April 12th.  Riding courses will also not be held through that period.  Do please contact your faculty members or Dean for more details as they become available.

If students have already registered to return to campus, but now wish to change their plans, just have them return to the online form and let Student Affairs know their revised plans.

I appreciate everyone’s patience.  These are very fluid, changing conditions, with external forces at work, and we are all doing our best to navigate through the crisis.  Please take care of yourselves and your own mental health in this stressful time, and check back here regularly for updates as we determine them.

Sincerely, Brian Posler, PhDPresidentLake Erie college  


 March 12, 2020 Dear Members of the Lake Erie College community,

I write to you today with gratitude.  Thanks to all who are working so hard to implement these difficult changes while continuing to serve our students well.  As you can imagine, we received quite a flurry of emails, calls, and visits in the 24 hours since my last message to you.  I ask for your patience as we work to respond individually to each of those contacts. 

There are still no known cases of the virus with any members of the Lake Erie College faculty, staff, or student body.  There are now five confirmed cases in Ohio, as a new one in Trumbull County joins the three confirmed in Cuyahoga and one in Stark County.

We continue to make progress with implementing the changes announced yesterday, and I will strive to update you regularly as conditions change, or as decisions are made.

We have committed to a cleaning “surge” for highly trafficked areas of campus over the next few weeks.  We will increase the cleaning hours and staffing levels in areas where students will concentrate, including but not limited to our residence halls, the Holden Center, the Lincoln Library, computer labs, Richie Gym and the Osborne Center. 

As of now, all offices of the college including the Lincoln Library will remain open with their regular hours.  As usage changes, we may eventually revisit that decision, but we want students’ experiences to proceed with as much normalcy as possible given the outbreak.

We anticipate that the Metz food locations will continue with regular hours next week.   They have implemented many changes, including increased cleaning protocols, plastic cutlery, served rather than self-serve stations, etc.

The academic affairs division continues to work collaboratively to create several alternative methods for course delivery.  Based upon what I am hearing, it looks like we have made much progress with this rush conversion. Many people are continuing to contribute to the efforts to ensure that our remote courses have sufficient rigor, quality, and engagement. Ranging from our online learning director to IT staff, the collaborative efforts many people have prepared as well for the start of classes on Monday.

Our colleagues in academic affairs have also developed a plan for remote academic advising.  Our fall registration process should be able to continue on schedule, but more information will be coming from Academic Affairs related to advising soon.

Student Affairs has developed a plan for housing selection for next year, so that we can complete that process remotely as well.  More information will go out to students so that they can select among their housing options.

We continue to look to the future with physical improvements for campus.  Some residence halls are receiving new carpet and bathroom renovations this week.  More of that work will continue in the summer.  In addition, this summer we will see improvements to our wi-fi and data infrastructure, two new high-tech classrooms in Garfield Hall, renovations for the Rickel Theater, and improvements to the exterior and entry of College Hall.

Our dedicated public relations and marketing team will be working with all of you to get the word out about changes to the event schedule. In addition, they will be updating our website regularly from this point forward as new information comes available.

Finally, as I shared yesterday, please remember this advice from the Ohio Department of Health website.  Use these everyday preventative actions to help prevent the spread of viruses:

  • Stay home when you are sick, except to get medical care.

  • Cover your coughs and sneezes with a tissue, then throw the tissue in the trash.

  • Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, especially after going to the bathroom; before eating; and after blowing your nose, coughing, or sneezing.

  • Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth with unwashed hands.

  • Clean frequently touched surfaces and objects daily.

Sincerely, Brian Posler, PhDPresidentLake Erie college


 March 11, 2020 

Dear Members of the Lake Erie College community,

I write to you today with an update on rapidly changing conditions related to the COVID-19 virus and the confirmation of cases in Ohio. Our goal is to continue to fulfill our mission, while prioritizing safety for our community. We continue to follow the guidance of the Ohio Department of Health, as well as Governor DeWine. This particular form of crisis management brings with it many unknowns, and I hope you will join me in advancing the education of our students with the least amount of disruption as possible. 

Due to new guidance that we received yesterday afternoon, we are implementing the following changes, effective immediately:

  • All academic coursework will continue, but our mode of instruction will change. No in-person class meetings will occur from now through April 12th

    .  Our faculty will reach out to their students as their plans develop, and students should connect with their faculty members to share any unusual circumstances.  Alternate modes of instruction may include, but are not limited to, LEO, Google Hangouts, video lectures, email interactions, phone discussions, etc.  Classes scheduled in locations away from our Painesville campus (or the EQ Center), including internships and clinicals, are expected to follow decisions made by the owners of those locations.  We will continue to monitor and evaluate our path going forward and communicate updates regularly.

  • Campus housing and dining services will remain open and available for students.  We will continue to honor meal plans.  Some on-campus residents might choose to go home and study remotely.  We do ask that students not travel back and forth frequently.   All students returning to campus must register here:   

    .

  • Most large public gatherings or events are cancelled through April 12th

    .  As advised by the state officials, in-season outdoor athletic practices and contests will continue as normal, but indoor athletic events will only continue without spectators.

  • All college-sponsored international travel is cancelled through April 12th

    .  If any students have traveled internationally in this calendar year, please let Student Affairs know so that they can help connect you to appropriate resources.  College-sponsored domestic travel for students is not restricted at this time, although we will continue to monitor guidance by the Ohio Department of Health, the NCAA, and the Great Midwest Athletic Conference.

  • Offices are expected to remain open, and college employees are expected to continue to report to campus. Employees should work with their direct supervisor as decisions will be made on a case-by-case basis regarding any possible alternative work arrangements.  

  • Any unnecessary college-sponsored domestic or international travel by employees is cancelled through April 12th.

  • Although most of these decisions only currently apply through April 12th, we will continue to monitor conditions and guidance by the state, and we will make additional decisions closer to mid-April.  Any further developments will be communicated through these same channels.

For specific questions regarding the above, I ask that you operate with guidance from each area vice president. Based upon what I have heard from each of our divisional leaders, I am confident that we will work through these challenges while ensuring the quality and rigor of instruction and also the personalized approach, to the extent possible, for which we are known.

The outbreak is cause for anxiety for many people, but I am confident that we all will work diligently to minimize the impact on our learning environment and our beloved Lake Erie College community.

Finally, please remember this advice from the Ohio Department of Health website.  Use these everyday preventative actions to help prevent the spread of viruses:

  • Stay home when you are sick, except to get medical care.

  • Cover your coughs and sneezes with a tissue, then throw the tissue in the trash.

  • Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, especially after going to the bathroom; before eating; and after blowing your nose, coughing, or sneezing.

  • Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth with unwashed hands.

  • Clean frequently touched surfaces and objects daily.

Sincerely, Brian Posler, PhD, President, Lake Erie college


March 9, 2020 The safety and well-being of our students, faculty, and staff are a top priority. The academic division at Lake Erie College is monitoring the COVID-19 situation carefully, and the circumstances are changing daily. The college is receiving information and guidance from local, regional, state, and national sources, and an institutional Emergency Response Team (ERT) is leading the institution’s contingency planning. As a reminder, as of this date (March 9, 2020), Ohio has no confirmed cases of the COVID-19 virus; however, please continue to monitor the news from state and federal health officials. 

Below is some general information regarding the academic division’s responses and guidance regarding COVID-19:

Classes, Internships, and Clinical Rotations

  • Classes are continuing to run as scheduled.

     Please attend your classes, clinicals, fieldwork, student teaching, etc. unless instructed to do otherwise by Lake Erie College;

  • If you are a graduating senior or graduate student in your final semester

     your remaining hours are vital to the timely completion of your degree; therefore, carefully follow instructions from your faculty or internship supervisor regarding any changes that might occur due to COVID-19 preparation or related issues;

  • If you have questions regarding your

     

    courses

    , be sure to remain in contact with your faculty members, check your email frequently, and respond in a timely fashion to messages and instructions;

  • Professional Development courses

     are running as scheduled, but please contact Lisa Strausbaugh at 

     for specific information;

  • Faculty have been asked to identify plans to handle any unlikely disruption in your courses

    , but given the unique nature of our courses, there will be some variability of what is possible.

Events

  • All academic events (e.g., commencement, senior week, etc.) are being held as scheduled

     as of March 9, 2020. Please monitor emails and the college’s website for information or changes. For non-academic events (e.g., athletics, student life activities, etc.), please contact personnel in those areas for status updates.

Advising

  • Students:  All academic advising will take place

    , and we expect no interruption at this time. You must remain in contact with your advisor should there be any unlikely disruption of courses.

For Faculty

In the unlikely event that we need to identify alternate delivery means for our face-to-face classes, please be prepared to reach out to our director of online learning, Eric Oestmann at eoestmann@lec.edu or Barb Helms, the college’s registrar, at bhelms@lec.edu;

  • For those courses that are more hands-on, please work directly with your dean to explore options for course completion should COVID-19 circumstances require adjustments.

General COVID-19 Contacts

  • Students

    , please email Vice President for Student Affairs Billie Dunn at 

     or Kimberly Robare (regarding general information or questions about the institution’s response to this situation)

  • Faculty

     should direct questions regarding course delivery to their deans;

  • Students

     should contact their instructors for information about their courses;

  • For academic matters that cannot be resolved at the instructor or dean level

    , please contact Senior Vice President Bryan DePoy at bdepoy@lec.edu.


CAMPUS COVID-19 CONTACT

Kim Robare, Interim Executive Director of Student Affairs krobare@lec.edu