All BTC locations are closed to the public. Instruction is now online only. For more information, visit Blackhawk.edu/Coronavirus.
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Coronavirus (COVID-19)

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The safety and well-being of students, faculty, and staff are always a top priority at Blackhawk.

Blackhawk is closely monitoring the coronavirus (COVID-19) situation and planning for the College response in the event of the spread of influenza and/or coronavirus. See below for the latest updates and Frequently Asked Questions. 

Latest Updates

March 31, 2020 - Commencement Postponed to Aug. 1

Celebrating our graduates at our annual commencement ceremony is one of the most significant things we do all year. Therefore, we don’t want to miss an opportunity to celebrate all the accomplishments and hard work of the Class of 2020. Due to the public health emergency and continued concerns regarding the spread of COVID-19, we have made the difficult decision to postpone commencement to Saturday, August 1, 2020, at 11:30 a.m. in the Dream Center in Beloit. Read the full story here. 

March 24, 2020 — A Message from the Blackhawk Technical College President

As you are well aware, we are facing an unprecedented national health emergency and the information is rapidly changing. We are working together to make the best decisions with the information available. At this time, there are three cases of COVID-19 in Rock County and one in Green County. As the situation evolves and changes, I have been overwhelmed by the agility and patience of our entire college. We are truly living out our mission of flexible education, supportive environment. Your commitment to your educational journey makes me so proud to be a part of Blackhawk. Read the full story here. 

March 18, 2020 — BTC Locations Closed to the Public – Online Learning Continues

In light of the Governor’s announcement yesterday, the college will be closed to the public effective Wednesday, March 18 at 5 p.m. These precautions are to help slow the spread and minimize the risk of exposure to our students and employees. While we do not yet have a COVID-19 case in our College District, we are concerned about the safety and well-being of our employees and students. Read the full story here.

March 17, 2020 — Supporting Our Students During the Pandemic

The Coronavirus pandemic is a fluid situation that continues to change daily, sometimes hourly. We know that every update causes stress and anxiety due to the uncertainty of the situation. We are excited to “see” our students online in your Blackboard classrooms beginning tomorrow Wednesday, March 18. Read the full story here.

March 16, 2020 — Update for College Operations Mar. 17-29

As College leadership continues to monitor the COVID-19 situation, we are hoping to provide more updates and clarity regarding how it impacts our students, faculty, and staff. We appreciate everyone’s patience and cooperation. This is unlike any event we have ever experienced in our lifetimes and it is ever-changing. Your health and well-being is our main concern at this time and always. Read the full story here.

March 13, 2020 — Changes for BTC District Board Meeting on Mar. 18

The Blackhawk Technical College District Board meeting scheduled for Wednesday, March 18 at the Monroe Campus has been moved to Central Campus in Janesville. The College is currently practicing social distancing and this change will help limit the travel of Board Members and College personnel. Read the full story here.

March 13, 2020 — Blackhawk Continues to Monitor/Respond to COVID-19

A lot has been changing over the last 48-hours and we are truly grateful for the response and cooperation of all of our employees and students. We praise the efforts of all Blackhawk faculty and staff whose determination to keep you, our students, at the center during this difficult time is impressive. Read the full story here.

March 11, 2020 — BTC Makes Changes to Operations in Response to Potential Spread of COVID-19

Blackhawk Technical College is continuing to monitor what is happening around our nation and region regarding the Coronavirus (COVID-19). In light of continuing information, the World Health Organization declared today that the situation is a “global health emergency.” The health and well-being of our students, faculty, and staff are our top priority. To be proactive and to help slow the spread of the virus, we will be minimizing operations on campus effectively immediately. Read the full story here.

March 5, 2020 — Blackhawk Prepares for Possible Spread of Coronavirus

The College Leadership Team is closely monitoring the coronavirus (COVID-19) situation and planning for the College response in the event of the spread of influenza and/or coronavirus. The situation is constantly evolving and changing as more information is made available to the public. The current risk of coronavirus in our area is low; however, the College is ready to act.Read the full story here.

Frequently Asked Questions

COVID-19 is the disease caused by a virus strain that began spreading in people in December 2019. The virus is contagious and potentially fatal. It is suspected that it is transmitted through coughing and sneezing of infected individuals. At the present time, there is no vaccine, cure or specific treatment. Learn more about the coronavirus at https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/index.html.

Reported illnesses have ranged from mild symptoms to severe illness and death for confirmed coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) cases. Symptoms may appear 2-14 days after exposure. If you think you have been exposed to COVID-19 and develop a fever and symptoms, such as cough or difficulty breathing, call your healthcare provider for medical advice. Learn more at https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/if-you-are-sick/steps-when-sick.html.
Here are some things that everyone can do to slow the spread of germs and viruses:
  • Practice social distancing.
  • Avoid close contact with sick people.
  • While sick, limit contact with others as much as possible to keep from infecting them.
  • Cover your nose and mouth with a disposable tissue when you cough or sneeze. Throw the tissue in the trash after you use it. If a cough or sneeze sneaks up on you and no tissue is available, cough or sneeze into your upper sleeve.
  • Wash your hands often with soap and water. If soap and water are not available, use an alcohol-based hand rub.
  • Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth. Germs spread this way.
  • Clean and disinfect surfaces and objects that may be contaminated with germs like the flu.

If you are sick with influenza symptoms, it is recommended you stay home for at least 24 hours after your fever is gone. You must take the time to recover and not spread illnesses to others. In the event of absences, please work directly with your instructor or supervisor. 

Social distancing means minimizing any congregating of large groups, canceling non-essential meetings or events, and maintaining a distance of six feet from others. View the Social Distancing Guidelines at Work from the Society for Human Resource Management for more information.

At this time, there are no suspected or reported cases of the coronavirus (COVID-19) in our college community. For more information about outbreaks in the State of Wisconsin, please visit https://www.dhs.wisconsin.gov/outbreaks/index.htm.

If there is a confirmed case of coronavirus involving a Blackhawk student, faculty, or staff member, the College is prepared to close all campus locations, if instructed to do so by county and state public health officials. Closure may not be site-specific due to the number of students and staff who travel between campuses. The duration of closure would be determined in cooperation with public health departments and CDC recommendations. In the event of temporary closure, all staff will follow their department’s business continuity plan. For faculty and students, all coursework will move online (where possible) via Blackboard to minimize the impact on our students. The College will also be prepared to extend the semester if necessary; especially for those students in hands-on courses or those who may not have access to technology off-campus. Faculty are preparing for the contingency. You must stay in contact with your instructor via Blackboard.

Blackhawk is continuing to monitor what is happening around our nation and region regarding the Coronavirus (COVID-19). All updates will be sent via email to Blackhawk students and employees. In addition, updates will be shared on our website (www.blackhawk.edu) and made available on our Coronavirus (COVID-19) web page (www.blackhawk.edu/coronavirus). Students and employees are also encouraged to sign-up for SAFE Alerts. 

If the College closes, Blackhawk will:
  • Issue a SAFE Alert message (emergency notification system for BTC students, faculty, and staff)
  • Post information on our website (www.blackhawk.edu)
  • Post information on Facebook (www.facebook.com/blackhawktech)
  • Send notifications to the local media, but cannot guarantee coverage or listing. Please note: BTC is listed as Blackhawk Technical College, not Blackhawk Schools or Black Hawk Schools.
If you are interested in knowing more about the state or national response to COVID, here are some helpful links:

Resources for Students

College buildings may be closed to the public, but that isn’t stopping us from rallying to support you. We remain committed to our mission: flexible education in a supportive environment.

We have heard that some students are impacted by no internet or low internet signal. It’s a little unusual, but we now have drive-up Wi-Fi options at Central and Monroe Campuses.
  • Central Campus: park in Parking Lot K outside door 2-18
  • Monroe Campus: park in the lot outside door MO-3.
  • Hedberg Public Library: use password "community" and park in the covered parking lot for the strong connection. Learn more at https://www.hedbergpubliclibrary.org//covid19.html. 
Many internet providers are stepping up to help those in need:
  • FCC agreement stating that providers will waive late fees, not cutoff service for lack of payment, and open hot-spots.
  • Comcast COVID-19 response: offers free WiFi for 2 months to low-income families plus all Xfinity hot-spots are free to the public during this time.
  • Charter Free Internet offer for 2 months
  • AT&T COVID-19 response: offers open hot-spots, unlimited data to existing customers, and $10/month plans to low-income families.
  • Verizon COVID-19 response: no special offers, but following the FCC agreement. Students and employees can reach out directly to Verizon.
  • Sprint COVID-19 response: follows FCC agreement, provides unlimited data to existing customers, and, starting Tuesday, 3/17/2020, will allow all handsets to enable hot-spots for 60 days at no extra charge (expect others will follow).
  • T-Mobile COVID-19 response: follows FCC agreement, plus unlimited data to existing customers, and, coming soon, will allow all handsets to enable hot-spots for 60 days at no extra charge (expect others will follow).

Find more Internet Resources for Wisconsin Residents during the Public Health Emergency through the Public Service Commission of Wisconsin.

Because Central Campus is closed to the public, we had to rethink the way we do our food pantry. Any Blackhawk student in need can email btcstudentcupboard@blackhawk.edu to request a prepacked bag of food. The Student Cupboard team will follow up to arrange a time for you to pick up your food. You do not need to be a current confirmed user of the Student Cupboard to receive a bag.

What community resources are available to help students?

Did you know we provide free online tutoring services? It’s true – Tutoring Services are available remotely utilizing NetTutor. If you have any questions about NetTutor or any other tutoring needs contact twilliams53@blackhawk.edu

To access NetTutor:
  1. Login into MyBTC
  2. Select Blackboard Courses (under Quick Links)
  3. Click on the tools menu within your course
  4. Click on "24_7 Online Tutoring" from the left
  5. Follow the NetTutor prompts to upload your papers for review or receive tutoring help for specified listed courses
By now, we all know our situations are changing daily. Here are some additional resources that may be able to help during the pandemic:
  • 211 Wisconsin: When you need help and don't know where to turn, 211 is your one-stop connection to the local services you need, like utility assistance, housing, food, elder care, crisis intervention, alcohol and other drug recovery and much more. To learn more, visit https://211wisconsin.communityos.org/.
  • Aunt Bertha: Search for free or reduced cost services like medical care, food, job training, and more. To get started, visit https://www.auntbertha.com/.
 

Attention Students

Students should regularly check their college email and Blackboard for class-specific updates. Please use your Blackhawk email for all virtual student support services.

Per Federal and State directives, Blackhawk Technical College has implemented safety practices to reduce the potential spread of the Coronavirus. The College is currently closed to the public and most employees are working remotely. Student support areas are available by email, phone, and videoconferencing. We remain committed to the success of our students and we are here (virtually) to do so.

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