APPLETON (NBC 26) -- Lawrence University has announced their plans to keep students and staff safe in the coming school year. It includes testing of both students and staff, and social distancing rules.
In a press release the school announced that Bellin Health will perform regular COVID-19 testing at Lawrence University during the coming academic year.
The Appleton campus will open as planned for the fall term, which begins Sept. 14, with both students and faculty having the option to be on campus or remain remote. Classes will be offered in a mix of in-person and distance learning, with physical distancing requirements in place on campus.
“The university has contracted with Bellin Health to be our health care partner as we adapt as a community to living with COVID-19,” Lawrence President Mark Burstein said. “They will provide on-campus testing for all community members. 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.”
Students will be tested for COVID-19 by Bellin medical personnel when they arrive this fall and again 14 days later. Faculty and staff will be tested as they return to campus. Students, faculty, and staff living or working on campus will then need to complete a daily screening of temperature and symptoms. The university will continue to collaborate with the Appleton Health Department for contact tracing for anyone who tests positive for the virus.
The academic year at Lawrence will look different than any before. Physical distancing rules will be in place and all members of the community will be required to wear masks in all indoor public spaces, including classrooms, as well as outdoor spaces where physical distancing is not possible. All members of the Lawrence community who opt to be on campus will need to sign a community pledge agreeing to follow the distancing and face-covering rules.
Lawrence’s pandemic planning team consulted with health experts, both within Wisconsin and around the country, and with various faculty, students, staff, and trustees through the shared governance process, Burstein said.
“Our goal was to ensure that every Lawrentian will have the opportunity to learn, teach, and work as fully and safely as possible,” he said.
