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PLEASE NOTE: This page may include outdated information about the COVID-19 pandemic and Roane State's response. Please click here for the most up-to-date information.
If you have an immediate health concern, you should contact your healthcare provider. If you require emergency medical assistance, call 911.
Please self-report your positive test result using the online portal at roanestate.edu/checkup. Upon RSCC receiving the notification of the self-report, you will be contacted by an RSCC employee to determine your return date. With a positive test, the isolation period is 10 days from date the sample was taken for the test, or the onset of symptoms, whichever happened first. The college then has to look at two days prior and determine what buildings and areas of the campus you may have visited and who you may have been in close contact with. Close contact means being within six feet of someone for a total of 15 minutes or more over a 24-hour period.
NOTE: Please be very specific when you self-report so that we are able to trace your steps effectively. We are only able to see your classes attended, not if you have been to the Library, Gym, Cafeteria, or Student Lounge. The college then has the affected areas cleaned per the CDC guidelines and notifies any individuals that may have been exposed. We can not stress enough the importance of social distancing at all times.
The college's COVID-19 Response Team goes into action when a report of a positive COVID-19 case is received. Using schedule information, RSCC staff look back at the individual's schedule for two days prior to the date of testing or the onset of symptoms (whichever came first). Additionally, the following actions are taken as needed:
Some classes were moved online prior to the start of the semester in order to reduce the number of people on campus during high-traffic time periods. Additional information has been or will be provided by instructors. These adjustments are all part of our plan to keep our campus community safe and ensure that learning never stops at Roane State.
Wellness screenings and check-in are no longer required to visit campus. Please remember to practice physical distancing, wear your face mask indoors, wash your hands frequently, stay home if you are sick and report a COVID-19 positive test result using the online portal.
Please work with Human Resources for this request. RSCC will work with you any way possible to accommodate your request as long as tasks are completed and the coverage can be maintained. These will be reviewed case by case. Possible alternatives could be a change in your work schedule or physical location. Any accommodating request will have to be submitted to Human Resources for review and approval.
You should contact your instructor(s) with any concerns you have about attending class.
Roane State will be providing flexibility for absences due to illness and other COVID-19 related issues. Students should contact their instructors as soon as possible to let them know if they will be absent from class and to inquire about how they might make up any missed work. Attendance policies will be relaxed. Instructors can provide additional course-specific information.
Employees should contact their supervisors as soon as possible to let them know if they develop symptoms and will be absent.
If you are working from home and are unable to complete your work due to illness, you should also let your supervisor know.
If your illness is possibly related to COVID-19, please contact Human Resources to see if you meet any of the qualifiers for the Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA). Click here for more information from the Department of Labor.
Roane State will work with students without reliable internet access to make alternative arrangements. Please contact your instructor(s) advising them of your situation so they can help you find a solution. Possibilities include sending and/or receiving assignments via standard mail. You can also email need@roanestate.edu for assistance.
If applicable, you should also check with the internet service provider(s) in your area directly to see if any special programs have been implemented as a result of the coronavirus pandemic.
The Learning Center and Library will be open and providing services both in-person and virtually. For in-person tutoring and library support, safety measures are being taken in an attempt to keep everyone safe. Plexiglass shields have been installed, work stations have been spaced out and tutoring/library assistance using Zoom is planned. The Learning Center and Library are working diligently to address concerns and develop a safe and effective way to offer student support.
You can also get feedback on essays and assistance with specific math formulas and equations through The Learning Center Online inside Momentum, you can meet virtually with a tutor in real time by scheduling an appointment through MyWCOnline, and you have 24-hour access to Smarthinking which offers tutoring in a wide variety of subject areas.
For detailed information on how to take advantage of our services, visit the Learning Center web page.
Please note that this only applies if you were around the individual during the time they were experiencing symptoms and up to two days prior to their onset of symptoms or the date of their test.
You should alert your instructor/supervisor that you have been in contact with someone who has tested positive for COVID-19. You will need to remain in quarantine for 10 days from the date of the contact with the positive case.
If you are an employee, please contact Human Resources to submit the request to see if you are qualify for the Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA). Additional information can be found online.
In this very common situation, you can still report to class/work but should continue to monitor for COVID-19 symptoms. Those symptoms include cough, shortness of breath, sore throat, fever (in last 48 hours), loss of taste or smell, vomiting or diarrhea (in the last 24 hours). If any of these symptoms develop and they are NOT related to underlying conditions, please contact your instructor/supervisor to make alternative arrangements until you are symptom free.
Please note that the above procedure does not apply if you have had direct contact with a person who tests positive for COVID-19; it only applies to indirect contact (contact with someone who is not sick and has not tested positive).
As a substitute for paper handouts, instructors will utilize Momentum and RSCC email whenever possible. In cases when paper must be used, instructors may implement a folder method in the classroom to collect papers from students. Students should place paperwork in the designated open folder. Instructors will wait 24 hours before handling the papers to grade. This is considered lower risk for transmission of the virus, but instructors should remember to avoid touching their mouth, nose or eyes and regularly use hand sanitizer while reviewing papers.
RSCC face masks will be available for purchase at campus bookstore locations in Roane County and Oak Ridge while supplies last.
If you begin to feel unwell or exhibit any symptoms of COVID-19 after arriving on campus, you should leave immediately if possible. If you cannot leave immediately (e.g. if you are waiting on transportation or do not feel as though you can leave campus safely on your own), you should notify a Roane State employee and report to the designated isolation room on your campus. Those locations are listed below. Signs will also be posted to alert you where your nearest isolation room is located.
| County | Isolation Room |
|---|---|
| Campbell County | Room 107 |
| Cumberland County | Room 144 |
| Clinton Facility | Room 114 |
| Fentress County | Room 121 |
| Knox County | Room 120 |
| Loudon County | Room 134 |
| Morgan County | Conference Room 111 |
| ORBC | C-108 |
| Roane County | O-205 |
| Scott County | Conference room near front entrance |
As a reminder, you should not come to campus for any reason if you feel ill or are experiencing any possible symptoms of COVID-19.
Microwaves and vending machines will be available with cleaning products there for your convenience. RSCC recommends cleaning your hands before and after use of these items, even if the items are regularly cleaned between uses.
We are compiling data related to positive COVID-19 tests for our entire campus community (both in-person and remote students/employees) so that we can accurately report this data to the Tennessee Board of Regents. Reporting a positive test when you have not been on campus also allows RSCC to advise you when it will be safe for you to return to campus after the quarantine period.
Once RSCC is made aware that an individual has tested positive for COVID-19, the college will work with the student/employee to track down all locations they may have visited on campus during the period they may have been contagious. These areas will be closed and cleaned prior to reopening. RSCC will consult with the local health department. The college will also notify any other students/employees the positive case has been in close contact with during their time on campus.
Please keep in mind that close contact is defined as being within six feet of someone for a total of 15 minutes or more. All classrooms and labs will be set up for the six feet spacing and everyone should be wearing a face covering.
The learning environment will be adapted for physical distancing in order to avoid close contact with others. As CDC guidance suggests, everyone should avoid touching their eyes, mouth and nose. Hands should be washed frequently and face coverings must be worn inside campus buildings. Cleaning of facilities will also be part of the daily routine. By taking these steps, we will reduce the risk of exposure even in cases of an asymptomatic person who does not know they have COVID-19.
Yes, enhanced cleaning as an additional public health and safety precaution is part of Roane State’s Pandemic Preparedness Plan.
Roane State’s Pandemic Preparedness Plan is available for review along with additional information at the following link: roanestate.edu/coronavirus. The plan includes details on the college’s multi-tiered response to coronavirus or any other widespread/pandemic illness.
Roane State will continue to monitor all the factors impacting our decisions regarding college schedule and campus access in consultation with health experts and the Tennessee Board of Regents.
The Pandemic Preparedness Plan and the coronavirus resource page listed above will continue to be updated as additional items of potential concern are identified.
The Tennessee Board of Regents looked into this matter closely and advised Roane State and all other TBR system colleges to continue using the current grading scale. Because pass/fail could have negative long-term impacts regarding financial aid eligibility, articulation agreements with other schools and additional issues, it would not be in the best interest of all of our students. Therefore, a pass/fail option will not be offered.
Roane State has created a library of virtual backgrounds that are available for download at roanestate.edu/VirtualBackgrounds.
Exit exams may be given in an online format. Check the exit exam page for updates.
Students and faculty continue their courses in a distance learning format (D2L) wherever possible. This means that instruction will be provided online using Momentum and Zoom.
Alternative arrangements will be made for courses that are not able to move completely to an online format. This may include a delay and extension of the semester.
Only essential personnel will be permitted on campus during a closure. If you are deemed essential, you will receive additional information and instruction from your direct supervisor.
Roane State will communicate any announcements regarding interruptions to college activities and/or operations through RaiderAlerts, email, the college website, social media, and local media as needed. The same is true for an announcement that courses will return to the traditional in-person format. If you are impacted, instructors will provide information about how to continue classes and when to return. Please ensure your Roane State email inbox is not full and check it frequently for updates.
Roane State Community College does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, creed, ethnicity or national origin, sex, disability, age, status as protected veteran or any other class protected by Federal or State laws and regulation and by Tennessee board of Regents policies with respect to employment, programs, and activities. View full non-discrimination policy.
