HCC Students,

Please see below for two important updates on Summer and Fall Registration.

Summer 2020

HCC is pleased to share that our HCC Board of Trustees approved the recommendation to waive the Distance Education Fee for our students registering for classes in the Summer Semester. This fee waiver represents a total student savings of approximately $1 million based on past Summer Enrollment Data.  It will save you $42 per class this Summer.

While the Distance Education fee is important in that it supports technology needed to provide instruction, we determined this proactive step was more important to help mitigate some of your costs during this unprecedented time. If you have already registered and paid for Summer courses, we are issuing a refund for the associated Distance Education fee. For all other students who plan to register, the system has been updated and will not charge this fee.

As a reminder, all Summer classes will be delivered in a 100% online format. Don’t forget to complete your registration today as Summer is just around the corner! Learn more here: https://www.hccs.edu/applying-and-paying/.

Need books for Summer? Easily search and order your professor-selected textbooks using the HCC Bookstore by clicking here. (Your order ships for free!)

Fall 2020

Fall 2020 Registration officially opened today. Be sure to enroll early to secure your classes for the Fall semester!

While you begin to make your plans for the Fall, please know that the safety and wellbeing of our students continues to be our top priority. We are outlining steps to re-open campuses this Fall and courses within the Fall schedule will be delivered as listed (i.e. online classes will be delivered online and classes listed as in-person will be delivered face to face). However, we know that the current situation continues to evolve and as a result, we may need to alter the delivery model for courses to ensure your safety.

That is why HCC is putting contingency plans in place should we need to make changes to the delivery model of any courses. No matter what, we will follow guidance from the CDC and our state and local authorities. As we get closer to the start of the semester, we will communicate any changes with you in advance. Our hope is that this will not be required, but like others in the community, we are putting plans in place to make sure we are ready if it is needed. 

We look forward to seeing you again in the Fall!

Get the latest from the Chancellor on HCC’s response to COVID-19 and what it means for students, faculty and staff.

HCC is implementing a temporary change to our grading policy for all Spring 2020 classes. Given the abrupt changes we have all had to make to our daily lives, we want to do everything we can to help alleviate some of the stress our HCC Family is facing. We will implement the following temporary change to our grading policy for all Spring 2020 courses. The temporary change allows our students to choose the grading option that best suits their needs during this unprecedented time.

Before Final Grade Assignment

Students have two options available to them prior to when final grades are assigned for a course.
 
Withdrawal Option – The date to withdraw from courses has been extended to May 10, 2020. Students who withdraw from a course during the period of March 1, 2020, to May 10, 2020, will receive a COVID19 designation with the grade of W. The Withdrawal option:

• Will not count against the number of allowed withdrawals from your undergraduate career
• Will only withdraw you from your course. The time frame for getting tuition refunded has passed; hence, it will cost you time and money.

Incomplete Option
 
Skills Labs & External Learning Experiences
Any skills lab courses and external learning experiences that cannot be completed this Spring will automatically receive an Incomplete for the semester. This is ONLY for labs that cannot be completed. If you were able to successfully complete your lab instruction in an online format, then this would not apply.

Students in these situations do not need to request the incomplete, it will automatically be assigned. These students should work with their instructor to craft a plan and timeline to finish their coursework within six (6) months of the end of the term. These students may request an extension of up to 12 months.

All Other Courses
For any other courses, if students cannot complete their course (e.g. lacking only a few assignments and/or documented extenuating circumstances), they may contact their faculty member to discuss a grade of Incomplete before May 10, 2020. If agreed, these students should work with their instructor to craft a plan and timeline to finish their coursework within six (6) months of the end of the term. These students may request an extension of up to 12 months.

After Final Grade Assignment

After the submission of final grades, students may select a traditional letter grade (A-F) or a pass/fail grading option.

Pass Option – If you earned a passing grade per the defined passing grade in the course syllabus, you may select this option. You will have until 5 pm on May 22, 2020, to select this option. The Pass Option (will not be calculated for GPA):

• Will count for credit earned.
• Will count toward HCC academic progress with exceptions to some specific programs (e.g. health sciences, public safety, etc.).
• Will count toward HCC degree completion with exceptions to some specific programs (e.g. health sciences, public safety, etc.).
• Will appear on transcript as (P).
• Will fulfill a prerequisite course requirement for a future HCC course.
• Will fulfill financial aid, veteran benefits and SEVIS requirements.

• To understand how a grade of Passing may impact transfer requirements to other institutions scroll to the bottom of this page or contact the Transfer Office.

Fail Option – Once grades are posted, you may elect to receive no course credit by picking this option. You will have until 5 pm on May 22, 2020, to select this option. The Fail Option (will not be calculated for GPA):

• Will Not count for credit.
• Will Not count toward HCC academic progress.
• Will Not count toward HCC degree completion.
• Will appear on transcript as (NCR).
• Will Not fulfill a pre-requisite requirement for a future HCC course.
• Will Not fulfill financial aid or veteran benefits.

Submitting Your Grade Option Selections

Students have until the following deadlines to submit their selected grade option for each course.

• Withdrawal – May 10, 2020 by 5 pm
• Incomplete – May 10, 2020 by 5 pm
• Traditional Letter Grade – May 22, 2020 by 5 pm
• Pass/Fail Options – May 22, 2020 by 5 pm

Students who would like to withdraw should follow the established policy to notify the College. Instructions about how you can submit your selected grade option for a letter grade or pass/fail can be accessed here.

We appreciate the concerns and ideas that several of our students have shared with us regarding grading, and we want you to know we hear you and have developed this flexible grading policy with you in mind. As we shared, this temporary grading policy applies only to Spring 2020 courses that will end on May 17, 2020

HCC Eagles,

I hope you’ve all had a restful weekend and that you’re ready to take on week two of online classes. As the Chancellor and others have shared over the last few weeks, we are working to finalize decisions on some of the remaining open items based on the changes we’ve had to make to our operations due to the Coronavirus.

Today I would like to cover two topics with you – changes to Spring Graduation Ceremonies and a delay to the start of Summer Registration.

Update on Spring 2020 Commencement and Graduation

HCC recognizes that commencement is an incredible accomplishment and festive time to be celebrated by our graduates and their loved ones.

During these uncertain times of travel restrictions and social distancing, the institution has decided to cancel the in-person ceremonies and instead hold virtual, livestreamed commencement options for all ceremonies (General Degrees & Certificates, VAST and TxCHSE).

The livestreamed events will occur on May 22 and specific details about how we will celebrate graduates’ accomplishments in this virtual manner will be shared by the end of April.

We were holding on to the hope of recognizing graduates in the traditional, in-person way, and understand these changes may be disappointing. Please know we’ve heard your concerns and will continue to listen as we plan to recognize all your hard work to reach this milestone!

Next Steps & Options for Graduates

• Apply for Graduation | Commencement is the event to celebrate your accomplishment. In order to receive a degree, students must apply for graduation. The deadline to apply has been extended to Wednesday, April 22. For information about applying for graduation, please visit www.hccs.edu/graduation.
• Mailed Degrees | All graduates will receive their degrees by mail.
• Attending Fall Commencement | HCC will allow Spring graduates to receive physical recognition at the Fall Commencement in December, in addition to the virtual recognition we are planning for May.

Summer Registration Delay

Given extensions to the Houston area’s “Stay Home, Work Safe” order, as well as expectations by the CDC and other federal and state health entities for the Coronavirus pandemic to continue into the Summer, HCC has made the decision to restrict Summer classes to the online format. This means that we will only offer classes that can be taken in a 100% online format in the Summer.

To make the necessary changes to the Summer schedule in the system, we are delaying the start of Summer registration until Wednesday, April 8.

Should we be able to re-open campuses during the Summer, we will use that time to help students who are not able to complete lab-based or hands-on components of their Spring classes to finish their requirements.

The Administration continues to finalize other outstanding decisions, as we know our students, faculty and staff need answers to their remaining questions. We appreciate your flexibility and patience as we work to make sure any decisions made do not negatively impact our ability to create an environment where our students can be successful.

Sincerely,
Shantay R. Grays,
Vice Chancellor of Student Services

HCC Eagles:

First off, congratulations on completing your first week of classes in our new, all-online environment (and for those who will finish week one over the weekend – you’re almost there!). We know this isn’t how we all expected to finish the Spring semester, but HCC is committed to doing everything we can to protect our students, faculty and staff during this difficult time, while also keeping our students and programs on track.

There are still decisions that need to be finalized and shared with you all so we can finish the semester strong, but know that we are thankful for everyone’s collective support, patience and flexibility. Together we will make it through any challenges!

See below for a few helpful updates and reminders. More to come next week.

Grading for the Spring Semester

We know there are a lot of concerns about how grades will be handled for this semester given the abrupt changes we’ve all had to make to our daily lives. We also know several in the HCC Family are facing new and stressful circumstances as a result of lack of childcare, job loss and other challenges.

To help alleviate some of that stress, we will implement temporary changes to the grading policy for the Spring to allow our students to choose the grading option that best suits their needs. Specific information about the grading options and the impacts they will have are being finalized, but we do know that this temporary grading policy will allow for some kind of Pass/Fail option.

We appreciate the concerns and ideas that several of our students have shared with us regarding grading, and we want you to know we hear you and are working with our accrediting bodies and partners to finalize how we will implement these changes.

Student Life – Get Ready for New Live Engagement Starting Monday, April 6 at Noon

Join Student Life and Recreational Sports for a Facebook Livestream every Monday at noon www.facebook.com/WeAreHCCS. The team will talk about upcoming online events, chances to win HCC swag and prizes – and you can get a chance to speak with HCC friends, students and staff. We’ll also have live trivia on fun facts and interesting history about HCC.

Skip the (phone) line and send your request through the Virtual Lobby
This week, we launched a new resource – our HCC Virtual Lobby – which enables our students to send us their questions and preferred contact method without needing to wait on the phone to speak with someone. Skip the (phone) line and send your request through the Virtual Lobby. Depending on what you need, the appropriate team member will contact you within 24-48 hours of sending your request. Our HCC Virtual Lobby operates from 8:00 am to 6:00 pm every weekday, and you can click here to submit questions.

Student Equipment Survey is Closing

We created the Student Equipment Survey so our students could let us know if they did not have computers, Wi-Fi or other resources that would enable them to move online. Qualifying students received information about emergency technology financial aid to assist them in purchasing these items. This survey will close today, April 3.

If you are a student that still needs financial support for purchasing equipment or Wi-FI, please complete the Swoop to the Rescue application. More information about Swoop to the Rescue and how to apply can be found on HCC’s emergency help page.

Dear HCC Eagles,

On Monday we officially resume all HCC classes online. We know there may be some bumps in the road as we make this transition, but we are committed to your success and will be here to support you every step of the way. Here’s a reminder of a few resources and things you should complete before you start class online next week.

Online Learning Resources & Helpful Reminders

• Student Service Seminar for Online Learning
  • Short presentation on how to access and navigate the Canvas Learning Management System (LMS), as well as information about accessing virtual student services.
  • Login to MyEagle student portal and select the “Student Service Seminar” tile/box to complete this helpful training.
    
    
• Logging Into Canvas
  • Go to https://eagleonline.hccs.edu/login/ldap
  • Enter your HCC Username and password
  • Click the “Log In” button
    
    
• Need help with Canvas?
  • Call the Canvas Call Center at 713-718-5295 for assistance
    
    
• Need information about book options?
  • There are options to access free e-books and receive free shipping from the HCC Bookstore. Please click here for more information.
    
    

Help from Student Services

• Request Financial Assistance for Internet and/or Laptops
• If you need financial assistance to cover costs for Wifi and/or laptops, please complete the Swoop to the Rescue application (learn more on HCC’s emergency help page)
• We have also developed a list of Wifi and device (laptop, desktop, etc.) resources for all students, whether you qualify for emergency aid or not. That can be found by clicking here.
  
  
• Resources for Students Webpage
  • Review information about how to access all Student Services online, as well as other helpful resources on this page. We will continue to update the information on the Resources for Students page as decisions are finalized and/or changes are made.

We know there are still a number of questions our students have about how we will complete the semester given the impacts of COVID-19 (coronavirus) and moving classes to an online environment. The Administration is working to finalize decisions – in collaboration with our accrediting agencies and other state officials – so we can answer the outstanding questions you have. We appreciate your patience as we work to navigate this evolving situation, and are committed to communicating with you regularly as final decisions are made.

Please continue to take care of yourselves and each other. Like eagles, we will soar above any obstacles that stand in our way because, We Are HCC!

Sincerely,
Shantay R. Grays,
Vice Chancellor of Student Services

The health and safety of our students, faculty and staff is our most important priority, which is why we have taken steps to close all HCC facilities and transition our operations and classes online.

The schedule below outlines how HCC will shift to fully remote operations.  It is subject to change based on recommendations from the CDC and local authorities as the COVID-19 situation evolves.

We appreciate your patience and support while we work through this situation.  Our goal is to help our students, faculty and staff successfully finish this semester, and together we know we can achieve this.

Friday, March 20

• All Houston Community College Facilities are closed until further notice.
  • No access will be available for students, faculty, staff or visitors, unless identified as a critical activity, and normal access will resume when HCC determines it is safe to do so.

Monday, March 23

• Faculty and staff begin remote (online) work.
  • Online training for faculty and staff continues. (Training accessed here)
  • Faculty continue to transition coursework to online delivery by populating Canvas shells. (Shell requirements accessed here)
• Call Center operations to answer student, faculty and staff questions begin.
  • Canvas Help Call Center: dial 713-718-5295
  • Student Services Contact Center: dial 713-718-2000

Tuesday, March 24

• Online training for students begins. (Detailed schedule and resources list will be provided by March 23. Resources currently available here)

Wednesday, March 25

• Deadline for all faculty to complete training.
• Deadline for all faculty to have Canvas shell populated for every course.

Thursday, March 26 – Friday, March 27

• Remote access to all remaining Student Services begins.  (Students will be notified via email about how to access all services.)

Monday, March 30

• Deadline to register for 2nd 8-week classes for the semester.
• All classes resume in online delivery format. (Includes all 8 week classes and dual credit classes.)

Monday, April 6

• Last day to withdraw from regular 16-week session.

Wednesday, April 8

• Summer Registration starts.

Monday, May 4

• Fall Regular Registration starts.

Sunday, May 10

• Last day of Instruction for Spring Semester (all classes).

Sunday, May 17

• Spring Semester ends.

Download the official statement

Tuesday, March 17, 2020

Travel, Self-Quarantine & Self-Reporting Requirements

Please remember the following restrictions and HCC guidelines remain in effect.

• All college-sponsored international travel has been canceled until further notice. Additionally, we are canceling all domestic college-sponsored travel at this time.
• All students, faculty and staff are required to report personal travel outside on the United States using the travel notification forms listed below.
  • Student Travel Notification Form
  • Faculty & Staff Travel Notification Form
• Students, faculty or staff that travel to a Level 2 or Level 3 area as listed by the CDC – which is currently ALL countries – are required to self-quarantine for 14 calendar days. Since the CDC updated all countries to a Level 2, that means anyone who has traveled outside of the U.S. within the last 14 calendar days is required to self-quarantine.
• All College-sponsored events, and events taking place at an HCC location, have been canceled until further notice.
• Any students, faculty or staff that are experiencing symptoms or with concerns about being exposed to COVID-19 are asked to complete one of the following forms immediately.
  • Student Self-Reporting Form
  • Faculty & Staff Self-Reporting Form

As the situation continues to evolve, HCC will continue to update its plans and response actions. Below are links to previously issued memos that are now superseded by the current versions of the memos.

• March 18: HCC Re-Opening - Additional Clarification
• March 17: Extension of Re-Opening Date, Update on Coleman & Fraga, and Next Steps
• March 13: Class Cancellation for Students
• March 12: Possible Exposure to Coronavirus at Two HCC Locations: Coleman College & Fraga Academic Building
• March 12: Spring Break Extension
• March 11: Campus Update, Travel Restrictions and Self Quarantine Measures (UPDATED)
• March 6: Video Update from the Chancellor
• March 5: Coronavirus Disease 19 (COVID-19) Memo from Chancellor