WSU is ready to welcome our Warrior family for the Fall 2020 semester– whether you’re coming to campus this fall or joining us through online classes.
And while we can’t predict how this pandemic will unfold, we are prepared to respond as circumstances change.
Ready for the Campus Experience
The beautiful campus we all love is still here.
There’s plenty of green spaces to enjoy the sunshine, lounge in a hammock—even throw a frisbee with your roommates. Not to mention all the outdoor activities in Winona amid the bluffs and around the lakes where you can keep your space from people.
And there will be clubs and activities for students too. We don’t expect students to stay in their halls and homes all the time.
Student clubs can meet as small groups, and there will be event programming like Kryzsko After Dark. Warrior Athletics teams can compete, and students can play in intramural sports. The Fitness Center plans to be open.
Residential dining halls (Jack Kane and Lourdes) will be open. The retail areas are planned to open as well, so students can grab meals and snacks at Zane’s — which includes Panda Express and Starbucks– in Kryzsko Commons, at the Somsen Café and at Einstein’s in the library.
To protect public health and safety, these experiences will be different, but we’re ready to make them happen. Students will still have opportunities for fun, find friends, and make memories.
Ready for a Safe Return
We are putting student safety at the forefront of all our plans. That’s why we’ve carefully prepared measures to ensure a safe return for all.
We’ve remapped our buildings to make sure every space – from classrooms to student lounges to the library—is set up in a way that maintains proper social distance. Traditional-style residence halls have been transitioned to single occupancy rooms to make sure students have the personal space they need—at no added cost to students.
We’ve ordered cloth face masks for all students, faculty and staff. Sanitizing stations have been added to all classrooms and workspaces to encourage effective hygiene.
We’re stocking WSU Health Services with testing kits, and both Health Services and Counseling Services staff will continue providing telehealth appointments.
See the latest updates on our COVID-19 response and read the full Back to Campus Preparedness Plan (PDF).
Ready to Teach and to Learn
Though every summer is an opportunity to prepare for the fall semester, this year we’ve been challenged like never before. And our faculty and staff were ready for that challenge.
Our faculty are ready to deliver high-quality educational experiences whether they are teaching face-to-face, online or a mix of both. They’ve truly designed their online courses to be engaging and effective—so much more than a talking head in a Zoom room three times per week.
This level of preparation is in large part due to WSU’s decades-long commitment to technology. Through the eWarrior program, all students, faculty and staff are equipped with laptops and online tools they need to be successful.
Not only do we have the technology tools in place, but also on-going training and support is always available thanks to the expertise and experience of our TLT and IT staff.
Ready to Meet Students Where They Are
There’s a reason WSU has the highest student success rate in the Minnesota State System. Our faculty and staff go above and beyond to make sure students get help in a way that suits their needs. We continue to provide high-level support across all our programs in Winona, Rochester and beyond.
That’s why we’re offering students as much choice as possible for their Fall 2020 classes.
If you don’t want to come to campus often—or even at all– you have options for online courses and hybrid courses.
If you want that in-person instruction, you can arrange your schedule with face-to-face classes.
Our support staff are ready to do what they do best and help students to achieve their goals– whether that’s through an in-person appointment, online meeting, or other form of communication.
Advising, tutoring, career exploration, health services, mental health counseling—all these support systems and more are here for you at WSU.
Ready to Adapt to Whatever Comes Our Way
Rather than rush to re-open without assessing the risks, we worked through the what-ifs now.
We have a plan prepared for when the pandemic subsides, and we can lift these precautions.
We also have a plan prepared for increased outbreaks that requires more measures to protect the health and safety of our community.
We hope we don’t need the latter plan, but we can’t be sure. We chose to be ready just in case, so we can adapt quickly to whatever comes our way.
The COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted spring semester, rearranged commencement ceremonies and upended many plans. But it doesn’t have to put your college education on hold.
WSU is ready to help you achieve your goals because we’re:
- Ready with choices – so you can choose the class options that best fit your needs
- Ready with technology – to ensure you get a quality education whether on campus or remote
- Ready with opportunities – so you can feel supported, be successful, and build your WSU community
- Ready with safe learning spaces and protective measures – to keep you healthy and safe
To be a Warrior is to persevere, and we’re going to get through this together. Meet what’s possible at WSU, and choose what’s right for you.