A technical college with classes in a four-county region of north Arkansas is delaying the start of its fall semester for most programs, officials announced Wednesday.
Ozarka College — with locations in Fulton, Izard, Sharp and Stone counties — will start the fall 2020 semester on Aug. 24. Originally, the fall semester was scheduled to begin on Aug. 17, according to the school's website.
The two-year college is making some exceptions. The aviation program will begin as scheduled on Aug. 17, and Arkansas Rural Nursing Education Consortium classes will begin a day later, Aug. 18.
The college said in its announcement that the delay of the fall semester will ease the transition back to in-person classroom instruction, giving faculty and staff more time to prepare for students to return to campus. Additionally, the college said, the change will more closely align with area high schools’ reopening schedules. Public schools reopen their in-person classroom instruction Aug. 24-26.
"Health, safety and convenience to our communities are our primary goals,” said Chris Lorch, vice president of academics, in a statement. “The postponement of the semester start date is important for our faculty and staff for preparation, but importantly, for our students and families as we navigate the adjustments to the upcoming school year.”
The college offers associate degrees, technical certificates and certificates of proficiency, as well as workforce training, continuing education and adult basic education. Classes are held in Melbourne, where the college is based, but also in Ash Flat, Mountain View and Mammoth Spring. It had 1,174 students enrolled in fall 2019, according to an Arkansas Department of Higher Education report. A total of 652 students took classes online in the spring, according to the school's website.