Update on Spring Semester 2022 Plans
January 12, 2022
A Message from President Fiorentino and the President’s Cabinet:
Students, Faculty, and Staff:
Happy New Year to all! WCU is looking forward to the in-person arrival of students for the spring 2022 semester, which will commence on Monday, January 24. As scheduled, residence halls will open and welcome the move in of students during the weekend of January 22. Guided by updated recommendations from public health experts and to continue to keep our University community safe, the spring semester will start with two weeks of remote instruction with the plan for in-person classes to begin on Monday, February 7, 2022. Please know that for the first two weeks of the spring semester (January 24, 2022 – February 4, 2022), classes will be taught via synchronous remote instruction. This means that all classes will meet at the times designated and scheduled, but they will do so remotely. It is important to know that regular student attendance will be expected and monitored by faculty throughout the duration of all remote classes.
Beginning Monday, January 24, the campus will officially open for the spring semester with offices, Lawrence Dining Hall, computer labs, FHG Library, Sykes Student Union, Campus Recreation Center, Student Health Services, Counseling & Psychological Services, and all other WCU buildings available for student use. As WCU instruction will continue on a remote learning basis from January 24, 2022 – February 4, 2022, many necessary services will continue as they would face-to-face instruction. As such, full tuition costs and fees will remain.
Our fall 2021 semester was very successful thanks to all of you and we look forward to a productive spring 2022 semester. As detailed in our previous communications for spring 2022, WCU will continue all policies, procedures, and protocols that have been effectively in place for fall 2021:
Mask Wearing Protocol for All Students, Faculty, Staff, and Visitors:
- All faculty, staff, students, and visitors, regardless of vaccination status, are required to wear a mask that covers the nose and mouth when indoors.
- All members of the University community may remove the mask to eat while in appropriate dining locations.
- It is recommended that faculty, staff, and students always carry two (2) masks to account for the possibility that a mask might be lost or spoiled.
- Masks will be provided at various locations throughout campus to ensure the ability for compliance with this requirement.
- Face masks may be worn when outdoors, but it is not an obligation of this policy notice.
Steps to Help Golden Rams Remain Healthy
- Residential students who provide proof of vaccination will be exempt from mandatory testing.
- Residential students who previously tested positive for COVID-19 in the past 90 days and provide proof will be exempted from mandatory testing.
- Residential students who do not submit proof of vaccination will be required to complete on-campus COVID-19 testing at Student Health Services throughout the semester.
- Non-residential students, or commuter students, who provide proof of vaccination will be exempt from screening testing.
- Non-residential students or commuter students who do not submit proof of vaccination will be requested [although not required] to complete on-campus COVID-19 testing.
- As members of the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC), the University complies with Conference rules, including COVID-19 testing for student athletes who are not fully vaccinated.
COVID-19 Testing:
- The purpose of screening testing is to monitor cases and transmission.
- COVID-19 testing will be conducted using a University approved protocol.
- Residential students selected for screening testing will be notified by email and provided instructions for testing. Students are responsible for checking their WCU email daily.
- Students receiving COVID 19 testing at the Philips Green Room will not be charged.
- Residential students who receive a positive test during screening testing may be: (1) referred for additional confirmatory testing (PCR) with Student Health Services or another provider, and (2) directed to isolate off-campus while awaiting confirmatory results.
We invite you and your families to attend a Student Town Hall meeting this Friday, January 14, at 1:00 pm. Please submit your questions in advance to Townhall-student@wcupa.edu by Thursday, January 13, at 4:00 p.m. We will address as many submitted questions as we can and will devote some time for follow-up questions to be asked.
Our discussion will be viewed live on https://www.wcupa.edu/healthNotices/spring2022StudentTownHall.aspx
Following the live Student Town Hall, our recorded discussion will be made available for those who may be unable to attend.
Please know that the safety of our campus community will always be a priority. Thank you for all that you continue to do to keep yourself and your fellow Golden Rams healthy.