UWF Unveils Plan For Fall 2020 Reopening

June 19, 2020

The University of West Florida has developed a draft reopening plan for Fall 2020.

Approved Friday by the University of West Florida Board of Trustees, the plan will then presented to the Board of Governors for approval at the their June 23 meeting.

UWF said the plan was developed while keeping the safety, security and well-being of students and employees at the forefront of every decision.

To form the plan, UWF President Martha D. Saunders established a Return to Campus Task Force and five subcommittees to focus on specific key areas that align with the reopening blueprint provided by the Board of Governors. The task force, which included representatives from all areas of the institution, addressed and monitored the repopulation framework during weekly meetings.

Here are the key takeaway points from the plan:

SAFETY PROTOCOLS

A disposable or cloth face covering will be required everywhere on campus and other UWF locations except when in a private office, a work area separated by six feet from others or in an outdoor area separated by at least six feet from others.

UWF will provide one reusable cloth face covering and a bottle of hand sanitizer for every student and employee. Visitors will be provided a disposable face covering. Accommodations will be made for people with disabilities that prevent them from wearing face coverings.

All students and employees will be required to complete a daily return to campus pre-screening before visiting a University location, in addition to completing a COVID-19 training.

All facilities will adhere to CDC guidelines and safety protocols for on-campus residents will be enhanced. The maximum room capacity for all classrooms in use for Fall 2020 will be updated based on the square footage of space with an allowance of 36 square feet per person. Classroom facilities will be thoroughly cleaned and include signage showing where students can sit based on social distancing guidelines.

In the event of a second wave of COVID-19 infections, re-implementation and mitigation procedures will be executed immediately.

ACADEMIC PROGRAM DEVELOPMENT

The University is expanding its course delivery options with more online to ensure students receive the top-rate, quality education they expect from UWF.

Lower-division courses (undergraduate courses offered at the freshman or sophomore level) will be delivered with face-to-face components unless faculty opt to teach the full course or sections of the course online or the course is historically offered online.

Upper-division courses (undergraduate courses offered at the junior level or higher) will primarily be delivered online. Exceptions include courses faculty identify as experiential with significant face-to-face components, capstone, clinical/internship that requires faculty supervision and courses that serve as a practicum experience.

Graduate courses will be delivered with face-to-face components unless they are part of an online program or students are enrolled in synchronous online instruction offered as part of a face-to-face course.

The course delivery framework was developed by college deans with input from stakeholders, including department chairs and faculty members. Department chairs are working with faculty members to review and restructure course delivery modalities as appropriate.

Students identified as high-risk will be directed to academic advisors, who will work with them to facilitate other delivery methods.

Students will be notified of course changes via email by July 1, 2020.

Immediately following Thanksgiving break, all courses will be arranged so that instruction, review and final exams are delivered remotely for the rest of the semester.

HOUSING

UWF will continue honoring housing contracts for the fall semester.

UWF will reserve spaces for COVID-19 isolation. A student who tests positive will be moved immediately to an isolation/quarantine space. If someone comes in one-on-one contact with that student in their living space, that unit will be quarantined until test results are available.

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Written by William Reynolds · Filed Under News