A press release sent out on March 19 confirmed that certain classes at the university will be held in person after spring break.
The availability of vaccinations and a steady decline in COVID-19 cases made it possible for students and faculty to have the option to be in person for the remainder of the semester.
“The very positive outcome of our ongoing measures to manage the spread of the virus, combined with the faster-than-expected rollout and acceptance of vaccines, has allowed us to make this change for those who’d like to remain on campus after spring break,” UW President Ed Seidel said in the press release.
Safety measures for COVID-19, including mask wearing, regular testing and social distancing, will continue to be practiced with in-person classes.
“I think we’re all excited about the opportunity to move towards a more in-person and robust campus life experience,” UW Dean of Students Ryan O’Neil said. “We’re all moving forward cautiously in that we’ve recognized that there’s a decline in cases and an increase in vaccines. We want to maintain all the measures that have helped us reach this point.”
“We all have been working so hard, and it’s nice to see substantial progress toward normalcy,” Associate Vice President Chad Baldwin said.
Students will not be asked to leave UW’s residence halls. Residential living will remain an option with student support programs.
“I know we need to return to normal, but it feels like jumping in too hot too quick is going to set us back,” UW student Aaliyah Martinez said.
Students with concerns like this will have the option to continue schooling virtually, and faculty members will be required to accommodate these students even if they switched to in-person instruction.
In-person activities, including laser tag and movie nights, will be held on campus for students to participate in. All activities will observe COVID-19 safety measures.
“I probably won’t participate because I’m a homebody, but it is exciting,” Martinez said.
After spring break, all classes will continue virtually for one week and students will be required to partake in regular COVID-19 testing. The earliest date for any in-person classes is April 12.
For more information, click here: http://www.uwyo.edu/uw/news/2021/03/uw-to-continue-in-person-experiences-after-spring-break.html
