Westminster announces plans, health protocols for fall semester

When Westminster College students arrive on campus in August to begin the fall semester, they will be met with new campus-wide health protocols, including the requirement of mandatory face coverings and daily self-health checks.

The College’s official fall 2020 plan, shared with students and employees on Friday, details the protective measures the campus is introducing for the safety of the entire Westminster community including students, faculty, staff and visitors.

Complying with state guidelines, which require masks in all public indoor and outdoor spaces, masks will be required of everyone when indoors and in the same room as others and outdoors when 6-foot physical distancing cannot be maintained.  Everyone on campus will be expected to adhere to physical distancing and hand-washing protocols.

Classrooms, dining halls, lounges and other common areas on campus are being prepared to support physical distancing.

To monitor the health and safety of the campus community, students, faculty and staff will be required to conduct a daily self-screening—a temperature check and scan of other COVID-19 symptoms—prior to leaving their residence halls or homes.

Additionally, prior to returning to campus, all students, faculty and staff are required to complete a series of health and wellness trainings.

Nearly 325 new students will be welcomed to campus on Aug. 13. Returning students will arrive between Aug. 14-16. Under the adjusted fall 2020 calendar, classes will resume on Monday, Aug. 17 and conclude with finals just before Thanksgiving. Fall semester classes will end Friday, Nov. 20, and finals will take place Saturday, Nov. 21 through Wednesday, Nov. 25. No fall break midterm will be observed.

You can view Westminster’s plan for fall 2020 here.

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