Responding with Resilience

Lipscomb responds to crisis with bold commitment to our students

When today’s students look back on their time at Lipscomb, no one will be able to say they had a normal year in 2020. But they will be able to say they had a wonderful experience at a college that emerged from a historic year of crisis even stronger and even more committed to students’ wellbeing.

Making the bold decision to begin in-person classes in the fall—a challenge that hundreds of universities across the nation were unwilling to tackle— paid off this fall as Lipscomb set an all-time enrollment record with almost 4,900 students enrolled by October for the first time in university history.

Although scattered across Middle Tennessee since March, the Lipscomb community was united in a common mission to finish the spring semester strong for students, to provide summer online course options to keep them on track academically and to return them to a safe and caring campus in August.

Five months after students were asked to stay home after spring break to continue their classes remotely due to COVID-19, they returned to campus in record numbers, especially first-time freshmen, doctoral education students, veterans and new graduate students.

“Lipscomb is thriving even in the unique season we have been in during 2020 in the midst of a pandemic,” said Lipscomb President L. Randolph Lowry. “In fact, the hardships of the past year have drawn even more students to our campus as they recognize Lipscomb is a place that offers relevant preparation for not only their careers, but for their lives.”

That mission became more challenging this year, but administrators, faculty, staff and students all rose to the challenge as many took on new roles, new equipment was installed, new protocols were established and $3 million in preparations were enacted during the summer to make the campus community safe for students and employees.

CAMPUS WELLNESS

An interdisciplinary team of leaders focused on the rapidly changing environment has worked—and continues to work—to carry out the All Bisons Care operations plan, based on local, state, federal and higher-education specific guidance for safe operation during a pandemic.

This school year, face coverings are required when in the best health interest of the entire community, such as situations where physical distancing is not possible.

Photo by Kristi Jones

Since this past summer, Lipscomb has made public health decisions and policies under the guidance of Kevin Eidson, Pharm.D., director of health and wellness, who had been on faculty in the Lipscomb College of Pharmacy since 2010.

Eidson worked eight years with the State of Tennessee Department of Health, serving as the state strategic national stockpile director and the director of pharmacy. During his time at the state, Eidson developed many plans to address disasters, both man-made and natural, including bioterrorism and pandemics. He worked in that public health role during the 2001 anthrax scare across the nation, and under his watch, Tennessee became the first state to deploy Mark 1 antidote kits to be used for exposure to nerve agents.

Under Eidson’s direction, an on-campus COVID-19 rapid testing laboratory was established, and alternative care sites were built and outfitted on campus for use in the extreme circumstance that a student needs to self-isolate and has no other alternative housing options. The University Health Center developed a system for contact tracing potential cases of the virus, and systems for care checks, food and exercise for students in self-isolation have been developed.

“What this situation has really highlighted for me is that Lipscomb is a community that cares,” said Eidson. “Our students really want to be here, and to make that happen, they are following the guidelines we have set up. When I see students who really want to be here that badly, it makes me want to make sure we can stay here.”

New signage around campus reminds everyone of physical distancing protocols and other best practices. Numerous hand sanitizer stations were installed at building entrances, and temperature screening devices are used at the entrance to heavily trafficked buildings. Face coverings are required when wearing one is in the best health interest of the entire community, such as situations where physical distancing is not possible or where a known health risk to an individual exists.

“We are blessed with a very special student body, and at times like these when many campuses face significant challenges, our student body really shines.”

—AL STURGEON Vice President of Student Life and Dean of Students

Sodexo, Lipscomb’s food service provider, has made numerous changes to enhance the health and sanitation of dining services, including the addition of plexiglass barriers at all food pick up areas and cashier stations, the elimination of self-serve fountain drinks (now it is bottles only), adding servers to eliminate self-service in the buffet, disposable cutlery and the implementation of new to-go options along with decreased seating.

“The flexibility, responsibility and caring for others that our students have shown has been a major factor in our successfully carrying out this semester on campus,” said Al Sturgeon, vice president of student life and dean of students. “Lipscomb students have taken this threat seriously, and the majority of them show their love and respect for others by adhering to the guidelines we have set for masks, distancing and disinfection. We are blessed with a very special student body, and at times like these when many campuses face significant challenges, our student body really shines.”

Socially distanced fun activities were held for students during Bison Break, a special day off from classes to combat the weariness prevalent in the latter months of 2020.

Photo by Kristi Jones

ACADEMICS

In this new pandemic world, choice has become a valuable commodity. The freedom to choose whether to pick up your groceries, have them delivered or to shop in the store is a freedom Americans now cherish.

Students value choice as well, and that is one reason many opted to choose Lipscomb this fall, said Matt Paden, senior vice president of enrollment and student engagement.

“We made a commitment to provide an exceptional learning experience not just in the classroom, but for students studying from their homes as well,” said Paden. “Students and parents valued that ability to be able to choose how to continue their college experience. Recognizing the strength of our commitment to that choice, they enrolled at Lipscomb.”

In fall 2020 and spring 2021, students were able to choose an on-campus learning format or an online learning format thanks to LipscombFLEX, a course delivery model that provides faculty a flexible means to adjust the mode of teaching classes from in-person to remote/online learning or vice versa for any number of students who may need it at any point in time.

A team reviewed over 100 learning spaces and created a plan for adding enhanced technology to enable remote learning.

Photo by Kristi Jones

Each course incorporates LipscombFLEX in the way that best serves the class content, physical room design, student and faculty safety needs and learning modalities. A team, led by Andy Borchers, associate dean of undergraduate studies in the College of Business, worked hard to review over 100 learning spaces and created a plan for adding enhanced technology to enable remote learning. This technology alone cost more than $300,000 to equip the classroom spaces with remote teaching and learning capabilities.

This team also prepared an appropriate physically distanced plan for each classroom, which reduced the number of students in the physical space, as well as reviewed with our service operations team the daily enhanced cleaning protocols.

Lipscomb Online, the university’s academic branch that offers a fully online learning experience for students, also opened its online courses to any student as part of the block tuition in the summer and the fall semesters.

In July, Lipscomb offered a unique opportunity for incoming freshman and transfers to earn their first college credits in the Surviving and Thriving course, taught by a collection of faculty online and focused on learning resilience in the face of adversity.

Photo by Kristi Jones

Lipscomb also focused on keeping a college education accessible and affordable for its students, through competitive scholarship and financial aid packages. Nearly $1.3 million in federal CARES funds were distributed through Lipscomb to more than 800 students to help ensure their ability to continue their education through the summer and into the fall.

A Student Tuition Emergency Fund set up by the university, as well as gifts and pledges by the Lipscomb University Board of Trustees members, the senior leadership team and various other donors to the Lipscomb Opportunity Fund initiative, raised almost $450,000 for the general scholarship fund and aid for incoming freshmen in fall 2020.

ALL BISONS CARE

Not only have the Bisons responded to their local community with love and generosity, but they are targeting that same generosity to our campus community.

Student and faculty pharmacists made hand sanitizer that met World Health Organization standards and was donated for free to the Lipscomb community and Nashville organizations.

Photo by Kristi Jones

Student pharmacists compounded 2,590 bottles of hand sanitizer for employees, students and Lipscomb’s community-focused operations such as the Lipscomb Racquet Club. The College of Engineering manufactured 920 plastic face shields for university departments, and faculty member June Kingsbury oversaw production of 1,257 facial masks made available to Lipscomb employees.

The new school year kicked off with every employee and undergraduate student receiving a care kit providing a Lipscomb Strong face mask, a thermometer for at-home and in-dorm temperature checks, hand sanitizer, disinfectant wipes, Life Saver candies, important health reminders from the CDC and instructions to install the Lipscomb Ready app, providing up-to-date COVID-19 information as well as other emergency alerts. “While the global pandemic did result in some difficult decisions, such as cancelling global learning opportunities for fall and scheduling classes during fall break and Labor Day, the diligence and commitment of the Lipscomb community allows me to say with confidence and a great sense of pride that Lipscomb is surviving and thriving,” said Lowry.

“In all cases, you can be assured that our goal is first and foremost to protect the health and wellbeing of our community while providing a great on-campus experience for all.”