A good way to manage any worries about COVID-19 is to stay as informed as possible. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has posted great information about how to protect yourself from respiratory illnesses, like COVID-19 at the CDC's "How to Protect Yourself & Others" page.

During Phase II of the Southwest Tennessee Community College Back to Campus Plan, administrative offices, such as Admissions, Financial Aid, Advising, and Cashiers will continue to provide services to students remotely. You can still schedule appointments, submit documents, meet with your advisor, get tutoring, and more through virtual formats. Visit the Student Services Online page at http://www.southwest.tn.edu/coronavirus/student-services-online for more information about how to access these critical support services.

Please see the “Building and Safety Protocols” section of this report on page 12. There you will find a comprehensive description of the precautions Southwest is taking to promote health and safety.

This increased level of online learning or remote instruction is new for everyone at Southwest. The shift to remote instruction has meant that both faculty and students have had to make significant adjustments. However, there are significant technical solutions and support available. Your instructors will likely use a combination of Paws, Microsoft Teams, email, and other web-based tools to offer remote instruction. To familiarize you with these online resources and many others, a special guide has been developed to help you plan and prepare for the online learning environment. The Achieving Your Dreams Online guide is available at this link 24-hours a day: http://www.southwest.tn.edu/saluqi-connect/achieving-your-dreams-online.pdf.

There is no need to reenroll in your Spring course if you received an “I” grade; however, you must work closely with your instructor to complete all requirements that are remaining for the course during the fall. This can ensure no impact to your GPA, financial aid, scholarships, or graduation requirements.

Student support services are available remotely using Zoom, Microsoft Teams, email, phone, etc. For more information and to stay abreast of any changes or developments, check the webpage of the office you are interested in at www.southwest.tn.edu.

Yes. Both the mental health counselor and social services coordinator are available to support students struggling with challenges and crisis-related issues that interfere with their academic and student life success. If you lost your job or are experiencing financial hardships or barriers, some emergency funds may be available. For more information on how to access assistance or to schedule appointments, please visit http://www.southwest.tn.edu/counseling/.

Please contact the Student Disability Services office http://www.southwest.tn.edu/center-for-access/ for any questions or concerns related to requests for accommodation, approval of services, or equitable access to educational programs.

All of the academic support provided by Academic Support Centers will happen remotely through online classes, workshops and individual tutoring. For information on academic support services:

• Students may email ASC@southwest.tn.edu and WritingTutor@southwest.tn.edu to receive online tutoring via email.
• Students may log into PAWS and select “self-register” under “Self-Registration Courses” on the right side of the main page to enroll in the ASC’s two PAWS sites: “ASC Math Workshop” and “ASC Writing, Literature, Reading, or Spanish Online Tutoring.” Students can upload assignments to receive feedback.
• Students may also use Smarthinking which is accessible in every PAWS site. Links to Smarthinking are on the main page of each course page. By signing into PAWS and selecting your course, students can access up to 24/7 tutoring.

Our online bookstore is fully operational. Please visit our bookstore page for more information.

Major Field exams for Southwest Associate of Applied Science programs remain accessible online through PAWS and are required for graduation. If you require Testing Services assistance, please contact Southwest at testing@southwest.tn.edu or 901-333-4170.

Eligible Southwest students impacted by COVID-19 received $3,284,304 in emergency assistance relief funds through the Coronavirus Aid Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act June 4, 2020, in accordance with U.S. Department of Education guidelines.

The relief funds are intended to help students cover expenses such as course materials, technology, healthcare and childcare that are related to campus disruptions caused by the coronavirus pandemic.

The College distributed 90 percent of its federal allocation of $3,649,219 to full-time or part-time Title IV students who were enrolled on or after March 13, 2020, for the spring 2020 semester, and met the USDOE criteria. Payments were disbursed electronically through direct deposit into a checking account if students were enrolled in the College’s eRefund system or via checks in the mail if they were not. Payments to individual students varied due to the federal funding formula. Southwest prioritized students with the greatest needs, while also seeking to ensure that these funds were distributed as widely as possible.

The remaining 10 percent of CARES Act funding will be disbursed as special payments to eligible students who apply for additional emergency assistance.

The following students are NOT eligible for CARES Act funding:

• Students who are not eligible to participate in such Title IV federal aid programs as Pell Grant, federal student loans and other federal financial aid programs;
• Students who initially enrolled exclusively in distance education courses,
• High school dual-enrollment students,
• Non-degree-seeking students, and
• Students who enrolled in special-industry training programs through their employer.

For questions or concerns about the CARES Act disbursement, email CARES@southwest.tn.edu or visit the CARES Act information page.

Southwest has a new online application program for obtaining a Campus ID. Students and employees can apply for their campus ID by uploading a photo of themselves to their My.Southwest portal dashboard. The ID will be prepared and mailed using the photo and address provided. All students and employees are required to display their Southwest Tennessee Community College Campus ID whenever visiting a Southwest location. No IDs will be distributed on campus.

Applicants will receive a confirmation immediately and the ID will arrive in the mail in about 5-7 business days. Students and employees who need a replacement ID also must follow the process above to request a new one.

To apply online for your Campus ID, follow these 5 easy steps:

• Log in to the My.Southwest portal and click the Photo ID icon  at the top (next to the Parking Decal icon).
• Read and review the online photo submission requirements.
• Click next and fill in the brief form completely and sign.
• Click choose file under Photo Upload and upload a proper photo.
• Sign and click submit form.

For more information about the online campus ID program, email Student Development at studentdevelopment@southwest.tn.edu.

For more information, please visit the Laptop Loan Program webpage at:
https://www.southwest.tn.edu/back-to-campus/laptop-loan