​COVID-19 precautions continue for campus health, safety

UW-Stevens Point begins 2021 with the same commitment to the health and safety of students, faculty and staff that guided us through much of 2020.

Numerous precautions were put in place to safely return to campuses in Stevens Point, Wausau and Marshfield last fall. The university's goal has been to meet student's educational needs by minimizing disruption to campus learning and living while maximizing health protection.

Those safety protocols continue in the spring semester. They include:

• completing a daily symptom screening before coming to campus
• requiring face coverings
• maintaining six feet of physical distance from others
• reducing capacity of classrooms by 70 to 80 percent
• limiting the number of in-person gatherings and guests in residence halls
• increasing cleaning and personal hygiene protocols
• screening tests of students who live on campus

In addition, testing increased in the spring semester, as directed by UW System for all campuses. Students who live in residence halls are now tested weekly. Students who live off campus as well as faculty and staff must be tested every other week if they are come to campus at least once weekly. As in the fall, these antigen screening tests are an important tool to identify and contain COVID-19 by detect the coronavirus before symptoms appear.

Spring semester classes are much like the fall semester with a mix of in-person and on-line classes, and small group or virtual student activities. For more information regarding COVID-19 protocols, testing, communication updates and resources, please visit our webpage.

"The fall semester was like no other. Despite the challenges, we learned to navigate these unprecedented times," said Chancellor Thomas Gibson. "We learned much about ourselves, our purpose and the spirit of perseverance. You will see enhanced efforts to connect and engage in the spring semester, based on what we learned in the fall."

University leaders are grateful for the extra efforts of all involved in keeping our students, employees, campuses and communities safe in the past year and appreciate continued vigilance this semester.