Coronavirus status archive

Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) Information Update: June 20, 2022

The College continues to monitor the spread and incident rate of the coronavirus (COVID-19) across the country, the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, and Franklin County. While considering the virus’ potential impact to our campus community, our top priority remains the health and safety of our campus as well as preserving the continuity of our students’ education.As the COVID-19 pandemic moves into an endemic phase, the Pandemic Response Safety Committee has made the following changes to campus COVID-19 policies.

In general, masking is no longer required on campus or on college-owned or organized transportation. For experiential learning activities, i.e. laboratory settings, faculty teaching the course will determine whether or not masking is required in that space. That information will be shared in the course syllabus. As always, individuals may choose to wear a mask if they desire at any time and in any location; however, doing so will no longer be a requirement.

In addition, the College will no longer conduct routine surveillance testing of COVID-19 on campus for individuals who are not completely up to date with their COVID-19 vaccinations. Nor will the College track/record vaccination status of individuals on campus.

IMPORTANT: If an individual is feeling unwell, and may suspect they have been exposed to COVID-19, they should seek care from a medical provider and appropriate testing off campus.

The College is continuing to maintain and stock Sanitizing Supply Stations as well as hand sanitizer dispensers, which can be found across campus and in high traffic areas.

What you can do to stop the spread of germs…

Wash your hands often with soap and water, especially after you cough or sneeze.
Use alcohol-based hand sanitizer often or when soap and water is not available.
Cover your nose and mouth with a tissue when you cough or sneeze. Then, throw the tissue away and wash your hands. Coughing or sneezing into your sleeve is not an effective way to control the spread of germs.
Avoid touching your eyes, nose, or mouth. Germs spread easily this way.
Avoid close contact with sick people.
If you get sick, the Centers for Disease Control recommends that you stay home from work or school and limit contact with others. If you are unwell, you should seek medical attention. If you are a student, please notify the Dean of Students. Employees should notify their immediate supervisor and the Office of Human Resources.
And, try an “elbow bump” instead of a handshake or hug when greeting folks. This is a great practice all the time, but especially during cold and flu season.

As in the past, these policies may change should the status of COVID-19 change in our greater community. Watch for additional COVID-19 messages via Wilson College email, the portal, and via Wilson.edu.

Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) Information Update: May 5, 2022

As we approach the end of the spring semester, the Pandemic Response Safety Committee would like to make you aware of some upcoming changes in the campus COVID-19 policies.

As of Friday, May 6, masking will no longer be required on college-owned or organized transportation.

Masking should continue in instructional spaces for the balance of the spring semester. However, masking will no longer be required in classrooms/instructional spaces on campus for the Summer I and Summer II sessions. For experiential learning activities, i.e. laboratory settings, faculty teaching the course will determine whether or not masking is required in that space. That information will be shared in the course syllabus.

As always, individuals may choose to wear a mask if they desire at any time and in any location; however, doing so will no longer be a requirement.

As of Sunday, May 15, the College will no longer conduct routine surveillance testing of COVID-19 for individuals who are not completely up to date with their COVID-19 vaccinations. However, per NCAA guidance, spring sport student-athletes will continue to participate in surveillance testing until the end of their spring season.

As in the past, these policies may change should the status of COVID-19 change in our greater community.

Thank you for all your work keeping one another and the campus safe during the pandemic.

Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) Information Update: March 4, 2022

Dear Wilson College community,

In light of the COVID-19 pandemic’s evolution towards endemic status across the country, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) have recently updated its guidelines for determining community transmission. When determining a community’s transmission level of COVID-19, the CDC now considers the number of new hospitalizations due to COVID-19; the current number of hospital beds occupied by COVID-19 patients; and, the number of new COVID-19 patients per 100,000 individuals living in the county.

This change in methodology, as well as a declining number of active COVID-19 cases in our community, has resulted in Franklin County’s classification moving from a high community transmission rate to a medium COVID-19 community level. In addition, on the Wilson College campus the number of individuals who are fully vaccinated continues to increase. Currently, 92% of faculty and staff, and 77% of students are fully vaccinated/up-to-date with their COVID-19 vaccines.

Per the CDC, individuals who are up-to-date with their COVID-19 vaccines are no longer required to wear masks indoors when a medium level of community transmission exists.

Following the CDC’s recommendations, the Pandemic Response Safety Committee is modifying Wilson’s current COVID-19 masking and visitor guidelines.

Individuals who are not completely up-to-date with their COVID-19 vaccines, including booster shots, should continue to wear a mask while indoors and when not actively eating or drinking on the Wilson College campus.

Individuals, regardless of vaccination status, may choose to wear a mask at any time, including N95 and KN95 masks, based on their own personal preferences and comfort level.

Individuals who are completely up-to-date with their COVID-19 vaccines are no longer required to wear a mask indoors EXCEPT for in the following locations or instances.

Classrooms
Lab and studio spaces
Transportation owned or organized by the College
The 10 days following a positive COVID-19 diagnosis
If experiencing COVID-19-like symptoms and/or awaiting a COVID-19 test result

This change will go into effect Monday, March 7.

In addition, non-residential students and visitors will be allowed in the residence halls as of March 7.

The College’s current policies, as outlined in the Health and Safety Plan, for surveillance testing, isolation, and quarantine are still in effect. Disposable masks and sanitation kits will also continue to be available across campus.

IMPORTANT
Residential students must register all overnight guests and vehicles on the Overnight Guest and Vehicle Registration forms prior to their guest’s arrival. The Overnight Guest form is on Roompact. Resident Assistants can show students how to access that form. The Visitor Vehicle Registration form is at the following link: https://www.wilson.edu/visitor-permit-request

Residential students are asked to please reference the College’s Guest Policy on page 58 of the Blue Book: http://www.thezonelive.com/SchoolStructure/PA_WilsonCollege/handbook.pdf

Members of the Wilson College community, visitors, vendors, and outside guests are asked to abide by our Honor Principle as well as our Community Statement of Responsibility and decide to wear a mask based on their current vaccine status, their health, and in the best interest of the entire Phoenix family.

Thank you for doing your part to keep the Wilson College community safe and healthy.

Pandemic Response Safety Committee

Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) Information Update: January 13, 2022

Dear Wilson College community,

It’s hard to believe how quickly the Winter Break is flying by! We are using this “quiet time” at Wilson to gear up and prepare for your students’ arrival on campus for the Spring Semester. Classes begin January 24.

As with previous semesters, the COVID-19 pandemic is causing us to carefully consider how we operate the College this spring. Our goal is to support an in-person Wilson College student experience, making it “as normal as possible,” while keeping the Phoenix family healthy. That is no small task, given the ever changing landscape of the pandemic.

COVID-19

Wilson students, faculty, and staff did a great job this fall, keeping one another safe from COVID-19. We finished the semester strong with the majority of our faculty and staff fully vaccinated, and many also completing a booster dose. Overall, students have been slower to get the vaccine, but many are in the process of doing so now before returning to campus.

Like most of the country, we saw an uptick in the number of positive cases on campus after Thanksgiving, primarily in unvaccinated individuals. There were some breakthrough cases; however, most had no or much less severe symptoms than those that were unvaccinated.

The transmission rate in Franklin County, Pa. (where the College is located) remains high. Therefore, our campus will continue to follow a mandatory masking policy, regardless of vaccination status, indoors. This means that everyone on our campus, including visitors, must wear a properly fitting face mask while in public spaces indoors, except while eating or drinking in the dining hall, regardless of whether they are fully vaccinated and/or have received a COVID-19 booster dose. Our residence halls will remain closed to non-residential visitors for the foreseeable future.

Of course, we will continue to encourage our campus to complete the COVID-19 vaccination regimen, get a COVID-19 vaccine booster, wear a face mask, and follow personal hygiene best practices.

Testing

Wilson will continue to provide routine COVID-19 testing for individuals who are not fully vaccinated. Our testing procedure is mandatory, follows U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommendations, and applies to any student, faculty, or staff who physically comes to campus with any frequency and who is not fully vaccinated. For student-athletes who are not fully vaccinated and had their booster, a more stringent testing frequency is necessary, as recommended by the NCAA. All COVID-19 testing is conducted and evaluated by WellSpan Health on our campus.

In addition, Wilson will comply with the Emergency Temporary Standard (ETS) issued be the Federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration for businesses with 100 or more employees.

Students, faculty, and staff should forward a copy of their vaccination card (photograph) to the College Nurse at nurse@wilson.edu if they have not done so already or have any updates to the information. Providing a copy of their vaccination card to the College Nurse is the only way students, faculty, and staff can be exempted from the routine testing process.

Thank you in advance for helping keep the campus community safe. I look forward to seeing you soon.

My best,
Wesley R. Fugate, Ph.D.
President
WILSON COLLEGE

Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) Information Update: August 5, 2021

Dear Students, Faculty, and Staff:

On July 28, I shared an update on how Wilson College’s Chambersburg campus will approach the COVID-19 virus and its variants during the fall semester. Those health and safety protocols included information on routine surveillance testing, a strong encouragement of all individuals on campus to receive the vaccine prior to the start of the semester, the use of masks and other personal protective gear, social distancing, guests and visitors on campus, plus the use of the LiveSafe App. Scientific research shows that the most effective way to prevent the spread and impact of the virus is for people to become fully vaccinated. I want to strongly urge all members of our community to get vaccinated. We do this to protect one another and to help our campus get back to some normalcy.

I also shared the Pandemic Safety Team would continue to monitor the state of the pandemic and modify our precautions as needed to help prevent the spread of the virus and its variants on our campus. The goal is and always will be to keep our entire Phoenix family safe.

Change to Masking and Personal Protective Equipment
The CDC currently recommends that all individuals, regardless of being fully vaccinated or not, wear a mask while indoors in communities with substantial or high levels of community transmission of the virus, based on their four tiers of community transmission: Low; Moderate; Substantial; or High.

As of today, August 5, the CDC has updated its classification of Franklin County, Pa. from a moderate transmission rate to one of substantial transmission. This change is a result of an increasing number of positive COVID-19 and COVID-19 Delta variant cases in the county.

To help contain the spread of the virus and its variants, the College intends to follow this recommendation of the CDC. That means that beginning tomorrow, Friday, August 6, all individuals on the Chambersburg campus must wear a mask when indoors. The only exception is when eating or drinking, or alone in your office or residential hall room. This recommendation includes individuals who are fully vaccinated. Please keep in mind that masks should cover your nose and mouth.

The Pandemic Safety Team will continue to monitor the data tracked by the CDC as well as any potential progression of the pandemic. Should the transmission rate reported for the county change, the Pandemic Safety Team will consider relaxing the mask mandate.

The Phoenix family did an exceptional job keeping everyone safe and healthy last year. Much of that success was due to your thoughtful approach to protocols and adhering to all guidelines. I would ask that you continue to do so this year, and be patient as we respond to the ever changing status of the pandemic. If we continue to join together as #onewilson, we can continue to fight the COVID-19 pandemic and keep one another safe.

Thank you in advance for all your help. See you soon.

My best,
Wesley R. Fugate, Ph.D.
President
WILSON COLLEGE

Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) Information Update: July 28, 2021

Dear Wilson students, faculty, and Staff:

Both federal and state health authorities have relaxed some of the COVID-19 health protocols we all followed last spring. And, we want everyone to be as comfortable and “back to normal” as possible this fall. However, with the increasing spread of the COVID-19 variants, specifically Delta, we will all need to stay vigilant and mindful of how we interact with one another. Like last year, the College will continue to monitor the pandemic, its spread in our region, and on campus. There may be a time when we will need to adjust our approach, but for now, we will plan on the protocols noted below. These guidelines will help ensure everyone stays safe and healthy.

In addition, you will soon be able to access the Fall 21 Campus Health & Safety Plan, with a great deal more detail and information on campus protocols. Our Pandemic Safety Team is updating this document now and will post it to Wilson.edu in the near term. We will notify you when it is available. In the meantime, please send any questions you may have about the College’s response to COVID-19 to covidassist@wilson.edu. The Pandemic Safety Team will work to respond to your inquiry as soon as possible.

COVID-19 Vaccinations and Testing
Regardless of vaccination status, all members of the Wilson community are required to participate in the College’s COVID-19 monitoring regimen. When instructed to do so, community members must respond to all requests for testing and follow all protocols issued regarding such testing by WellSpan, our testing partner, our Pandemic Safety Officer, and members of the College’s Contact Tracing Team.

Like the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) as well as state health authorities, Wilson College is highly recommending and encouraging all individuals who will be on the Chambersburg campus receive a COVID-19 vaccine. Scientific research shows that the most effective way to prevent the spread and impact of the virus is for people to become fully vaccinated.

All members of the Chambersburg campus community will be asked to declare whether or not they are fully vaccinated and provide proof of a COVID-19 vaccination by showing a completed Department of Health & Human Services, USA/Centers for Disease Control and Prevention COVID-19 Vaccination Record Card to the College Nurse at the start of the Fall 21 semester. If no declaration is received by the College Nurse, the College will assume the individual is not fully vaccinated against COVID-19 and will participate in regularly scheduled surveillance testing. Fully vaccinated individuals may be granted exemption from the College’s surveillance testing protocols, depending upon the status of the pandemic.

You will receive additional information via email soon on how to declare whether or not you have been vaccinated. In addition, we will be scheduling a vaccine clinic on campus early in the semester.

We urge each of you to join us in helping to protect the members of our community by being vaccinated. The science is clear: we can save lives and help get back to a more normal life through the vaccine.

Masks and Personal Protective Equipment
Yesterday, the CDC announced a recommendation that all individuals, regardless of being fully vaccinated or not, should wear a mask while indoors in communities with substantial or high levels of community transmission of the virus, based on their four tiers of community transmission: Low; Moderate; Substantial; or High. This recommendation is a result of an increasing number of positive COVID-19 Delta variant cases across the country. The College intends to follow the recommendation of the CDC.

As of today, Franklin County, Pa. is considered to have a transmission rate that is moderate, and thus fully vaccinated individuals do not need to wear a mask. However, individuals who are not fully vaccinated should wear a mask at all times while indoors on the Wilson College campus. Masks should cover nose and mouth. Fully vaccinated individuals are welcome to wear a mask while on campus, at their discretion, to increase their personal comfort level. Should Franklin County’s classification change to “Substantial” or “High,” the College will follow the CDC guidance that all individuals on campus regardless of vaccination status should wear a mask indoors.

We will continue to monitor the data tracked by the CDC as well as any potential progression of the pandemic. Safety protocols will change as needed to ensure our campus remains a safe community.

Social Distancing
Because the CDC and other health authorities have relaxed their social distancing mandates, the College will not require social distancing in the classroom at the start of the semester. Should the state of the pandemic change, there may be a need to de-densify the classroom setting. Faculty will be notified, as soon as possible, should any change in instruction delivery be required. Remote instruction tools remain in place in the classrooms, should they be needed in the future. In addition, like the CDC, the College will encourage individuals who are not fully vaccinated avoid close contact with others in public spaces.

Guests and Visitors
The College would prefer that all guests and visitors to campus be fully vaccinated; however, those not exhibiting COVID-19 symptoms are welcome. Individuals not fully vaccinated should wear a mask while on campus. For the Fall 21 semester, non-residential guests are prohibited from visiting residential students in the residence halls. Wilson College reserves the right to change this guidance at any time, based upon the status of the pandemic.

Attendance
Anyone experiencing symptoms associated with COVID-19 should not enter any campus building. Students living on campus should refer to the Office of Residential Life’s established protocol. Faculty should contact the Dean of Faculty. Staff should notify their immediate supervisor.

LiveSafe App
As with last year, the College will again utilize the LiveSafe App to document and monitor the presence of COVID-19 symptoms on campus. All individuals will be asked to complete the daily health assessment on the app before reporting to work, attending class or entering a common space on campus.

Illness
Anyone experiencing symptoms associated with COVID-19 should seek consultation from a healthcare provider as soon as possible. By arriving on campus each day/reporting to class in-person you affirm that you have no symptoms of COVID-19, such as fever or chills, cough, shortness of breath or difficulty breathing, or new loss of taste or smell.

The Phoenix family did an exceptional job keeping everyone safe and healthy last year. Much of that success was due to your thoughtful approach to protocols and adhering to all guidelines. We ask that you continue to do so this year. If we continue to join together as #onewilson, we can continue to fight the COVID-19 pandemic and keep one another safe.

Thank you in advance for all your help.

The Pandemic Safety Team

Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) Information Update: May 14, 2021

Dear Wilson faculty, staff, and students:

Per the Centers for Disease Control’s recent updated COVID-19 guidance as well as the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania’s concurrence, our approach to masking on campus will change as of Noon today, Friday, May 14, 2021.

Individuals who have received both COVID-19 vaccine shots, or the single-dose Johnson & Johnson vaccine, and completed the 14-day day waiting period to be fully vaccinated are no longer required to wear a mask indoors or outdoors to limit the spread of the virus.

It is still required that individuals who have NOT completed vaccine doses and the 14-day waiting period to be fully vaccinated wear masks both indoors and outside when social distancing is not possible and they expect to be around others not within the same household. As a reminder, all members of our community fall under the College’s Honor Principle. Compliance with this regulation is an expectation of this principle and how we live in community with one another.

Please note the CDC’s and Commonwealth’s guidance around social distancing and occupancy/capacity limits have NOT changed. And, there may be some job responsibilities (i.e. food service) that may still require masking, even for those that are fully vaccinated. If you have questions, please see your supervisor.

So what does this mean …

For the classroom and office setting

If you are fully vaccinated, whether to wear a mask indoors while on campus will be your personal decision. We are eliminating the requirement that you wear a mask.

If you are not fully vaccinated, you are still expected to wear a mask when indoors and outside of your personal office or residence hall room.

For outdoors

If you are fully vaccinated, whether to wear a mask outdoors while on campus will again be your personal decision.

If you are not fully vaccinated, you are still expected to wear a mask when outdoors on campus, especially when you expect to be around others not in your household and you are unable to social distance.

For Senior Bash

Because the occupancy/capacity limits for large gatherings and social distancing recommendations have not changed, all previously established COVID-19 precautions should be followed for Senior Bash. Continue to social distance during the event. And, individuals who are not fully vaccinated, must wear masks.

For Commencement

Because the occupancy/capacity limits for large gatherings and social distancing recommendations have not changed, tickets will still be required for all guests to participate in this weekend’s Commencement ceremonies.

We will also continue with our plan to socially distance all seating both on the stage as well as on the Main Green.

Individuals who are fully vaccinated may make the choice whether or not to wear a mask during all parts of the ceremony.

Individuals who are not fully vaccinated should wear a mask while entering and exiting the Main Green, processing, and recessing.

Announcements will be made about these changes at each ceremony. The College will continue to make available at the Welcome Tables hand sanitizer and disposable face masks.

Thank you for your ongoing patience and adherence to all guidance to keep the Wilson community safe.

Campus Re-Opening Committee

Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) Information Update: March 16, 2021

Dear Wilson Students, Faculty, and Staff,

As the weather outside begins to warm and our attention turns toward spring, I’d like to provide you with an update on our plans for the Fall 2021 semester and its academic calendar.

Wilson is presently planning for a fall semester where the majority of classes will be held on-campus and in-person, with some online courses also available. Our campus will continue to follow theHealth and Safety Plan and adhere to all state and federal guidelines to help prevent the spread of COVID-19. This includes the continued practice of wearing a mask, maintaining social distance, washing hands often, using hand sanitizer when soap and water is not available, and continuing surveillance testing.

Zoom to Campus

One change between this semester and the fall semester will be the elimination ofZoom to Campus as an option for regularly joining classes. While the technology has worked in the short term, it is not an effective long term way for students to participate in class nor for faculty to convey course materials. Should a student become ill, need to quarantine, or otherwise need to miss time from class, they can work with their faculty to make accommodations. Faculty may choose to temporarily allow students to use theZoom to Campus technology for this purpose.

On-Campus Housing

For the fall semester, Residence Life will operate under the College’s normal residency policy. All traditional students will be required to live on campus. Students must be enrolled on a full-time basis and degree-seeking to live on campus. Exemptions from the residency requirement will be considered, but not guaranteed.Students seeking an exemption must complete the Off Campus Housing Application by the stated deadline for the semester for which s/he is requesting. All forms must be filled out completely, reviewed by Financial Aid, and returned to the Director of Residence Life.

Academic Calendar

At this time, we do not expect any changes to the Fall 2021 calendar. Please note, our traditional fall semester breaks have been built back into the calendar. These breaks are important for the health and well-being of the entire campus community. However, should the pandemic shift, we may need to make adjustments to the calendar.

Fall Semester Key Dates:

Classes begin: August 30, 2021

Fall Break: October 18 and 19, 2021

Thanksgiving Break: November 24 – 26, 2021

Classes conclude: December 10, 2021

Fall Semester Exams: December 13 – 17, 2021

Thanks to you, our community is making good progress with the COVID-19 pandemic. Franklin County has a reduced positivity rate, and we are experiencing a low COVID-19 case count on campus. A note of caution, however; state and federal health authorities are watching the virus variants, and there is concern there could be upticks in positive cases with the spread of those variants this spring. Please stay vigilant. Continue to wear your mask, stay socially-distanced, and wash your hands often. We will communicate additional details as the start of the fall semester gets closer.

Sincerely,
Wesley R. Fugate, Ph.D.
President
WILSON COLLEGE

Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) Information Update: February 8, 2021

Dear Wilson Students, Faculty, and Staff,

We have an exciting update regarding athletics competition for the spring semester. The College’s athletic conference, the Colonial States Athletic Conference (CSAC), has announced plans to move forward with a formal competitive season and conference championships for all spring sports during this semester. In addition, all member institutions have been given the approval to seek non-conference competition for baseball, men’s golf, men’s and women’s lacrosse, softball, women’s tennis, men’s and women’s outdoor track and field, and men’s volleyball.

All member institutions and any non-conference opponents are required to meet all expectations for health and safety outlined in theCSAC Return to Play plan.

This is great news for our student-athletes. While it will be exciting to have our Phoenix teams back on the playing field, Tina Hill, our athletic director, will work with our coaches, athletic staff, and our opponents to ensure all health and safety guidelines established by state and federal authorities as well as NCAA recommendations are followed. The safety of our student-athletes, as well as our entire Wilson family, remains our top priority.

I know you are likely as anxious as I am to cheer on our athletic teams. More information will be shared in the future about how we can do that in a safe manner, following social distancing and mask best practices.

Sincerely,
Wesley R. Fugate, Ph.D.
President
WILSON COLLEGE

Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) Information Update: December 21, 2020

Dear Wilson Students, Faculty and Staff,

The College’s athletic conference, the Colonial States Athletic Conference (CSAC), today announced the cancellation of all formal conference competition and conference championships for fall and winter sports for the academic year. Spring sports competition will be reviewed in January.

This decision is disappointing; however, it is not unexpected given the challenges the coronavirus pandemic continues to pose for the United States and around the world. You may recall the conference had previously suspended competition for fall and winter sports through January 31, 2021.

While official athletic competition has been cancelled, CSAC did grant all conference institutions, including Wilson, the ability to develop practice, training, and competition opportunities outside of conference play for men’s and women’s basketball, men’s and women’s cross country, field hockey, men’s and women’s soccer and women’s volleyball. All CSAC institutions are required to follow all health and safety guidelines established by state and federal authorities as well as NCAA recommendations in developing these plans.

Wilson is committed to our student-athletes and their safe pursuit of excellence in the classroom and on the athletic field. Tina Hill, our athletic director, will work with our coaches and athletic staff to determine a plan that provides Wilson student-athletes the opportunity to practice and train with the intent of staying competition ready. If safe to do so, we will also seek opportunities for limited competition. All requirements for mask wearing, social distancing, and testing, as required by the NCAA as well as state and federal authorities, will be observed. And, because of the change in official competition schedules, all fall and winter student-athletes choosing to live on campus will return to campus with the balance of the student body instead of in mid-January, as originally planned.

I know this decision regarding the fall and winter sports is incredibly disappointing for our student-athletes. However as I’ve shared before, and I continue to believe, it is the safest course of action. We are focused on keeping our entire Phoenix family safe, even if that means tough decisions and unpopular choices. By staying vigilant now, together we can overcome COVID-19 and once again cheer our teams towards a proud Phoenix victory.

My best,

Wesley R. Fugate, Ph.D.
President
Wilson College

Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) Information Update: December 1, 2020

Dear Wilson College Students, Faculty, and Staff,

Due to travel restrictions put in place by most states and the sharply rising rate of COVID-19 infections across our region, the College’s athletic conference, the Colonial States Athletic Conference (CSAC), has announced that winter sports will not resume until at least the beginning of February.

While no formal schedules have been adopted, the Conference does intend to resume intercollegiate competition during the spring semester and has begun the process of developing appropriate schedules for each conference-sponsored sport, as allowable. Our athletic staff, under Athletic Director Tina Hill’s leadership, will work with our conference to ensure all health and safety protocols are followed as we work to bring our student-athletes back to Chambersburg and begin preparation for competition.

CSAC, Wilson Collage, and all of the conference institutions are committed to providing a safe environment for competition. All have agreed to follow the recommendations outlined by the NCAA and the Sport Science Institute related to testing, mask wearing and social distancing when physical activity resumes. And, the conference will continue to review travel restrictions as well as infection rates within the conference geographic footprint prior to announcing a date when competition will begin again. Because the direction of the pandemic is unpredictable, the conference recognizes that a return to competition will be dictated by local, state and federal guidelines and is subject to change at any time.

While I know this is terribly disappointing for our student-athletes, I believe it is the safest course of action. The primary goal remains to keep our Phoenix family safe. I long for the day when we can all cheer our Phoenix to victory, and I cannot wait for our Wilson pride to be heard across our athletic fields and in the field house again.

My best,

Wesley R. Fugate, Ph.D.
President
Wilson College

Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) Information Update: October 22, 2020

Dear Wilson Students, Faculty, and Staff,

I write to provide you an update on our plans for the Spring 2021 academic calendar. Wilson is presently planning for a return to campus in the spring with a combination of face-to-face, hybrid, and virtual courses. With these plans, we hope to provide students the opportunity to come back to campus or to continue fully online, based on their individual needs related to COVID-19. Students should work with their academic advisors to create an education plan for the semester that best addresses their academic progress. Students should also keep in mind that some courses must be delivered in person and that choosing to continue remote learning this spring may impact their planned graduation date.

At this time, we do not expect any changes to the J-Term 2021 calendar, as the vast majority of class sessions will be held virtually.

J-term Classes begin: Monday, January 4, 2021
J-term Classes conclude: Friday, January 29, 2021
All final work due for J-term: Sunday, January 31, 2021

However, in order to comply with COVID-19 guidelines and recommendations from state and federal officials limiting travel to/from college campuses, and in an abundance of caution, we will not have a Spring Break (March 15 – 19, 2021), as originally planned. In addition, the spring semester calendar will be adjusted as follows:

Spring Semester Classes begin: Monday, February 1, 2021 (The semester was originally planned to begin on January 25.)
Spring Semester Classes conclude: Friday, May 7, 2021
Spring 2021 final exams: Monday, May 10 – Friday, May 14, 2021
Commencement events: Friday, May 14 – Sunday, May 16, 2021**

By beginning the spring semester on February 1, we are eliminating the usual one-week overlap of J-Term and the Spring Semester. This alleviates any additional academic stress for our students taking courses during J-Term, allowing those classes to wrap up before the spring semester begins.

**And, while we have dates reserved for Commencement 2021 activities, due to the ever changing status of the pandemic, we have not yet finalized our plans for Commencement 2020 or Commencement 2021. We are working to finalize this now and will communicate the final commencement schedule with you as soon as we are able.

We also expect to have a decision by November 30 from the Colonial States Athletics Conference as to whether or not intercollegiate athletic competition will resume. Residential Life staff will be contacting students next week to ascertain future housing needs. College leadership will continue to monitor the state of the pandemic and will update the Wilson community as soon as possible should the situation require a change in plans.

I continue to be ever grateful for all that each of you are doing to adjust to the changes COVID-19 has brought to our campus and the Wilson College experience. If we continue to extend one another patience and grace, and work together, we will get through this as one Wilson.

My best,

Wesley R. Fugate, Ph.D.
President
Wilson College

Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) Information Update: September 30, 2020

Dear Wilson Students, Faculty, and Staff,

COVID-19 continues to impact our country in so many ways. While society is trying to find some level of normalcy, unfortunately, more and more communities are seeing a resurgence of the virus. We must stay focused on wearing masks, social distancing, washing our hands, and being committed to keeping our campus community, and one another, safe.

Previously, I had announced we would suspend intercollegiate competition for the fall season and would make a further update to you regarding athletics by today. As you likely have anticipated based on our decision to be virtual this semester, Wilson is extending the suspension of all intercollegiate athletic competition through December 31, 2020, an action being jointly announced by the entire Colonial States Athletic Conference member institutions today. The conference plans to reconvene to discuss future intercollegiate competition by November 30.

You should know that our athletics staff, along with our conference office and members of other colleges’ athletics staffs, are working diligently to develop a path forward for athletics that could be in compliance with the health and safety guidelines issued by the NCAA as well as state guidelines. We will strive to make a decision regarding the resumption of intercollegiate athletics, including the potential of fall sports having opportunities for competition in the spring, based upon the current state of the pandemic and access to accurate and timely testing for COVID-19.

I know that while this news had been anticipated, it makes it no easier for our student-athletes, coaches, athletics personnel, families, and fans to hear. I look forward to the day when we can cheer on our Phoenix to victory again.

My best,

Wesley R. Fugate, Ph.D.
President
Wilson College

Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) Information Update: July 31, 2020

Dear Wilson Students, Parents, Faculty and Staff,

I hope this email finds you well. For the past several months, the College’s Re-Opening Steering Committee, along with faculty and staff, have been working diligently on a plan to safely bring students, faculty, and staff back to campus for a residential, face-to-face educational experience this fall. As I have said from the beginning of the pandemic, the health and safety of our campus community is our top priority.

College leadership, along with our Re-Opening Steering Committee, have been closely watching guidance of health, local, state, and federal officials. Additional guidance and restrictions have emerged over recent weeks from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, the NCAA, and others that require significant restrictions to the on-campus experience. The state of the pandemic looked very different when we announced our intention to resume in-person instruction in early June. Today, there is increased spread of the virus nationwide, and the resurgence has severely limited the availability of tests as well as the time between taking a test and receiving the result.

Because of these recent developments and given our commitment to the health and safety of the Wilson community, we have concluded, in consultation with faculty senate, that the safest approach is to deliver our curriculum through robust online, remote instruction for the upcoming semester. This decision is an incredibly difficult one to make, but based upon the increasing number of positive COVID-19 cases across the country and the marked impact this is having on college-aged young people, we feel it is the right one. The health and safety of each of you must be our top concern.

We know how disappointing this is for our students, and we join you in that pain. Our faculty and staff have been working incredibly hard to prepare to be together this fall, and I thank them for all their diligent work this summer. I know they, like me, wish for the day our entire Wilson family can be on campus. It is lonely in Chambersburg without the laughter and energy students bring. This decision allows students, their families, and our faculty and staff to plan for the entire semester and eliminates the possibility of disrupting course work by having to switch to remote learning later in the semester, should the pandemic conditions warrant it. Our faculty are committed to ensuring a positive experience for students and want to help students maintain progress toward their degree. To support their work in online education, we have purchased additional technology and provided additional training to help ensure that you receive the high quality Wilson education that you have come to expect.

On-Campus Housing
This decision means that students will no longer be required to live on campus for the fall semester. Students who wish to still live in campus housing this fall because living at home would pose a hardship, is simply not possible, and/or will put them in an environment where remote learning cannot occur will be able to request to live on campus. All residential students should complete the Fall 2020 Residential Intent Form to indicate their fall housing plans by Friday, August 7. Residential Life will be communicating in the near future with all students who previously requested to live on campus this semester regarding changes in housing and revised move-in days. One-Stop Student Services Center is working on how this change will impact housing and board charges for both bills paid and bills due. More information about the refund of room and board will be shared next week.

The Campus Experience
For those students who do return, life on campus will be significantly different from what you may be accustomed. Students will be required to abide by all COVID-19 health and safety protocols, as faculty and staff too will be expected. Students will be required to wear face coverings, except when eating or in their own personal room. Dining services will be limited. In addition, group and face-to-face meetings, including extra-curricular activities, will not be permitted in order to promote adherence to social distancing guidelines. Our health and safety plan will be released in the coming days outlining the necessary precautions expected of those on campus.

Student Support Services
For students studying remotely, our student development team and academic support services among other offices will be at the ready to continue to serve you. The Wilson experience will be different, but we hope to create memorable and lasting moments virtually, in addition to the necessary support to help you succeed.

Academic Schedules
The decision to move to online, remote instruction is for the Fall 2020 semester only, and does not impact Summer 2020 courses currently underway. Those classes being taught on campus this summer will continue, uninterrupted, until their regularly scheduled completion in late-August, with final grades due August 25. We will continue to adhere to the academic calendar as originally announced.

Athletics
As a reminder, the Colonial States Athletics Conference recently announced that intercollegiate competition for fall sports has been suspended and decisions regarding their rescheduling to the spring and status of winter sport competition will be determined in late September https://www.wilson.edu/csac-suspends-fall-competition. All athletics training and practice sessions for all students are suspended until further notice.

January Term Opportunity
We know that many families have been impacted by the pandemic and the economic downturn. In acknowledgment of these challenges, Wilson will offer each student that completes the fall semester one January term course at no additional tuition charge. We are hopeful that the situation around the virus may improve, and if so, we may offer courses face-to-face in January. We will provide updates as details of this new opportunity for students develops.

August 6 Town Hall Meetings
We know you will have many questions regarding this decision. Please know we may not have all the answers; however, we are committed to making the best decisions to protect the Wilson family. Please plan to join me and the senior leadership team for one of two town hall meetings on August 6. We hope to provide additional details about the change in class modality, the process for refunds of room and board, as well as answer your questions.

For faculty and staff: Zoom meeting at 5 p.m. August 6

For students and parents: Zoom meeting at 7 p.m. August 6

Links to the Zoom meetings will be emailed to the appropriate Wilson email addresses the morning of August 6. Parents and students, to help with the many questions you might have, you may submit questions ahead of time to Cassandra Latimer, our vice president for marketing and communications. Cassandra will consolidate the questions and provide them to me ahead of time so that I can work to address your concerns.

I thank each of you for your patience and understanding as we have navigated the unprecedented challenges before us. As I have stated before, the Wilson community continues to rise above our challenging circumstances. How long we will continue down this path is unknown. However, I do know that if we continue to band together and support one another, we will get through this. As #OneWilson, we will get through this together.

Please be well.

My best,

Wesley R. Fugate, Ph.D.
President
Wilson College

Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) Information Update: July 21, 2020

Dear Students, Faculty, and Staff,

COVID-19 continues to impact our country in significant ways. More and more communities are facing resurgences, and while society has attempted to resume some normalcy, this has not always been possible. This is true on college campuses as well. As I have said from the beginning of the pandemic, the health and safety of our community is our greatest concern.

It is with a heavy heart that I must share with you that Wilson is suspending all intercollegiate athletic competition for the Fall 2020 season, an action being jointly announced by the Colonial States Athletic Conference today. A final decision on the possibility of future intercollegiate competition for fall sports, including the possibility of conducting fall intercollegiate competition in Spring 2021, as well as a plan for intercollegiate competition for winter sports, will be made by the end of September. We are exploring safe training and intra-campus practice opportunities while continuing to be mindful of the rapidly-changing conditions created by the virus.

I know that for our student-athletes, coaches, and athletics staff, this news will be painful to hear. You should know that our athletics staff, along with our conference office and members of other colleges’ athletics staffs, have worked diligently to develop a path forward for athletics that could be in compliance with the health and safety guidelines issued by the NCAA as well as state guidelines. Unfortunately, we believe this difficult decision is required based upon the current state of the pandemic. Please know it was reached after careful deliberation and not without deep regret for the impact on our student-athletes.

When I came to Wilson, I said that I would be the chief cheerleader. Being at Phoenix athletic competitions in January, February, and March brought me great joy. I long for the day when I can cheer our Phoenix to victory again. Until then, we, like the phoenix, will #riseup from the challenges before us. We are #onewilson.

My best,
Wesley R. Fugate, Ph.D.
President
Wilson College

Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) Information Update: June 9, 2020

Summer Term
Given the current state of COVID-19 in our local area, all classes taught during the Summer term will be delivered remotely. There may be an exception granted for select VMT courses taught in Summer 2. Students should contact their professors for more detail.

Campus Tours
Wilson College has recently received guidance that campus tours may resume for prospective students. Tours will be available by appointment only and will be limited to only one group on campus at a time. To reserve a campus tour date/time, please contact the Admissions Office by calling 717-262-2002 or send an email to admissions@wilson.edu. A meeting with an Admissions Counselor will also take place after the tour, so remember to bring your questions! A campus tour is the best way to get to know Wilson

Fall Semester
Pennsylvania Governor Tom Wolf has recently lifted some COVID-19 restrictions, thus allowing colleges and universities across the Commonwealth to reopen for in-person instruction. With that in mind, and in compliance with all health and safety guidelines, Wilson College will deliver an on-campus fall semester with classes beginning Monday, August 24.

In-person instruction for the fall semester will continue until November 20. There will be no fall break. In order to reach the mandated 15 weeks of instruction, regardless of instruction modality, faculty will add online learning hours equivalent to two weeks of instruction to each class. In addition, in-person finals for lab/experiential classes will be held November 21 – November 24. All other finals will be completed remotely November 30 – December 4. All final projects will also be due during this same timeframe.

In order to comply with government guidelines, Wilson plans to implement a learning model which will include in-person and remote learning. More information about this model will be provided soon. In addition, throughout the academic year, we will observe all applicable health and safety guidelines with regard to physical distancing, hygiene, and related sanitation measures.

As always, should federal, state or local governments provide additional guidance and/or restrictions regarding our COVID-19 response we will provide you with updates.

Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) Information Update: May 5, 2020

Virtual Conferral of Degrees
Commencement is a long-held and honored tradition that is so very important in the life of graduates. In a time when we cannot physically come together, we have decided to honor our students in two different ways:

First, to immediately acknowledge this important moment in the lives of our graduates, we will conduct a virtual conferral of degrees. This brief event will debut via a Facebook Watch Party on the College’s Facebook page at 2 p.m. EST on May 17. As we get closer to May 17, we will send additional details on how to participate. This virtual conferral of degrees is not a Commencement, and it will not attempt to be. We hope it will be a fun and meaningful way to celebrate the accomplishments of our graduates. We hope our entire Wilson family will join, albeit remotely, to help celebrate the Class of 2020.

We still think it is important to invite each member of the class of 2020 to don their regalia and walk across the stage for their individual recognition. As previously announced, our Commencement Exercises will take place October 25. We are excited to welcome back the class of 2020 for this celebratory event.

Fall Semester
While it is still uncertain what the future will hold in regards to the impact of COVID-19 months from now, we are optimistically preparing for our collective return to campus for in-person instruction this fall semester, as permitted by state and local officials. One thing is certain, however. Life will be different on campus with social distancing and safety measures in place. Task forces are being appointed to develop plans for returning to face-to-face instruction, as well as contingencies should we need to pivot as a result of the virus. The well-being of students, faculty, staff, and campus visitors is our top priority, and we will be taking the necessary precautions to ensure the health and safety of the entire Wilson community.

Summer 2
Given the current state of COVID-19 in our local area, the College has decided that Summer 2 will be taught online.

On-Campus Events
The decision to cancel all on-campus events has been extended from the end of spring term through the end of July. Cabinet will reassess this decision and timeline as needed as we near the start of the fall semester.

Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) Information Update: April 17, 2020

New State Order
Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf signed another order early this week that provides additional critical worker safety measures to combat COVID-19. While the order covers a number of initiatives, the ones most immediate and pertinent to the operation of the College apply to masks.

The order requires all essential employees to wear masks while they are at the workplace, except while eating or drinking. Masks can be either purchased or made. In addition, all customers are required to wear masks while at a place of business, except for children 2 years old or younger, and individuals who have a valid medical reason that prevents them from doing so. This is a mandatory order and will be enforced by state and local officials beginning Sunday, April 19 at 8 p.m.

What this means for our us …

All essential employees must wear a mask while physically on campus to perform their job responsibilities. This also applies to any vendors on campus and our dining, housekeeping and physical plant staff. The College is making arrangements now to procure masks for essential personnel. If you plan to be on campus, please speak with your direct supervisor for details. A mask will be provided for you as soon as they are available.
This mandate also applies to students currently living on campus. Students must wear a mask any time they are physically outside of their residence hall. Masks for their use are available now and can be picked up at the safety officer’s desk in Lenfest Commons.

Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) Information Update: March 26, 2020

Commencement is a sacred occasion in higher education and in the lives of graduates. Because of how important this event is to the entire Wilson family, we have delayed making a decision until it is absolutely clear whether or not we can provide for the protection and safety of our graduates, and their families and friends while providing the experience our graduates deserve. Given the progression and uncertainty of the coronavirus pandemic, the most prudent decision is to delay Commencement. We will not formally celebrate together on May 17, but we will mark the occasion remotely.

And yet, even with this digital ceremony, we wish to celebrate the Class of 2020 in person and will do so on October 25, 2020, in what we think will be a weekend to remember. Leading up to the big day, we will celebrate Homecoming and Family weekend. We will officially celebrate the class of 2020’s first homecoming, as they join alumni from across the years along with families for what has become an exciting weekend of events including the ever popular BBQ & Brew and athletic competitions. We will also have the occasion to look towards the College’s future as we celebrate President Wes's formal installation as president on October 24. Most importantly, the weekend will conclude with formal Commencement ceremonies that will take place on October 25.

A few other updates related to COVID-19.
1. Many of you have been asking about Reunion 2020, scheduled for June 5 – 7. Out of an abundance of caution for our alumni, we have decided to cancel this year’s event. Restrictions on travel and the uncertainty of the pandemic makes such an event just too risky for everyone involved. Reunion 2020 activities will be combined with Reunion 2021. Please mark your calendars now for June 3 – 6, 2021.
2. Wellspan has notified the College of temporary changes to the operation of its Chambersburg Urgent Care facility located at 1000 Norland Avenue. This facility has been converted to an exam and treatment site for patients who are COVID-19 positive or who have been tested and are awaiting results. The entire notice, with additional details, as well as alternative urgent care locations has been posted to the College’s COVID-19 Information page.
3. Good Friday, which falls on April 10 this year, is typically considered a campus-wide holiday. However, in order to try and make up some of our missed instruction time, April 10 will be considered an instruction day and classes will be in session remotely. Faculty and staff are encouraged to work with their division’s vice president regarding when they take this holiday. Each vice president has the discretion to allow individuals to take the holiday on Good Friday if classes and student services are covered, or schedule the paid time off for a later date.

Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) Information Update: March 18, 2020

Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf’s latest order requiring all non-life sustaining businesses in the state close by 8 p.m. today, March 19, 2020, poses additional complications in Wilson College’s plans to provide remote instruction. Therefore, the College will extend spring break until March 30, 2020. Residential students are permitted to stay in residence halls as previously arranged with Student Development. Food service will also be provided as planned. Only critical essential staff are permitted on campus until further notice. All other staff should work remotely, where possible, or contact their vice president.

Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) Information Update: March 17, 2020

There are no positive COVID-19 cases in our community at this time, but the College is increasingly concerned about the ways that our friends, families, and loved ones may be affected by the coronavirus. After careful consideration, we have determined that in the best interest of the campus community, and in compliance with yesterday’s order by Pennsylvania Governor Tom Wolf, we will be limiting access to the Wilson College campus until March 31. Campus will be restricted to only employees and vendors conducting essential, official college business as well as students already on campus. No visitors or guests will be permitted. All offices will remain open, albeit with limited staffing. Those employees who can, will work remotely.

Beginning March 23, Wilson College will transition to temporary remote instruction and learning. This approach will continue for the balance of the spring semester (until May 14). Suspending face-to-face classes as part of the recommended practice of social distancing will help reduce potential pathways for the spread of COVID-19. Additional information and instructions regarding remote learning will be shared soon.

Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) Information Update: March 16, 2020

College Operations
In compliance with Pennsylvania Governor Tom Wolf's order, beginning tomorrow, March 17 - March 31, the Wilson College campus will only be open to essential personnel and students currently on campus for Spring Break. This does not mean the College is closed.

Staff with the ability to work from home are asked to do so. Essential personnel should report to campus for their regularly scheduled work hours. Essential personnel will provide necessary services to students who remain on campus and care for the critical business operations of the institution.

If you have questions about whether or not you are essential personnel, please speak with your division's vice president.

Additional communications will be forthcoming to address overall operations of the College as well as our plans for after Spring Break concludes. Please check your college email often to stay up-to-date.

Spring Break
Wilson’s Spring Break will proceed as scheduled from March 16 – March 22. If you are a residential student, when you leave for Spring Break, make sure to take all essential items (i.e. laptop, chargers, textbooks/course materials, medications, valuables, etc.) you may need in the event you are not able to immediately return to campus. Should the need arise, all students should be prepared to participate in classes online or complete coursework remotely.

Residential students who need to remain on campus for Spring Break are encouraged to work with Ryan Coll, our director of residential life, and Mary Beth Williams, our dean of students, to make alternative arrangements. As with any academic break, students can request to remain on campus. If you require accommodations and have not already made arrangements, please use the following link to make a request. https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScytLfjJV5AdWEtql_1gRG1Aw8GNO1k...

Travel
Beginning today, March 12, college-funded travel to areas known to be affected by the coronavirus is prohibited. This includes educational conferences, student recruitment events, and athletic events. If you have college-funded travel planned in the near future, please consult with your division’s vice president for approval. The College has also decided to not organize or sponsor any study abroad trips this summer.

While the College cannot restrict personal travel, we recommend monitoring warnings and travel advisories issued by both the United States Department of State and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/traveladvisories/traveladviso...
www.coronavirus.gov

Events on Campus
Beginning Friday, March 13, no events will be held on campus where 75 or more individuals may attend. This policy applies to all college-sponsored events, including those organized by students, and any events hosted by external organizations on our campus. This decision will be re-evaluated March 27.

Athletic Events
Beginning today, March 12, all home athletic contests will be restricted to student-athletes who are participating in the event as well as essential athletic staff and officials. No spectators will be allowed to participate. This decision was made in concert with similar guidance from the NCAA and in the best interest of the health of all involved.

As previously shared, the men’s baseball team will not travel to Yeshiva University March 13 for competition. In addition, the women’s softball team will not travel to Myrtle Beach, SC during Spring Break for non-conference competition. The College will continue to review future athletic events on a case by case basis to determine whether or not our student-athletes should participate. The goal is to provide our athletic teams every opportunity to compete, but do so in a way that does not pose any health risk to individuals or our campus.

Classes and College Operations after Spring Break
Academic Affairs and our faculty are working diligently to finalize a contingency plan to move all classes and coursework to online, should that be needed in the future. Please know we have not yet decided whether or not that action will be required. However, all faculty and students should be prepared for that scenario. In the event a decision is made to alter normal college operations, instructions will be shared with the entire campus community via college email, social media, text messaging, the college information line and postings on this page.

Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) Information Update: March 12, 2020

The College continues to monitor the coronavirus outbreak and consider its potential impact to our campus community. Our top priority remains the health and safety of our campus as well as preserving the continuity of our student’s education.

Because the global situation of the virus is rapidly evolving and presents a set of unprecedented questions and circumstances for all higher education institutions, College leadership is in constant conversation with public health experts, emergency management professionals, the Board of Trustees and other colleges and universities to determine the best course of action to keep our students, faculty and staff safe. Because the situation is changing often, we will communicate as often as is necessary.

Below is an update on decisions made to date.

Spring Break
Wilson’s Spring Break will proceed as scheduled from March 16 – March 22. If you are a residential student, when you leave for Spring Break, make sure to take all essential items (i.e. laptop, chargers, textbooks/course materials, medications, valuables, etc.) you may need in the event you are not able to immediately return to campus. Should the need arise, all students should be prepared to participate in classes online or complete coursework remotely.

Residential students who need to remain on campus for Spring Break are encouraged to work with Ryan Coll, our director of residential life, and Mary Beth Williams, our dean of students, to make alternative arrangements. As with any academic break, students can request to remain on campus. If you require accommodations and have not already made arrangements, please use the following link to make a request. https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScytLfjJV5AdWEtql_1gRG1Aw8GNO1…

Travel
Beginning today, March 12, college-funded travel to areas known to be affected by the coronavirus is prohibited. This includes educational conferences, student recruitment events, and athletic events. If you have college-funded travel planned in the near future, please consult with your division’s vice president for approval. The College has also decided to not organize or sponsor any study abroad trips this summer.

While the College cannot restrict personal travel, we recommend monitoring warnings and travel advisories issued by both the United States Department of State and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Events on Campus
Beginning Friday, March 13, no events will be held on campus where 75 or more individuals may attend. This policy applies to all college-sponsored events, including those organized by students, and any events hosted by external organizations on our campus. This decision will be re-evaluated March 27.

Athletic Events
Beginning today, March 12, all home athletic contests will be restricted to student-athletes who are participating in the event as well as essential athletic staff and officials. No spectators will be allowed to participate. This decision was made in concert with similar guidance from the NCAA and in the best interest of the health of all involved.

As previously shared, the men’s baseball team will not travel to Yeshiva University March 13 for competition. In addition, the women’s softball team will not travel to Myrtle Beach, SC during Spring Break for non-conference competition. The College will continue to review future athletic events on a case by case basis to determine whether or not our student-athletes should participate. The goal is to provide our athletic teams every opportunity to compete, but do so in a way that does not pose any health risk to individuals or our campus.

Classes and College Operations after Spring Break
Academic Affairs and our faculty are working diligently to finalize a contingency plan to move all classes and coursework to online, should that be needed in the future. Please know we have not yet decided whether or not that action will be required. However, all faculty and students should be prepared for that scenario. In the event a decision is made to alter normal college operations, instructions will be shared with the entire campus community via college email, social media, text messaging, the college information line and postings at www.wilson.edu/coronavirus-information.

Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) Information Update: March 10, 2020

College Operations
Working from the standpoint of an abundance of caution, several decisions have been made with regard to programming and upcoming activities.

The College will not organize or sponsor any study abroad trips this summer.
The men’s baseball team will not travel to Yeshiva University March 13 for a competition.
Rev. Wadlington’s service trip planned for Washington, D.C. over spring break has been modified. Volunteers will perform community service locally instead of traveling to our nation’s capital.

Other Action Items Underway

As of now, the College will continue to operate in a normal fashion. However, Academic Affairs is working diligently to prepare for moving classes to an online format, should that be necessary.
Our dining services partner, Sage, is installing additional hand sanitizing stations in Jensen Dining Hall.
We are reviewing future athletic events on a case by case basis to determine whether or not our student-athletes should participate. The goal is to provide our athletic teams every opportunity to compete, but do so in a way that does not pose any health risk to individuals or our campus.
Campus leaders are in close contact with local and state health officials to stay abreast of any virus spread in our region and potential impacts to our campus.
We are also building a page specific to COVID-19 updates on the college website: www.wilson.edu/coronavirus-information. Going forward, this will be a great tool for additional resources, FAQs and communications regarding our campus and the coronavirus.
Helpful reminders for personal hygiene and hand washing are being posted across campus.

Spring Break

If you are planning to travel over Spring Break (March 16 – March 22), please keep the following in mind.
Students, faculty and staff who are planning to travel internationally should be mindful of the conditions they may encounter while abroad, as well as any emerging travel restrictions that may disrupt their plans.
Students, faculty and staff travelling domestically should also be mindful of their destination and maintain awareness of the spread of the virus.
If you have traveled to or through an affected region, either domestically or internationally, or believe you may have been exposed to the virus, please consult with medical personnel and contact the Dean of Students before returning to campus.

If you are a residential student, when you leave for Spring Break, make sure to take all essentials items (i.e. laptops, chargers, textbooks/course materials, medications, valuables, etc.) you may need in the event you are not able to immediately return to campus. Should the need arise, you should be prepared to participate in classes online or complete coursework remotely.

Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) Information Update: March 5, 2020

With Spring Break (March 16 – March 22) approaching, here are a few travel tips to keep in mind.

Students, faculty and staff who are planning to travel internationally over spring break should be mindful of the conditions they may encounter while abroad, as well as any emerging travel restrictions that may disrupt their plans.
Students, faculty and staff travelling domestically over spring break should also be mindful of their destination and maintain awareness of the spread of the virus.
If you have traveled to or through an affected region, either domestically or internationally, or believe you may have been exposed to the virus, please consult with medical personnel and contact the Dean of Students before returning to campus.

Currently, we do not have any students studying abroad. However, several students have expressed an interest in potentially doing so during the summer session. Academic Affairs and our International Scholar Services program are monitoring countries affected by the coronavirus and advising students so that they can make informed, data-driven decisions about their study plans.

Many individuals at the College are working to prepare for the potential of the coronavirus arriving on our campus. As mentioned earlier, Academic Affairs and the International Scholar Services program are focusing on study abroad impacts. Our Student Development Team is in the trenches working through potential scenarios for helping students with their daily residential and personal needs. Academic Affairs, the Registrar and faculty will be examining how we could deliver instruction in alternative methods rather than face to face, should that be needed. Physical Plant and housekeeping staff are understanding what supplies may be needed on campus and recommended protocols for sanitation. Cabinet is also focused on communication across all divisions of campus and making sure the team is ready to respond, when and if needed. Sage, our dining services vendor, is deploying additional hand sanitizers and reminders about personal hygiene before entering the dining hall. And, our athletics department is closely monitoring the situation to understand the potential impact to contests and athlete travel.