Resumption of Experiential Learning
The Chancellor’s Cabinet has authorized experiential learning activities (e.g., clinical rotations, clerkships, internships, field experiences, and laboratory/simulation exercises), previously suspended on March 23rddue to the COVID-19 pandemic, to be restarted following approval by Academic Council. No program should request to restart experiential learning activities during the Summer 2020 session if program requirements can be met through alternative means.
The Experiential Learning Working Group, one of the eight planning teams of the ECU Public Health Plan, has developed policies and procedures for both on- and off-campus requests. The process to request approval can be found at The Experiential Learning Working Group website.
In brief, off-campus training sites will be assigned a risk level based on OSHA COVID-19 workplace guidelines. Program coordinators will identify workplace risk levels and obtain and review workplace controls. Site representatives will attest to following the risk mitigation strategies shown to be in place, and students will sign an assumption of risk and liability release.
On-campus requests will be subject to gating criteria and strict return procedures. Dean’s offices will assume responsibility for tracking student presence on campus, to ensure limited traffic and the ability to implement appropriate social distancing measures.
The request to restart experiential learning will require several levels of approval. Requests will be processed in the order they are received; therefore, programs are encouraged to prioritize requests and to submit only those requests which must be completed during the Summer 2020 session. Programs can begin submitting requests immediately for consideration.
-Academic Council and the Experiential Learning Work Group