Prior to returning to campus, each member of the W&J community will sign a Community Responsibility Statement agreeing to monitor one’s health and to follow the guidelines set forth by the College designed to promote the safety and security of our collective community. Our decisions about safety precautions (social distancing, wearing masks, hand washing, etc.) will be governed by CDC and PA Department of Health guidelines. An Addendum to the Student Code of Conduct has been posted and distributed to include modified policies for the Fall 2020 semester.

All community members and guests must be diligent in protecting the health and safety of themselves and others. We believe compliance with these expectations is possible because of our shared commitment to uncommon integrity and mutual respect. Students, faculty, and staff have been provided with instructions and expectations for health monitoring (temperature and symptoms) and management, as well as methods for contact tracing and self-quarantine.

Based on the advice and counsel of our healthcare advisor and the Pennsylvania Department of Health Washington County State Health Center, we plan to require symptomatic members of the community to be tested at Washington Hospital and local medical clinics. This testing will be conducted by local off-campus providers and is covered by insurance. This plan ensures that the Department of Health will be notified and will subsequently monitor contact tracing and notification of all required parties, as is required by law.

Resident students were also tested and quarantined upon their return to campus in August.

Classes began Monday, Aug. 24 and the term will end Tuesday, Nov. 24; all classes will be virtual for the first two weeks of the semester and resume as a hybrid model on Monday, Sept. 7. Please see the Academics FAQs below for more information.

Various safety protocols across the campus are being instituted, including health screening procedures, personal protective equipment procurement, cleaning and sanitization, physical distancing, visitor contact protocols, and information regarding employee health and response to positive COVID-19 cases and related symptoms. Each campus office is developing a staggered return to work process for staff to ensure that we are phasing people back into the workplace safely. Please see the Faculty & Staff FAQs below for more information.

Since we moved to online instruction in March, deep cleanings for all our academic and administrative buildings have been completed. Specific attention has been given to cleaning and sanitizing offices, classrooms and high traffic areas.

The cleaning processes at W&J have been re-engineered through new cleaning techniques, supplies, and equipment to achieve greater effectiveness, including a 7-step cleaning method for uniformity and standardization to our processes. This is meant to provide the same high-quality cleaning standards in all areas of campus. Cintas is laundering, sanitizing, and delivering fresh cleaning cloths and mops each week to prevent any cross-contamination or improper sanitization. Ecolab is now our provider of cleaning supplies, which includes an EPA certified disinfectant that has reduced the required dwell time from 10 minutes to 2 minutes. We are securing several electrostatic sprayers for applying disinfectants. These devices have been praised for their ability to provide even coverage to areas that are typically tough to reach with traditional spray bottles, i.e. back sides of handrails, doorknobs, faucets, etc.

Sanitation frequency is increased from once per day to three times per day in Admissions, Campus and Public Safety, the Campus Center, the Commons, the Hub, the Clark Family Library, the Lodge, the Ross Family Recreation Center and Henry Gym, and the Tech Center. Frequency of cleaning is doubled throughout the rest of campus. Each building will have a checklist provided to the custodians to reference cleaning methods and frequencies for daily and weekly cleaning tasks. In addition to the cleaning methods, we will also be using the Maximo work order system to track and monitor the maintenance of our HVAC systems. This will include the changing of necessary filters in accordance with manufacturer’s guidelines and CDC recommendations.

Preparations have been made for physical distancing around campus. Classrooms and other areas on campus will have furniture arranged and signage placed to enforce physical distancing. Masks will be required except when an individual is in a private space.  

Students in residence have been required to complete a questionnaire to assist them with discussing sharing public and private spaces safely. These precautions are standard at nearly all U.S. colleges and universities for the Fall 2020 and are considered the best practices for preventing the spread of illness.

Campus visitors will be expected to follow the guidelines and policies of the campus community, including masks, physical distancing, etc. Visitors will also need to complete this form.

Prospective student/parent visitors should work through Admission to make an appointment to visit campus. They will be advised of the campus guidelines and other matters related to their visit. No overnight visits will be permitted until guest are permitted in residence halls. 

Visitors will not be permitted in the residence halls. Students enrolled at W&J, but not living on campus, are considered visitors.