APPLETON, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) – Lawrence University plans to open for the fall term as usual, with students, faculty and staff tested for coronavirus on a regular basis.
University leaders say campus will open for the fall term Sept. 14, with students and faculty having the option of being on campus or having remote learning. Classes will have a mix of in-person and distance learning.
Physical distancing will be in place on campus.
“I’m really looking forward to having students back on campus, but I’m also nervous. We used the best research available to try to create this health framework,” university president Mark Burstein told FOX 11.
When students arrive on campus, they will be tested for coronavirus. Faculty and staff will also be tested as they return to campus.
Anyone who lives or works on campus will be required to self-screen their temperature and symptoms daily. The university will provide each student a thermometer.
Lawrence is contracting with Green Bay-based Bellin Health to conduct testing.
“(Bellin) will provide on-campus testing for all community members,” Burstein said in a news release. “We are also fortunate to have long-term existing relationships with Ascension and ThedaCare health systems in the Fox Valley, who will continue to supply essential local support.”
Everyone on campus will be required to wear face masks in indoor public spaces, such as classrooms, and outdoor spaces where physical distancing is not possible. Students and employees who are on campus will be required to sign a pledge to follow distancing and face-covering rules.
If those who signed the pledge don’t adhere, Burstein says there could be repercussions.
“There are adjudication processes. The student process is actually adjudicated by students, faculty and staff would either be in our HR department or our Dean of the Faculty’s Office to determine what the right response should be.”
He goes on to say students will still be able to live in residence halls, but there’s a plan in place for those on-campus who do get COVID.
“We’re leaving aside one of our residence halls for a quarantine and isolation space. So if a student comes in contact with someone who is positive and needs to be quarantined, or if someone tests positive and needs to be isolated, we have space specifically designed and dedicated to their use.”
The university will also work with the Appleton Health Department to conduct contact tracing.
“We’re really excited about the fact that they’re going to be screening their faculty and students when they come on campus. We’ll be working with them if any of those tests come back positive with the contact investigation to support that,” Appleton Health Officer Kurt Eggebrecht told FOX 11.
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