NSHE Chancellor Thom Reilly Issues Guidance for Resuming Career and Technical Education Lab Courses

TO: Community College Presidents
FROM: Thom Reilly, Chancellor
CC: Nate Mackinnon, Vice Chancellor for Community Colleges
Joe Reynolds, Chief General Counsel
DATE: May 14, 2020
SUBJECT: Guidance for Resuming Career and Technical Education Lab Courses

When the Governor instituted the stay-at-home order in March 2020, NSHE immediately suspended all remaining in-person courses that could not be taught remotely. The only exception to this was for in-person lab courses related to healthcare fields (such as nursing, allied health, EMT, paramedicine. This left over 2,000 students across the state with “Incomplete” grades, specifically for Career and Technical Education (CTE) Lab Courses.

As part of Phase 1 of Nevada’s reopening, NSHE may reopen CTE Lab Courses that were suspended in March beginning on Monday, May 18th. In doing so, the following guidelines are mandatory until Phase 1 has ended:

1. Gatherings of more than 10 people are prohibited. All CTE lab spaces must be limited to no more than 10 persons (including any instructors) in any one lab space at one time. Signs on all entrances to each lab shall state clearly “STOP: This space is currently limited to 10 persons at any one time.”
2. Any individual who goes to a lab space must be notified that, if he or she is not feeling well, has a fever, respiratory stress, or has been in close contact with anyone known to have tested positive for COVID-19 within the past 14 days, he or she is strictly forbidden from attending in-person labs. Students who, in the judgment of the instructor, appear to be ill or who refuse to wear a protective mask will be asked to leave the lab.
3. All persons must wear a protective mask that fully covers their mouth and nose at all
   times while in the CTE lab space.
4. All contact surfaces and door handles shall be sanitized by maintaining regular housekeeping practices, including routine cleaning and disinfecting of surfaces and equipment.
5. Wherever possible, a distance of 6 feet shall be maintained between all persons in the lab. Where 6 feet of social distancing is infeasible/impractical, the lab shall develop a policy, practice, or protocol that must be as effective as or more effective than the 6 feet social distancing mandate. See OSHA Updated Guidance for Essential Businesses & Phase 1 Businesses of May 8, 2020.
6. Classrooms attached to labs may be used if they contain equipment that prohibits remote instruction and these same guidelines are strictly followed. If a student is not comfortable with these conditions, they have the option to resume their labs in the Fall.