Faculty members will not be working from their campus offices for the rest of the semester and will have limited access to campus, AACC officials announced this week.

Instead, instructors will teach their classes online and communicate with students through email, Canvas and other virtual platforms.

The college will allow faculty members to visit their campus offices for a limited time next week so they can pick up any materials they will need for the rest of the semester. Other than that, they will have to ask for permission from their deans if they have an urgent need to be on campus.

President Dawn Lindsay said in a March 25 email the college originally planned to have all employees, including faculty, return on campus March 30—the final week of students’ three-week spring break.

Since then, an AACC employee tested positive for COVID-19 and campus officials decided to close the campus to everyone at least until the end of the semester.

Faculty members said they understood the change.

“I can understand why they’d want to keep as many people home as possible and I think that’s what’s happening all over the country,” English professor Steven Canaday said.

“It actually makes sense,” English professor Suzanne Spoor agreed. “I guess they’re trying to ensure that people aren’t going on campus without a good reason. … So it doesn’t bother me.”

English instructor Simon Ward said the change will help promote social distancing.

“Whatever we can do on a small level to prevent lots of people coming and going … I’m all for it.” Ward said.

Canaday said he welcomed the college’s efforts to help faculty move their face-to-face classes online.

“I appreciate the support that … the faculty’s getting as we try to convert all of our classes to online classes,” Canaday said, “especially for faculty … who aren’t used to teaching online.”