ULLIN (WSIL) -- Many college students will soon be able to return to campus.
Rob Betts, Director of Communications & Public Relations at Shawnee Community College, says the administration is working together to find the best plan to bring students back on campus safely.
He says, "If anything positive that comes out of this COVID 19 issue, is that everyone was thinking outside the box for students."
Illinois schools, which have been shut down since March, will now be allowed to hold summer school in-person, after an executive order issued Thursday afternoon by Gov. JB Pritzker.
Betts adds, "Everybody kind of pushed the agenda along a little bit further and made changes to that. So our plan is to finish out the summer online."
Shawnee Community College leaders are working on a hybrid method for students, which includes both online and in-person learning.
Betts adds, "You will definitely see a lot of online opportunities moving forward."
According to the Illinois Department of Public Health, state agencies, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, schools are required to follow safety protocols including social distancing and wearing masks.
Betts says the administration is working hard to not cut any classes for fall 2020, but there will be challenges as the college starts to reopen with classes where social distancing is difficult to follow.
Shawnee's fall semester is expected to start August 17.
