District will provide on campus Wi-fi hot spots, food bank resources and low-cost internet information.
By Sergio Medina
smedina104@student.alamo.edu
The Alamo Colleges has closed its libraries and computer labs March 18 to increase the practice of social distancing and discourage potential contact with Covid-19 carriers.
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Kristi Wyatt, vice chancellor for communication and engagement, said in a phone interview March 18 district administrators have not yet decided if labs and libraries will be closed indefinitely, but that students should constantly check their emails and district website for updates.
District updates can be found here.
The update comes five days after the district announced spring break was extended through March 22, with classes resuming remotely March 23. At that time, libraries and computer labs were to remain open.
“We ask everyone to follow the guidelines and prevention measures recommended by the CDCs and Metro Health,” read a March 17 email from district administration.
The Metropolitan Health District confirmed 11 cases of Covid-19 in Bexar County as of March 17.
The Alamo Colleges will implement wi-fi hot spots in designated parking lots at each campus. These hot spots will provide an internet signal, but students and employees need to have an internet-accessible device to use it, Wyatt said.
Directional signage will be in place at each campus for students to find the hot spots.
The district encourages students in need to contact the San Antonio Food Bank for assistance, with the advocacy center at this college being closed.
The district and the food bank are working in tandem to come up with a plan to assist needy students, but specific procedure has yet to be announced, Wyatt said.
Students can also get information on free or low-cost home internet services here.
Updates regarding the food bank, library and labs availability and internet hot spots will become available as it develops via email and the district website, Wyatt said.
Wyatt said district administration has to be flexible in creating new rules and guidelines for students and employees because of the constant influx of local and national information about Covid-19.
For more information on Covid-19, prevention and updates, go to the Metro Health website here.
