WCU Covid Campus Cooperation Plan

The University’s 2020-2021 academic term will start on time and as scheduled on Monday, August 24, 2020. Fall Break will be moved from October 12 and 13, 2020 to November 23 and 24, 2020. Classes will be conducted remotely after the Thanksgiving Break.

The majority of courses will be provided via remote and/or online instruction for the duration of the Fall academic term. Face-to-face instruction will be used only for those courses which in which a bona fide academic and/or pedagogical need has been established with the appropriate department or college.

Courses can be provided in a synchronous or asynchronous fashion as determined by the faculty member.

Those courses which are offered synchronously must occur during the schedule hour(s) as established in the course offering; this is to include final exams.

All faculty office hours and advising will be conducting remotely. Faculty are permitted to use their office space but meetings and/or student advising with faculty and staff must occur virtually via Zoom or MS Teams.

Program offerings or educational experiences which typically involve non-matriculated minors coming to campus for the purposes of engaging with students for educational purposes must be conducted remotely.

The University will provide ongoing training and awareness programs for employees and students throughout the fall semester to include the following: strategies to stop the spread of COVID-19, university community expectations, updates on CDC guidance, availability and access to campus and community resources, and self-care.

The West Chester University Athletics Department is committed to a return-to-play plan that emphasizes the health and safety of our student-athletes, opponents, and our families and fans.

The Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference has suspended all NCAA competition for Fall 2020.

As members of the NCAA and the PSAC, the Athletics Department will continue to monitor for guidelines from these organizations as well local and state health officials. The Athletics Department will adapt their planning as necessary to ensure that the health and safety of all those involved in Golden Rams Athletics remains the highest priority.

Updates to the Athletics plan will be available at www.wcupagoldenrams.com and will also be communicated through the Athletics Department social media outlets.

All sport clubs and intramurals have been suspended for the fall 2020 semester.

On-campus housing will be limited. Approvals will only be given to students who are in the following categories: Promise Program students, proven hardship cases, academic placements (i.e. student teachers, clinical placements, and internship sites).

Students will adhere to the Student Community Agreement , the updated West Chester University Student Code of Conduct , and the On-Campus Housing COVID Rules and Regulations.

Students are not required to wear masks in their living spaces. Students in residence halls and apartments should continue to wear face masks in common areas. Guest privileges are initially suspended. Ongoing monitoring of the health and safety of the community will occur continually.

Student Life and Residence Hall staff will coordinate with WCU Student Health Services, Public Safety, and WCU Facilities on an ongoing basis.

High-traffic areas and touch points in both WCU Traditional Housing and USH Affiliated Housing will be cleaned more frequently. Building common areas and amenity usage have been modified to ensure we remain in compliance with federal, state, local, and University guidelines. All health and safety guidelines will be posted throughout our communities and they must be adhered to at all times.

Lawrence Dining Hall, Rams Head Food Court (which includes Chick-fil-A, Grille Works, and a combined station of Sandwich Shack and Greens to Go) in Sykes Student Union, Starbucks, the Village P.O.D., and Good Uncle will be open for the Fall 2020 semester.

Limited options for dining are available during reduced hours in Lawrence Dining Hall and the Ram’s Head Food Court. In order to comply with safety and health guidelines, the dining experience now includes restricted seating, modified menu options, and use of technology for ordering and payment. All meal plans and pricing can be found on myWCU or our campus dish website: www.westchester.campusdish.com.

To comply with safety and health guidelines, the dining experience in all venues will be different, including restricted seating, modified menu options, and use of technology for ordering and payment. In addition, all dining locations will follow the below guidelines:

Face Masks & Health Screenings

Face masks will be required to enter any of our dining facilities and all dining staff will be required to wear face masks. In addition, dining staff are also required to be temperature-checked daily and to take a health screening prior to their shifts.

Cleanings

Lawrence Dining Hall will be closed twice each day for cleaning and sanitation, once on Saturday and Sunday. Rams Head will be closed once each day for cleaning and sanitation. In all dining halls, there will be extra and frequent cleanings of all surfaces and items that are at higher risk of contamination (door handles, light switches, condiment stations, etc.).

Social Distancing

Students will be required to practice social distancing throughout each of our dining locations. Decals have been placed on the floor and at each station to ensure 6-foot distances. Kiosks in Rams Head will be pulled from the counters and placed 6 feet apart along the walls.

Seating

• In accordance with state-mandated occupancy rules, Lawrence Dining Hall will be limited in the number of seats provided. A specific number of seats in both Roman’s Kitchen and Side Café will be available. All food will be placed in to-go containers for students to take out of the dining hall and eat at their leisure.
• All tables and chairs will be removed from Rams Head Food Court and Starbucks and no seating will be available. All food from Rams Head will be placed in to-go containers for students to take out of the dining hall and eat at their leisure.
• Only 5 people will be allowed inside of the Village P.O.D. at once.
  
  

Additional Precautions

• Plexiglass and/or rollup barriers have been installed in all appropriate areas.
• The majority of self-serve areas (food, beverages, utensils, etc.) have been eliminated for the time being, with the exception of fountain beverages, cereal, hand-wrapped fruit, and areas with packaged items and bottled beverages. Students will be able to get their own beverages.
• Disposable silverware, to-go containers, and all condiments will be individually packaged with each meal.
• No reusable containers or reusable cups may be used in Lawrence Dining Hall for the Fall semester. Disposable cups, lids, and straws will be available at the beverage station.

All passengers MUST wear a mask or face covering to ride the WCU shuttle buses. The University has asked the shuttle drivers to not allow a passenger on if they are showing signs of a respiratory illness.

The University will run a limited all-stops bus service between North and South Campus for the Fall 2020 semester. The service will have reduced hours of operation. The number of passenger will be limited for each shuttle based on the size of each vehicle. Between each route, every bus will have a designated “sanitizing stop” to ensure that frequent touch points are disinfected between every loop.

University shuttle passengers are required to wear face masks and practice social distancing while waiting for shuttles.

• The Library will remain open throughout the semester. For the health and safety of the campus community, the Library will implement social distancing practices and alternative service models to accommodate campus needs. Updates are provided at wcupa.edu.
• Tutoring will be available through LARC. Tutors will conduct tutoring sessions via Zoom starting the second week of the semester. Additional online tutoring will be available 24/7 through SmarThinking, which can be accessed under “Resources” on D2L. Information regarding virtual tutor registration will be made available to all students prior to the start of the fall semester.
• The Writing Center will offer writing tutoring via Zoom. In some courses, tutors will be embedded with the course, and their contact information will be available on the course D2L site. Students are encouraged to visit the Writing Center’s website to schedule an appointment.
• Success coaches will be available to help students manage time, getting organized with classes, preparing for tests etc. Students can either meet individually with a success coach or view available Academic Success Workshops to learn and implement success strategies on their own. Students are encouraged to visit the website to either schedule an on-line appointment with a success coach or to view a workshop.
• Philadelphia campus Student Success Center will also be available to students for providing online support

The Counseling Center will continue to provide virtual mental health services using telehealth to maintain social distancing and protect the health and safety of students, staff, and faculty. Emergency information and after-hours phone numbers are listed on their homepage.

Students in crisis should call the Counseling Center office prior to an in-person visit by calling 610-436-2301.

The Counseling Center will also continue to provide training and resources, virtual outreach services, and consultations for faculty to address student mental health concerns related to COVID-19.

Due to licensure rules, the Counseling Center may be limited in the ability to provide online counseling to students who will be located outside of Pennsylvania in the fall semester.

Student Health Services (SHS) remains fully operational. Student Health Services is available for telehealth visits and select in-person visits by appointment only. Hours of operation are 8:00 am to 4:00 pm Monday – Friday. Students should call 610-436-2509 to schedule an appointment.

Due to licensure rules, Student Health Services may be limited in the ability to provide telehealth to students located outside of Pennsylvania during the fall semester.

Students with COVID-19 symptoms will be referred for testing following CDC and Pennsylvania Department of Health guidance. Testing sites are available in Chester County and throughout Pennsylvania. SHS will comply with established protocols for reporting cases of COVID-19 to the Chester County Department of Health. SHS will publicize COVID-19 specific protocols and important updates to the SHS website. SHS staff will receive frequent briefings and updates regarding any changes in protocols. SHS will monitor the development of testing, therapies, and vaccinations and implement additional services and programs as needed.

All non-essential domestic and international travel remain suspended until further notice. West Chester University defines essential travel as that which is essential for the safety and security of the operations of the University.

Campus Recreation is an integral part of student wellness on campus. The PA Department of Education (PDE) Preliminary Guidance permits the use of gyms if social distancing and cleaning protocols are in place. Campus Recreation will also follow additional guidance by NIRSA and ACHA Guidelines .

Campus Recreation will resume operations with the following modifications:

• Implementation of a reservation system to use the Student Recreation Center to limit occupancy to 100 patrons at any given time for strength and cardio equipment. Reservations will be scheduled on an hourly basis.
• Cardio equipment that does not require electricity (ellipticals, bikes, ARC trainers) will be moved into MAC court and spread out 8 feet apart.
• “Selectorized” strength equipment will be moved and spread out 8 feet apart on the second and third floors.
• Treadmills will be spread out 6 to 8 feet apart and will be facing second floor windows.
• ERC Wipes stations will be placed throughout the building for patrons to use before and after they use the equipment.
• Student staff will clean equipment throughout the day based on CDC guidelines.
• Additional hand sanitizer stations will be installed.
• Signage will be placed around the building to remind patrons to maintain physical distancing while moving around the Rec Center. Physical distancing is emphasized throughout the Student Recreation Center including clearly marked separate entry and exit doors.
• Staff follow safety checks before each shift according to the CDC guidelines.
• While on the floors, staff will be required to wear face masks. Staff will also wear gloves when cleaning.
• Basketball courts will be utilized for group fitness classes, intramurals, sport club practices and any larger scale events. Court floors will be taped with boxes that are 8 foot by 8 foot to maintain social distancing.
• Studios will implement 8 foot by 8 foot social distancing guidelines for occupancy.

Intramurals and Sports Clubs team activities are suspended for the fall term in alignment with the suspension of PSAC athletics. General body meetings and trainings may be offered remotely for the Fall semester.

• Group fitness classes will be offered in studios, basketball courts and third floor terrace based on 8 foot by 8 foot social distancing measures. A virtual option will be offered for remote use by patrons.
• Additional cleaning protocols will be implemented after each class in accordance with CDC guidelines.
• Outdoor Adventure Pursuits will limit group size (including program leaders) to 25 people.