The University of Wyoming held a Virtual Town Hall for all UW students and concerned parents last night at 5:30 MTN time where a number of speakers went over the fall plan and changes to the university due to COVID-19. The topics included the standards and expectations of all students, faculty and staff, testing and the COVIDPass, exemptions and accommodations to the new regulations, Resident Life and Dining as well as student life and available resources, athletics, course delivery and fees, and how all this could still change.
Before returning to campus students, faculty and staff will conduct a saliva test through Vault Health, which is based in New Jersey. Director of Student Health Services, Mary Bender, said tests should be ordered from August 3 to 7 and the saliva test should be taken from August 11 to 13 by way of a virtual meeting for a Vault Health representative to administer the test in order to make sure it is properly done.
She said the tests must be done in this time frame to assure the shortest time between taking the test and returning to campus that the virus may be contracted.
Ongoing surveillance will continue to happen throughout the semester and there will be twice-a-week tests required of all students, faculty and staff. These tests will be in house, so they will not be coming from an outside organization but instead administered by UW. Bender said these tests will be cheaper due to them being in house and it is a twice-a-week requirement because studies show that this frequency is good to catch infections before they are widely spread.
Bender said these tests will only be used to look for COVID and will not test DNA or be kept for other purposes. These tests are also of no cost to students, faculty or staff.
Upon taking the Vault Test before returning to campus, if an individual receives a negative result then they may return to campus. If they receive a positive then Bender said they must quarantine for ten days, their COVID symptoms must be going away, and they must go 24 hours without a fever then take the test again to hopefully receive a negative that time. If the result is inconclusive then the individual will simply take the test again to receive either a positive or negative result.
If a student receives a positive test result or is unable to attend class due to the COVIDPass determining it unsafe, Alexander said they should contact their instructors in regards to classwork.
Freshman must complete the test before move in day or they will not be allowed to move in until the test has been taken and a negative result is received. Any individuals accompanying freshman on move in day must abide by UW regulations and wear a mask and social distance.
Students, faculty and staff must take the Vault Health tests and the UW tests. Bender said outside sources of test results will not be acceptable.
The Dean of Students, Ryan O’Neil, said all students must also complete the Return to Campus Student Training by August 19, which will be shared via email. Employees will also receive a training similar to what the students will be receiving.
Students are also required to use COVIDPass, which is a mobile response web page, to log their health before coming to campus on a daily basis. O’Neil said this will give students a “pass” to enter campus for a day or it will exempt students from attending campus if, after answering questions and taking their temperature, the web page determines it is unsafe to the greater community.
The Vice President of Student Affairs, Kim Chestnut, said there will be a thermometer for the COVIDPass use included in a kit being sent to all UW students. The kit will also include a mask, a gator or buff face covering and further health information.
All students, faculty and staff must wear a face covering at all times on campus unless alone in an office or dorm room with the door shut, said O’Neil. They must be worn even in outdoor spaces. The face coverings must cover the nose and the mouth and may not have any holes in them.
Everyone must also social distance at least 6 feet. The Interim Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs, Anne Alexander, said all classrooms and laboratories have been arranged to give this distance between individuals. Furthermore, a capacity limit will be posted for all rooms and buildings on campus for meetings of any sorts such as classes, clubs or hang outs. Students who do not abide by these regulations will face discipline measures under the Student Code of Conduct.
O’Neil said students may receive exceptions or accommodations to these regulations from the University Disability Support Services on campus. If a student is already registered with the Disability Support Services then they may contact their advisor in the department to speak on exceptions or accommodations to this. If a student is not registered then they may check the Disability Support page to see what is required to become exempt or find accommodations.
There have been updated health and safety measures for Resident Life and Dining service including enhanced cleaning on high touch areas, barriers in public places, hand sanitizers at all building entrances, requirement of face coverings, social distancing and designated quarantine spaces, said Chestnut.
Students are now required to swipe into the dining hall and choose one of five lanes of food options. Chestnut said they hope to still be providing great food options. All the food will be prepackaged and handed to the students as they walk out the door. There will no longer be any self serve food options and wait times for food may increase due to occupancy limitations.
Student life now will be a mixture of online and in person classes and events, said ASUW President, Riley Talamantes. The Big Event, which is a university event for students to give back to the Laramie community and thank them for their support, will be in person. Talamantes said Cowboy Connect and more than 270 student organizations will still have in person factors as well but must abide by occupancy limits still.
Alexander said 800 courses have moved to fully online delivery which is 35% of the classes. The rest of the classes have some in person components but will also have online components as well. The priority for who would receive in person components was given to the freshman and seniors of both the undergraduate and graduate programs. For example, all of the Freshman Year Seminars, a freshman requirement, have in person components. Alexander said all of this allows for social distancing on campus.
In regards to class fees, Alexander said they will remain at their initial designation regardless of shifts in the delivery method. For example, if a course was originally offered in person but got moved to online the fees will still be associated with the in person aspect. In person classes have Program Fees and online classes have Distance Delivery Fees.
Chestnut said there will be a soft opening for all resources on campus. For example, Half Acre will open on August 17 with a limited capacity and a requirement for reservations to be made. Those reservations only last 75 minutes and cleaning will occur after each 75 minute interval. Chestnut said the pool and the climbing wall in Half Acre will open in later phases to the soft opening. The Wellness Center, Coe Library and many more student resources will take reservations but will also have much offered online.
Chestnut said students should contact the University Counseling Center or the Dean of Students Office for well being support. She also said Big Sky Mindfulness is meditation offered via zoom as well as many other Wellness Center programs to help mental health during this time.
Student Athletes have been gradually coming back to campus for workouts and training. The Director of Athletics, Tom Burman, said all are continuously being tested and no positive cases have been received yet. He said as it appears now we may have the scheduled football game September 5 but things may change and it may get delayed or canceled. There is nothing for sure set in stone when it comes to sports.
In regards to attendance to sports, it will be limited according to the location, said Burman. The football games averaged 3,400 students a game last year but that will be limited to 1,000 students this year bringing attendance down to 30-37%. The same will happen in the Dome or other areas for sports events.
Many things could still change this coming semester, though, depending on many variables said Theobald.
The university is keeping their eye on a number of things in order to keep the students, faculty and staff safe. These things include the prevalence of the disease in the UW community, spread type concerning related or unrelated cases to the university, the ability to support students in quarantine and maintain cleaning supplies and all personal protective equipment, the increase in university absences especially when it comes to essential workers, leading indicators of COVID symptoms, state and local guidelines, availability of ventilators and other required equipment for sever COVID cases at local and regional hospitals, delayed test results, community travel, and non-compliant activities or organizations on campus.
The Senior Vice President of Administration and Finance, Niel Theobald, said the response to these factors could be a targeted pause of campus operations, moving completely online with students remaining on campus, or moving completely online with students required to leave campus.
Even through all the unknown, O’Neil said “we Cowboys can do this.”
UW President Seidel said that we all have a role to play to protect the greater good. He continued and said that UW students, faculty and staff should conduct themselves with honor and honesty and understand the need to follow the safety guidelines and protocols.
Furthermore, he said that UW should have social consciousness by respecting every individual, while also accepting the responsibility to be accountable for our personal behavior and wellbeing and must respect that of others.
Seidel shared key dates for the fall semester as well which are as follows:
- Order Vault Health COVID-19 test: August 3 – 7
- Take Vault Health test: August 11 – 13
- Move in days: August 19 – 22
- First day of classes: August 24
- Last day to add, change sections or change grading options: August 27
- Last day to drop semester courses: September 2
- September 7 (Labor Day): now serves as an instructional day
- Last day of in person classes: November 20
- Last day of all classes: December 4
- Finals week: December 7 – 11
The meeting ended with questions sent in by viewers being answered by the speakers. The last question was “is this for real” and the speakers said it is. Seidel said they are thinking of everything they can to preserve the college experience while still being conscious of science and medical advice to keep the UW community safe.
