Earlier this week, East Central College canceled public events this spring to comply with Centers for Disease Control recommendations.

ECC President Dr. Jon Bauer noted that the intent is to minimize the risk of exposure to the coronavirus (COVID-19). The cancellations include events off and on campus. However, the decision to hold commencement will be made at a later date.

“The significant exception at this point is commencement,” he said. “A decision regarding commencement will be made no later than April 1.”

The cancellation impacts the remainder of the ECC Patrons of the Arts Series of concerts, theatrical productions, film and lectures, and art exhibits.

The upcoming play “Church and State” will be rescheduled for August 20-23.

The pops concert scheduled for May 8, while held off campus in Washington, also has been canceled. The “Restaurants at Prairie Dell” offered by the Culinary Arts Department will not be held.

Other major events that have been canceled include Earth Day, April 25; FalconFest, April 15; Phi Theta Kappa induction this Friday, March 20; ECC Library game nights; and the Senior Health Expo scheduled for May 22.

In addition, community education offerings are canceled for the remainder of the spring semester. Sports competition has been canceled by the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA), which includes softball at ECC.

“There may be other events not listed that involve the gathering of 50 or people at the campus. Those guidelines today have been lowered to 10 or more people,” Dr. Bauer added. “These events or gatherings will also be canceled.”

“We will continue to monitor CDC guidelines regarding public events. We will also assess events scheduled for later this spring and summer, and will make decisions about those events as early as practical.”

Dr. Bauer explained that the decision to no longer hold the events was done for health and safety of the students, faculty, staff and the community.

“I regret that our schedule of activities has been affected in such a dramatic fashion, and I appreciate all of the work that has already gone into these events,” he said. “These decisions and others are made with the well-being of our employees, students, and other stakeholders in mind.”

A form is now available online for students to more easily request assistance from the food pantry at East Central College.

The pantry offers food and supplies to students in need. It is sponsored by Campus Life and Leadership.

On Thursday, an anonymous donor gifted $1,000 to purchase food and other items for the pantry. 

The new form allows students to set an appointment to visit the ECC campus food pantries in Union and Rolla.

Appointments will limit face-to-face interactions which is an effort to impede the spread of COVID-19 (coronavirus). Previously, requests for assistance were conducted in person.

The service is only available to ECC students who must present a student ID when picking up items. There is a limit of 10 items per student, per visit.

To find the request form, students can visit www.eastcentral.edu/current/ and click the “Food Pantry” tab under Support Services. The form can also be found here.

Students will be asked their email address and name which will only be used for the form. No records of the pantry visit are maintained.  Students also will be asked to select a date, time, and which campus pantry they would like to visit.

Donations

Anyone who would like to donate to the pantry may contact Emily Durham at 636-584-6583 or Emily.Durham@eastcentral.edu. The Learning Center also is a drop-off location if students or employees would like to make a donation.

The pantry is in need of toilet paper, paper towels, hand soap, dish soap, cans of veggies, shampoo, conditioner, apple sauce/other fruit cups, pasta and Jelly.

East Central College is pushing back its registration start date for new students to give current student additional time to sign up for classes.

The change also will limit the number of students on campus at the same time.

New students can begin registering for classes April 20, which is about three weeks later than the initial start date.

Registration for current students opened Monday, March 16, and it will continue after college staff returns from spring break March 30.

Because of the COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic, spring break began early for ECC students giving fewer days to register before the break.

“This was done in order to better manage the volume of students we expect to be on campus for registration,” said Dr. Jon Bauer, ECC president. “The delay for new students gives our staff time to work with currently enrolled students for a longer period of time after spring break.”

He added that the delay will relieve initial pressure on the testing center but still provide sufficient time for new students to enroll throughout the spring and summer.

New and current students can register until Fall 2020 classes begin in August.

Advisors are encouraging students to make an appointment to be sure an advisor is available before coming to campus.

Current students should contact their advisor directly or call the appropriate Student Service Center at the Union or Rolla campuses.

New and current students also can email or call advisors with questions about ECC programs and degrees.

Technology, such as Zoom, offers the opportunity to current and prospective students to register remotely via video. Students can ask advisors for more information.

New students are those who have not taken classes at ECC, regardless if they have submitted applications or completed financial aid forms.

Visit Academic Advising for contact information for advisors, counselors and specialists.

For additional information about advisement and registration visit Advising and Career Services.

East Central College facilities will only be open to employees, and students for essential services and support to help prevent the spread of COVID-19 (coronavirus).

Beginning immediately, the public will not be permitted in buildings on the campuses, including the library, learning center and computer labs, said ECC President Dr. Jon Bauer.

“We are taking these measures to ensure the safety and health of our college community,” he said. “This situation is unprecedented and the decision to close the campus to the public was made with the utmost concern of students and employees.”

Dr. Bauer explained that the steps taken at ECC are under the guidance and recommendation of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services.

“Every decision we have made in regards to COVID-19 follows recommendations by public health officials to impede the spread of the virus,” he added.

In addition to limiting access of ECC facilities to employees and essential student services and support, the college began spring break early, on Wednesday, March 18, and is moving instruction to online and remote formats until the end of the semester.

ECC also has canceled events with the intent of minimizing the risk of exposure to the public. Canceled events include the remainder of the ECC Patrons of the Arts Series of concerts, theatrical productions, film and lectures, and art exhibits.

The “Restaurants at Prairie Dell” offered by the Culinary Arts Department also will not be held.

Off-campus events also have been canceled, like the pops concert that had been scheduled for May 8 in Washington.

Other major events that have been canceled include Phi Theta Kappa induction Friday, March 20; FalconFest, April 15; Earth Day, April 25; ECC Library game nights; and the Senior Health Expo scheduled for May 22.

Sports competition has been canceled by the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA), which includes softball at ECC.

The Learning Center services are by appointment only and students are encouraged to utilize the online services.

In addition, community education offerings are canceled through May 7. That includes classes that were scheduled to be held at Mercy Hospital Washington.

A decision to hold or cancel commencement will be made by April 1.

For more information and updates on ECC’s steps to prevent the spread of COVID-19, visit www.eastcentral.edu/covid/.

Students who are looking to use the East Central College Learning Center are encouraged to utilize online services.

The doors of the center will remain open, but by appointment only.

Erin Anglin, Learning Center executive director, said staff has been working diligently to transition services to an online capacity.

“While our doors will remain open for tutoring, we strongly encourage students to utilize our online services as much as possible,” she said.

According to Anglin, the center will maintain normal business hours of 7:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. Mondays through Thursdays, and from 7:30 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. on Fridays.

“We are limiting our on-ground services to appointment only, no walk-ins,” Anglin said. “We are asking students to make appointments for both on-ground and online appointments.“Scheduling appointments will help in complying with social distancing parameters and controlling traffic flow in our area.”

Anglin said tutors may be contacted in several ways for online assistance, including chat, Zoom or Teams, through the Online Writing Center or via NetTutor after hours or on weekends. NetTutor is available free of charge for ECC students.

“We have a variety of online resources available for our students via our webpage, plus we will be publishing a special edition New Leaf to help faculty and students during this time of social isolation and digital transition,” Anglin commented.

Visit the webpage at www.eastcentral.edu/learning-center/. To chat, students can click on the “Chat With a Writing Tutor” or “Chat With a Math Tutor” links.

Students who want tutoring should directly email the tutor with whom they wish to work to schedule their appointment.

 

Dear Student,

March 16, 2020

The Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic continues to evolve at a rapid pace. We continue to see the impact this is having both personally and professionally. East Central College takes this situation very seriously, and we are committed to making decisions with your health and wellness as the top priority. At the same time, we remain committed to your academic success. To date, no one associated with ECC has tested positive for the Coronavirus.

However, consistent with CDC guidelines, the following measures are being taken at East Central College:

Instruction—Classes will be held as scheduled today and tomorrow (March 17). Beginning Wednesday, March 18, classes will not be held in order for faculty to prepare for the transition to on-line instruction for the remainder of the semester. We will be closed as scheduled during Spring Break. Beginning on Monday, March 30, and continuing for the remainder of the semester, most instruction will be delivered on-line. There will be no in-person lectures. There will be limited in-person instruction in selected labs, studio courses, and certain career and technical education (CTE) classes for which there is no on-line equivalent. Faculty in those courses will be contacting you directly with information about the scheduling of those labs and other courses.

Campus—Unless circumstances dictate otherwise, the campus will remain open during this period of on-line instruction. Offices and other facilities will be open. Students are strongly encouraged to access services remotely as much as possible. To the extent possible, phone, e-mail, Zoom, or other technology should be used to minimize the amount of direct contact. I realize that many of you do not have access to the hardware and/or broadband necessary to work as an on-line students. Our labs and WiFi will continue to be available to students as long as the campus is open. Our goal is minimizing contact as much as possible, while providing the necessary resources for students to be able to complete the semester.

Public Events—The CDC has advised cancelling events that involve 50 or more people for the next eight weeks. We are finalizing plans today regarding campus events, and a separate communication will follow by the end of the day concerning these activities. One event that will continue to be held is the Mercy Blood Drive on April 16. We have consulted with Mercy leadership on this event, and they feel blood drives will continue to be important throughout this situation. Accordingly, this event will continue as planned.

Commencement—A decision will be made by April 1 regarding commencement, pinning ceremonies, and other end-of-semester events. These events fall outside of the 8-week window identified by the CDC. We will assess these events over the next two weeks and decide whether it is advisable for them to be held. We will keep you informed as decisions about these events are made.

Athletics—All spring competition, including softball at ECC, has been canceled by NJCAA, effective immediately. Spring competition includes all practices, regular season, postseason, and national championship play. Regarding eligibility for spring sports, no spring sport student-athlete who was enrolled at a member college in 2020 will be charged a year of participation.

I realize this is a very uncertain time. If you are concerned about these events, or how they may affect you as a student at East Central, please reach out to our counseling staff, your instructors, or others you know at the college. We are deeply committed to your well-being, and want to ensure that you are able to complete the semester in this new environment.

As other decisions are made, we will keep you informed. To repeat, classes will be held as scheduled today and tomorrow. Beginning Wednesday, March 18, through spring break, there will be no classes. When we return from spring break on March 30, instruction will be offered on-line. You will receive additional information about your work in class, and if you are in a class that will require a limited amount of on-campus work.

In closing, please remain informed about CDC guidelines intended to minimize the spread of the Coronavirus.

 

There are many great East Central College alumni making a difference in their communities, and throughout world.

Nominations are being sought for the 2020 Outstanding Alumni Award to recognize those former students. The award is presented by the East Central College Foundation/Alumni Office.

To be considered for the award, nominees must have completed a college credit course at ECC at some point in their educational journey.

According to Bridgette Kelch, Foundation executive director, nominees should viewed by their peers as leaders in their field, with a demonstrated commitment to community. Residency within the college district is not required.

“Our annual Outstanding Alumni award is the perfect way to recognize an alums commitment to their career and community,” Kelch said. “We know that many of our alumni are deserving of this prestigious award and are reaching out to the community for help to find those deserving individuals.”

Nominees should demonstrate outstanding contributions to ECC or the community, and nominees must have an ongoing commitment to ECC, she added.

Guidelines

Current candidates for public office and past recipients are not eligible for the award.

To nominate a former ECC student, write an explanation in 500 words or less as to why the person is worthy of consideration. The explanation should accompany the nomination. Nominations must be completed by Wednesday, March 25.

The nomination form can be accessed from the webpage: www.eastcentral.edu/alumni/alumni-of-the-year/. People also can also email foundation@eastcentral.edu or call 636-584-6506 to request the form or more information.

The recipient will be selected by the ECC Foundation Alumni Committee. A formal invitation to the 2020 Commencement will be sent to the honoree and a plaque will be displayed at ECC in his or her honor.

Previous Winners

Outstanding alumni have been recognized at ECC since 2002. Listed below are all of the previous Outstanding Alumni, where the live and their field of work.

• 2019 outstanding alum. Dot Showe
• 2018 Ron Unnerstall – Washington – Engineer
• 2017 Audrey Freitag – New Haven – Nurse
• 2016 Dave Arand – Union – Attorney
• 2015 Anthony “Tony” Kreutz – Union – Business Admin
• 2014 Amy Wildhaber – Beaufort – ER Dept Manager
• 2013 Joseph Purschke – Union – Attorney at Law
• 2012 Linda Mahon – Union – History/Educator
• 2011 Ted Coburn – Villa Ridge – Probation & Parole
• 2010 Ann Schroeder – Union – Political Science
• 2009 Chris Stuckenschneider – Washington – Journalism
• 2008 Ken Schmidt – Union – Engineering
• 2007 Tammy Watz – Sullivan – Allied Health
• 2007 Dr. Frank Miller – Washington – Allied Health
• 2006 Deborah Koelling – Washington – Education
• 2005 Chris Manhart – Union – Education
• 2004 Tom Robertson – New Haven – Engineering/HVAC
• 2003 John Griesheimer – Washington – Elected Official
• 2002 Tonya Voss – Sullivan – Education

Students, Faculty and Staff,

I wanted to update you regarding several items related to the COVID-19 (Coronavirus) pandemic, including (a) steps we are taking to mitigate the spread of this and other viruses,(b)  planning for contingencies such as closing the campus should a student, employee, or visitor test positive for COVID-19, and (c) how the outbreak may effect conferences and other travel.

Our primary concern is to maintain a safe and healthy environment for students, employees, and visitors. This is a rapidly changing situation and we will keep you informed as these plans change.

The vice presidents and I spent much of the morning on several issues related to COVID-19. As there are positive tests throughout the St. Louis area, it seems increasingly likely that we will see positive tests within our immediate area, or related to someone who has been on our campus. TO DATE, THIS HAS NOT OCCURRED. However, we have been monitoring the outbreak and are keeping current with established sources of information such as the Centers for Disease Control.

 

Hand Sanitation & Campus Cleaning

Hand sanitizing stations are located throughout the campus, and the facilities crew is working to increase the number of these stations as rapidly as possible. These are/will be located near building entrances and in high-traffic areas.

With several hundred students coming to campus for the music festival, we will located sanitizing stations in the areas closest to the activities and staging areas associated with the music festival.

In addition, frequent handwashing according to CDC guidelines will be highly effective in mitigating the spread of influenza and other viruses.

Facilities staff will increase the frequency and scope of cleaning surfaces such as door handles, desks, counters, and other areas. Individual departments may use supply budgets for wipes, cleaners, and other items to help stay on top of the cleaning regimen in the immediate vicinity.

 

Public Information

Posters and other publications regarding COVID-19 will be distributed throughout campus, as well as on social media. The websites listed below provide helpful and updated information.

 

Potential Campus Closure

Faculty and staff are asked to prepare for the possibility of short-term changes to operations, such as closing the campus for a short period of time, if the COVID-19 or influenza outbreak would warrant such action. Faculty and staff should also begin preparations in the event that the outbreak could cause the closure of campus for a longer period of time, such as through the end of the spring term. While this seems unlikely now, preparation for these contingencies will enable us to better serve students should circumstances warrant the closure of the campus. Any decision to close will be made in order to ensure the safest and healthiest environment for our students and employees. Such a decision would have an impact on students’ ability to complete their work as planned, so it is important to keep students in the center of this specific discussion.

 

Travel

Several national and regional conferences have been cancelled in the past several days, and more are likely to follow. At this point, the Higher Learning Commission (HLC) is planning to hold its annual meeting as scheduled. I mention that specifically because several faculty and staff are scheduled to attend. Currently, air travel is still permitted for essential business or professional development. However, these events and/or the institution’s position regarding employee travel may change as the outbreak continues to spread. Should this change, we will notify the campus immediately.

 

Helpful Websites

The CDC website maintains up-to-date information related to the coronavirus (COVID-19):

https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/index.html

The Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services is also maintaining an updated website with information and resources:

Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services

The CDC recommends the following measures to promote everyday preventive health behaviors on campus:

• Cover coughs and sneezes with a tissue. If you don’t have a tissue, cough and sneeze into the inside of your elbow, not your hands.
• Stay home when sick.
• Clean and disinfect frequently touched surfaces following CDC guidance for cleaning and disinfection
• Wash hands often with soap and water. If soap and water are not readily available, use a hand sanitizer that contains at least 60% alcohol.

 

Should I Stay Home?

The flu season is relatively late this year, with an increasing number of cases being diagnosed within the last few weeks. In addition to the spread of the coronavirus, influenza remains a significant issue within our community. We have had several employees, students, or family members affected this month alone.

Employees should use good judgment, with an abundance of caution, when deciding whether to report for work. If you have been ill, you should not report for work until you have been fever-free without medication for at least 24 hours. If you do not feel well, or if others at home require your care, stay home until your health (or those with whom you live) returns to normal.

As mentioned above, we want to ensure a safe and healthy environment for those on campus. The situation is rapidly evolving and we will keep you informed as circumstances change.

Your cooperation regarding the coronavirus, influenza, and other infectious diseases is greatly appreciated.

 

The Restaurant at Prairie Dell will once again open its doors to the public this spring. Join the East Central College Culinary Department for gourmet food and top-notch service at a great price.

The limited-run restaurant will be open March 31 through May 7 on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Reservations are required.

Email restaurantatprairiedellreservations@eastcentral.edu to reserve a table. Be sure to include a name for the reservation, the date and time, and number of people in the party. Reservations can only be made through email and they are not confirmed until guests receive an email stating so.

 

The Restaurant at Prairie Dell is located at the ECC Training Center, 1964 Prairie Dell Road in Union. Along with cash and check, patrons can pay using a credit card.

The menu offers something for everyone, according to Chef Mike Palazzola, Culinary Arts Program Coordinator.

He noted that the cost of the meal is primarily to cover the cost of food, and to educate students on every aspect of the restaurant world.

The ECC Culinary program opens its doors for lunch service to teach students Industry standards and expectations. It is a powerful teaching tool and really gives them a good look at what the culinary industry might look like for them after graduation, explained Palazzola.

The dining room seats up to 32 and ranges from tables of two, to tables of eight. To ensure equity to clientele Chef Palazzola asks that only one reservation be placed at a time. Anyone who wants to dine at the restaurant more than once must wait until the week prior to the second lunch to try for another reservation.

Emily Rau is well known in the region for her on camera journalism and connecting with audiences as a morning show anchor. But before making a name for herself through award-winning onscreen journalism, Rau, 31, was a Washington High School student enrolled in dual credit courses at East Central College.

Rau, an Emmy award-winning journalist, will return to her educational roots Saturday, May 16, as the commencement speaker for the 2020 graduating class. This year’s graduation ceremony is at 11:30 a.m. in the Donald D. Shook Student Center in Union.

“ECC is such an incredible resource and it has had such an impact on the communities in Franklin County,” Rau said. “No matter what path someone is on, ECC has resources to help them get there.”

Today, the Washington, Mo., native has a successful media consulting firm and she is a freelance correspondent for ABC News.

Rau remembers coming to the ECC campus for dance, choir and piano recitals as a child.

“If you grew up in Franklin County or the surrounding areas, ECC was such a pillar in the community,” she said. “It changes the lives of so many people.”

Rau went to the University of Missouri-Columbia after graduating from WHS in 2006. She graduated from the Missouri School of Journalism in 2010. She is a fourth-generation Mizzou Tiger. She noted that the ECC dual credit program helped her achieve her goals at a faster pace than many of her classmates.

“I was enrolled in multiple dual credit courses while at Washington High,” Rau said. “It really accelerated my undergraduate studies and pushed me toward my journalism career.”

She noted that earning credits in high school meant she was required to take fewer general education courses in college, and she could start the Mizzou journalism program her sophomore year, instead of her junior year.

“It definitely correlated into an earlier jump into core broadcast courses,” Rau added.

Rau’s Career

Rau’s first full-time position in broadcast journalism was in Norfolk, Va., at the ABC affiliate WVEC.

In July 2012, Rau returned to this area as a reporter for KMOV, the St. Louis CBS affiliate, where she reported as a “one man band” — shooting and editing video, as well as appearing on screen.

She was then promoted to be a morning reporter and later a noon reporter. In 2015, Rau was named a co-anchor on KMOV’s News 4 This Morning.

She left KMOV in the spring of 2017 to freelance for ABC News in New York City and Washington, D.C.

“I did freelance work off and on until 2019,” Rau said. “In the meantime I started my own consulting firm based in St. Louis.”

The firm, Emily Rau Consulting, is a communications firm that provides media training and solutions. She works with journalists to help with their careers and Rau also provides public relations services to organizations and companies in the St. Louis area.

In 2018, Rau returned to Mizzou where she worked as a visiting professor in the journalism program and as a managing editor.

Rau is two-time Emmy winner, and she is also the recipient of the Best Anchor award from the Missouri Broadcasters Association and one of Gazelle magazine’s ‘Top 50 Women in St. Louis.’

She has served on the board of multiple non-profits, including Girls In The Know and the St. Louis Crisis Nursery. Rau is the daughter of Dr. Michael and Andrea Rau, Washington. Last year, she married Mike Colombo, a reporter with KTUI, Fox 2, and moved back to St. Louis full time.