PUHI — Brendan Stogner, a fourth-year student of the University of Hawai‘i West O‘ahu campus, said he’s taking some classes at the Kaua‘i Community College this semester.
“This is not like before,” Stogner said. “It’s not that lively like how it was when I took classes here, before.”
Stogner was one of several hundred students who opened the fall semester at the Kaua‘i Community College under the veil of COVID-19, and the threat of impacts from the passage of former Tropical Cyclone Linda on Monday.
The population census that normally accompanies the opening of the semester was absent due to late registrations taking place.
“We’re still working on the numbers,” said Kaua‘i Community College Vice Chancellor of Student Affairs Margaret Sanchez. “We are still accepting registration for classes through the end of the week during the normal business hours at the One Stop Center. Additionally, we haven’t finalized the Early College numbers from the high schools. We should have a handle on these in the next few days.”
Sanchez said students registering through the end of the week are also eligible for emergency financial aid if they have been impacted by the pandemic.
Hailey Smith, a four-semester Kaua‘i Community College student, was seeking out her classroom in the new environment at the Puhi campus. She said she was in a hybrid learning environment, having to take some classes through distance learning, and having to attend in-person classes.
“Not all the students need to be here all the time,” said Mahiai Naihe, the Kaua‘i Community College Allied Health and Safety manager. “That is the reason for the LumiSight UH app. If a person needs to be tested, the results are good for one week because there are some days when the students will be studying remotely, and there are some classes where in-person is required.”
The LumiSight UH app is key to the University of Hawai‘i’s emphasis on getting faculty, staff, students and vendors vaccinated.
“The app asks a series of self-test questions,” Naihe said. “If the responses are agreeable, there is the report to class response from the app. The proof of vaccination, including a copy of the actual vaccine card, are stored on the app once a student applies and enters the data. For those who are not vaccinated, the test results — done at least 72 hours before coming on campus — are also on the app. We also have patrols roaming the campus to check on students and their LumiSight UH apps.”
For those not signed up for the LumiSight UH app, the One Stop Center provides an information desk where the basic questions can be answered and the app installed on their smartphones.
“Safety is the top priority,” Sanchez said. “We are opening, safely.”
