Welcome Back
The Iowa Western administration and the emergency management team have been working diligently on a plan to create a safe environment for staff and students upon returning for the fall.
- Social distancing must be practiced when visiting Campus.
- Face coverings must be worn in all campus buildings. If you do not have a mask, you may not be permitted to enter.
- To minimize the number of people coming to campus, we ask that students only bring one guest (parent/guardian, friend, family). This allows us to assist you better, keep everyone safe, and maintain social distancing in the Welcome Center.
Latest Updates
Iowa Western’s Cabinet and Board of Trustees is consulting with federal, state and local health officials and system leaders. This group is tasked with evaluating the situation as it evolves. Questions or concerns can be submitted to covid19@iwcc.edu. Call 325-3277 for enrollment information or to schedule a visit.
- COVID Recovery Guide – 8/7/2020
- Classes (Summer & Fall) – May 12, 2020
COVID-19 and What To Expect This Fall
Class Changes
With your safety in mind, Iowa Western has made the following adjustments to our fall classes:
- Face-to-face classes will have smaller class sizes
- Many classes have switched to hybrid, meaning the class is 50% in class and 50% online
- Some classes may now be all online
- More classes are offered in the evenings
Please note these changes were made in late May and early June so your schedule may have changed. Be sure to check your fall schedule for updates and contact your advisor or advising@iwcc.edu with questions.
Academic Calendar
We have modified the academic calendar for Fall 2020 and Spring 2021 to allow for shortened semesters with a longer break in between.
- Fall 2020 – Classes will begin on August 17 and will end on November 25.
- Spring 2021 – Classes will begin on January 11 and will end on April 30.
There will not be any breaks during the Fall or Spring semester, with the exception of Martin Luther King Jr. Day on January 18, 2021.
Safety Measures
To protect our Reiver family, the following safety measures will be in place:
- Stay home if you are feeling sick, have been exposed to COVID-19, or have the following symptoms: fever of 100.4 or higher, sore throat, cough, or shortness of breath. Contact your doctor for guidance and do not return to campus for 14 days and no longer have symptoms.
- If you have tested positive or been in contact with someone who has tested positive, submit a COVID 19 Form to notify Iowa Western.
- Face coverings are required in all campus buildings. Face coverings must cover both the nose and mouth and must remain on the entire time you are in these areas.
- Practice social distancing campus-wide. When possible, please keep 6 feet between you and others.
- Hand sanitizer is available at all building entrances.
The campus will enforce strict sanitizing efforts to keep our campus safe.
Residence Life
Iowa Western Residence Life is looking forward to the safe return of students this fall. In order to reduce the risk of spreading the COVID-19 virus, modifications are necessary in regard to student interaction and the student experience.
We will follow the CDC guidelines for social distancing, face coverings, hand washing, and increase the cleaning/sanitizing our facilities.
Residential Spaces
The safety of students residing on campus is of vital importance. Modifying previous norms and promoting behaviors that reduce the spread of the virus is critical to our residential population.
- The contract dates have been adjusted to August 13 – November 25, 2020, and January 10 – April 30, 2021.
- No guests will be allowed to visit residents in any housing facility. Visitation within the same facility will be permitted.
- Face coverings will be required when residents are outside of their room/suite/apartment.
- Lounge and lobby areas will have furniture spaced out to allow for social distancing. The gaming areas will be closed.
- Computer labs, laundry rooms, elevators, lounges, and lobby areas will have a limited number of residents at any given time.
- Increased sanitation and of the facility will take place.
- Residents will be screened and have their temperature taken each morning as they leave their housing facility.
- Any gathering will be limited to 10 residents with social distancing enforced.
Quarantine and Isolation Spaces
Quarantine and isolation spaces are critical in the event of positive cases on campus. Several areas in Reiver Village, Reiver Suites I, and Reiver Suites II have been designated as quarantine/isolation spaces for residents who have contracted the virus. Quarantine procedures will be available to residents who are exposed or test positive. Failure to comply with quarantine procedures may result in the cancellation of your housing contract.
Campus Life
Welcome Week is August 13-21, 2020! Welcome Week events include ThinkFast Trivia, Game Truck, speed friending, an outdoor movie, and more. All events will allow for social distancing and any indoor events will require that students wear face coverings. Most of our programs are scheduled to take place in person, but we will have virtual events throughout the year as well. Students are encouraged to attend events they are comfortable with. For information on upcoming events, follow Campus Life on Twitter and Instagram @IWCC_CampusLife.
The Dr. John and Jean Marshall Wellness Center is open! Current hours are 6am-6pm Monday-Friday. Hours for the fall semester start on August 13,2020, and are 6am-11pm Monday-Friday, and 12-8pm Saturday and Sunday. Intramural sports and group fitness classes are pending. Students are not required to wear face coverings in the facility but are expected to sanitize their hands upon entering and sanitize any equipment they use. Make sure you check out mywellness.iwcc.edu for updates on intramurals and group fitness classes.
Residence Life will provide educational and social programming within each facility. Building community and promoting student engagement is at the heart of Residence Life, and we encourage students to participate in as many programs as possible. Students will be required to wear face coverings and social distance at all Residence Life programs. Residence Life Coordinators (RLC) are in each facility and are available if students have questions or concerns related to Residence Life. It is recommended that students email their RLC to schedule a time to meet in person or via zoom.
Our disk golf course is available for student and public use. All players must provide their own equipment and respect the rules of the course. Players are encouraged to practice social distancing on the course but are not required to wear face coverings.
Details on attending Reiver Athletic events will be announced soon. Iowa Western has 22 varsity sports and we look forward cheering on our athletes in the near future. For more information on Reiver Athletics, go to GoReivers.com.
Supporting Our Students
Iowa Western strives to ensure that all students are receiving the necessary support to be academically and personally successful. To help, we provide many free support services that students have access to:
Student Wellness
Iowa Western is proud to partner with Pottawattamie County Public Health to provide certain health services to students. Public health nurses will be available for scheduled and walk-in appointments starting August 17, 2020. Services provided include COVID-19 screening, STI testing, and immunizations. Contact campuslife@iwcc.edu for questions on student health.
Student Assistance
Student Assistance offers a variety of services aimed at supporting the general wellbeing of our students. If you would like to use any of their services, email stuassist@iwcc.edu to schedule an appointment.
- Mental health counseling: Whether you are feeling homesick, struggling with depression, or just need someone to talk to, our licensed mental health practitioners are here to listen. Sessions can be conducted in person or via zoom.
- Rocky’s Emergency Pantry: Struggling with basic needs and food insecurity? Stop by our free pantry to stock up.
- Emergency Assistance Fund: If you’ve experienced a unexpected financial emergency, contact Student Assistance to see if you qualify to receive a one-time grant worth up to $500. This grant is only available during the fall and spring semesters.
Academic Advising
Your advisor is here for you and is ready to connect in person, via remote video, on the phone, or through email. Your advisor can answer your questions about paying your bill, your courses, and schedule, and help you make a plan to stay on track to graduate. Contact advising@iwcc.edu for questions.
Cyber Library
The Cyber Library is open 8:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. Monday-Friday. Hours will change for the fall semester, however, students can access our Cyber Library online 24/7 through the Library page in ROC. If visiting the Cyber Library, you will be required to wear a face covering. Contact library@iwcc.edu for questions.
Tutoring and Writing Center
Students in need of tutoring or writing assistance are encouraged to use our 24/7 online service, ThinkingStorm. Students can access ThinkingStorm in Canvas. Learn more by watching a brief video on the ROC Tutoring page or contact tutoring@iwcc.edu for more information.
General Information COVID-19
Learn what you can about COVID-19 and its symptoms from the Centers for Disease Control.
- Community Mitigation Strategy
- Coronavirus Facts
- Pottawattamie County Covid-19 Information Website
- Iowa Department of Public Health
Disinfect and practice proper hygiene
Get into the habit of washing your hands thoroughly and consistently after bathroom breaks or contact with high-touch items such as doorknobs. Avoid close contact with any people showing signs of respiratory illness; maintain at least a 6-foot distance.
If you feel sick
Contact your health provider Learn what you can about COVID-19 and its symptoms from the Centers for Disease Control. During this period, members of the Iowa Western community should be more cautious than usual. You should stay home if you have symptoms (coughing, fever, shortness of breath). If you feel sick after coming to campus, return home immediately and take steps to make sure you do not infect others.
CARES Act Update
** Please note CARES Act emergency financial aid grants are no longer available to Iowa Western students. All available funds have been distributed.
Iowa Western Community College signed and returned the Certification and Agreement to receive funding through Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund (HEERF) as part of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act. Iowa Western received a total of $3,175,383 and used 50 percent ($1,587,692) of the funds under Section 18004(a)(1) to provide emergency financial aid grants to Iowa Western students.
As of July 6, 2020, Iowa Western Community College has awarded and distributed all HERF funding received for student aid. A total of 1,913 students received awards prior to June 30, 2020 totaling $1,587,697.86.
Eligibility
Based on federal guidelines, students had to meet the following eligibility requirements to receive CARES Act assistance:
- Enrolled at Iowa Western for the spring 2020 semester,
- Degree seeking (not a visiting student from another institution or a high school student taking dual enrollment courses),
- Enrolled in courses that included face to face instruction on March 27, 2020 (not taking only online courses) and
- Completed a current FAFSA application on file.
A total of 1,913 Iowa Western students met the eligibility criteria to receive CARES Act emergency financial assistance grants.
Distribution
Awards were distributed to two categories of students: eligible students who completed applications and eligible students without completed applications.
ELIGIBLE STUDENTS WITH APPLICATIONS: An application for CARES Act financial assistance grants was made available to eligible students on May 5, 2020 with a priority deadline of May 15, 2020. Emails and text messages were sent to all eligible students with instructions and a link to the application. The first round of CARES Act emergency financial assistance grants was delivered to eligible students with completed applications in early June, 2020. Exact date of award receipt was determined by the students’ preference of debit card, bank account or check. Following the priority period, the application remained open until the final deadline of May 31, 2020. Students who completed applications before the final deadline received their assistance by June 30, 2020.
1,181 of the 1,913 eligible students completed applications and received financial assistance awards totaling $1,455,015.54. Priority deadline applications accounted for 1,104 students and $1,363,748.61. Final deadline applications added 77 students and $91,266.93.
ELIGIBLE STUDENTS WITHOUT APPLICATIONS: After the close of the application period, the remaining funding (132,682.32) was equitably awarded to the 732 eligible students who did not complete an application. Student aid funding was distributed to these students by June 30, 2020. All students were notified of their awards through email.
732 eligible students without applications received $132,682.32.
Awards
1,104 applications were completed by the May 15, 2020 priority deadline. All were categorized by a matrix which included three student specific variables: 1) the student’s response to the application question, 2) their financial need identified by EFC on their FAFSA, and 3) the number of credit hours in which they were enrolled. Each application was scored and given a point total according to the matrix.
Using basic accounting techniques, the points from all 1,104 priority deadline completed applications were tabulated and divided into the available funding to determine a dollar value per point. A portion of the funding was reserved for applications received after the priority deadline (May 15, 2020) and before the final deadline (May 31, 2020). 77 additional applications were completed prior to May 31, 2020, bringing the total completed applications to 1,181. All 77 applications received by the final deadline were awarded following the same matrix and point value as the other applications.
An award minimum of $300 was established for all applications. Only two applications fell below the $300 minimum. The other award values for completed applications ranged from $381.87 to $1,782.06. The most commonly awarded value was $1,400.19 which was distributed to 222 students.
To maintain equity for the eligible students without applications, Iowa Western elected to grant all students $181.26. The college opted to cover the difference between the total funding awarded to students ($1,587,697.86) and the funding received by the institution for student aid under Section 18004 (a)(1), ($1,587,692).