Wooster Reveals Plan to Return to In-Person Classes This Fall

WOOSTER, Ohio – The College of Wooster announced a detailed plan Monday for a return to in-person classes for the 2020 fall semester, which features an adjusted calendar and a number of safety protocols that will support the health of students, faculty, staff, and community members. The announcement was first sent to current students and their families.
The fall semester has been modified from the traditional academic calendar. It will begin on Wednesday, Aug. 19, as planned, however, there will be no week-long fall break in October, and classes will conclude before Thanksgiving. Also of note, plans have been made for some students to study remotely during the semester (for example, international students in areas with travel restrictions and students with special health risks).
“The College of Wooster is a connected community, where students learn from faculty and staff, and from one another, in vibrant classrooms and across the campus. The health and safety of this community is our top priority. As our community dispersed for safety reasons in March, we heard over and over again from students how much it meant to them to live and learn on campus, with one another,” President Sarah Bolton shared in an email. “Over the past several months, we have worked intensively with the guidance of state, federal, and local public health expertise, to develop plans for students to return to campus safely. My deepest thanks go to the many faculty, staff and students who are part of this collaborative work. Because of all their efforts, the College intends to be open for safe, on- campus student living and learning this fall.”
The announced plans also include COVID-19 testing for all members of the campus, carefully structured and staggered move-in times for students, requirements for all students, faculty, and staff to monitor their symptoms, social distancing of at least six feet in every campus circumstance, universal wearing of face masks, strict disinfection and cleaning guidelines of all public spaces, and more.
Wooster has built flexibility into its plans should there be a resurgence of the virus and will continue to follow the most up-to-date guidance from public health officials.
For President Bolton’s complete announcement and more details, visit wooster.edu/info/fall-2020-guide/.

Posted in News on June 16, 2020.