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Dear Warrior community, Today, I am excited to provide a glimpse of what Warriors can expect for the fall 2021 semester. With COVID-19 vaccines more readily available — and all Michigan residents age 16 and older eligible for vaccines beginning April 5 — I believe this fall will see a return to many of our beloved campus activities, events and traditions. I encourage all members of the Wayne State community to receive their COVID-19 vaccine when they are eligible; this will play a major role in allowing us to offer a more open campus this September. Our plans for classes, on-campus events and more are listed below; we are finalizing specifics in some areas, and will update them as soon as we are able. These plans are subject to change based on vaccine distribution, case rates, and ongoing guidance from state and federal health organizations. All students, faculty and staff will be expected to follow on-campus health procedures and guidelines. We will continue to monitor and adapt these guidelines based on emerging scientific evidence and guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and state health officials. Academics We expect the majority of our fall classes to be offered in person. We are excited to return to more of our classrooms, and we have also used lessons learned from the pandemic to offer more virtual options than we have in the past. To view the modality of a specific class and to register, visit the Registration website. When registering, take note of whether your classes are offered via traditional, online (synchronous or asynchronous) or hybrid format. Specific programs may have further guidelines and procedures. Note: Schools that operate on a different calendar, such as the Law School and the School of Medicine, will communicate their class formats separately. Athletics We look forward to opportunities to cheer on Warrior sports teams this fall. Spectator attendance at sporting events will follow state guidelines for health and safety, as well as policies outlined by the WSU Public Health Committee. Athletics has also enacted several policies regarding safe use of its facilities and equipment, and has produced a "Return to Campus" document to guide students and employees as they use these facilities. Housing, dining and retail Housing will be open to all students who wish to call campus home this fall. Housing and Residential Life staff have recommended best practices to provide students with a safe on-campus housing experience. To apply for housing or take a virtual tour, visit the Housing and Residential Life website. Campus dining and retail options will be open, consistent with applicable health and safety requirements. Student life We know our students miss all the student activities, campus celebrations and wonderful traditions — we do, too. These are integral parts of the Wayne State student life experience. We look forward to resuming these in person, with appropriate health guidelines in place and virtual options for those who prefer to continue to engage via this format. The Dean of Students Office website is regularly updated with campus engagement information and student health and wellness information through the Warrior Life program. Every Wednesday and Sunday, the Get Involved email is delivered to students’ WSU email inboxes to keep them informed of student activities, opportunities and student organizations news. Campus events Recognizing the need to host events that represent the university, options for in-person events will resume in limited capacities and will follow all CDC and state guidelines, including social distancing and options for virtual attendance. Virtual events options will also continue. The Public Health Committee has approved metrics for meetings and events other than classroom instruction. Each week, the coronavirus website will be updated with a color-coded guide (red, yellow, green) for meetings and events of various sizes. More information will follow as these resources are finalized. Employees As we prepare for more students to be back on campus in the fall, we will also have more employees returning to in-person work. Resources are available for unit leaders to provide guidance on how to transition staff and work to onsite operations. They include the Leaders’ Return to Campus Guide and Checklist, the Flexible Work Arrangements policy, and guidelines for supervisors and employees. Additional considerations and training are currently being evaluated and developed to help promote a smooth and safe transition for all faculty and staff. More information will be communicated as these resources are finalized. Campus Health Center The Campus Health Center will continue to serve as the campus lead for tracking and reporting any COVID-19 cases on campus, as well as COVID-19 testing and vaccine distribution. The CHC will also continue use of its Campus Daily Screener to help monitor cases on campus and guide the campus response. This information is also available on our coronavirus website and will be updated as necessary. Thank you for continuing to prove what it means to be Warrior Strong.
M. Roy Wilson |
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