William Carey campuses will open for fall term
WCU President Dr. Tommy King speaks at press conference, 7-14-20
William Carey University will welcome students to its campuses this fall – but with stringent COVID-19 safety protocols in place. The announcement came July 14 during a press conference at WCU’s Hattiesburg campus.
“After completing the spring trimester with online instruction, it is our intention to return to a regular on-campus schedule in the fall as we face the new normal,” said WCU President Dr. Tommy King.
“We look forward to our students returning, but their welfare is paramount in our minds and hearts. Our priority is to keep their progress toward degree completion on schedule. We will make whatever adjustments are necessary to assure that opportunity and to protect the health and safety of both students and employees.”
WCU’s re-opening plan includes both COVID-19 safety protocols and hybrid/online features to supplement face-to-face instruction:
- Faculty, staff and students will complete an online health screening each morning before reporting to work or class. It includes questions about possible COVID-19 symptoms and contact with people who have tested positive. Guests on campus will also complete online health screenings.
- Social distancing will be observed at all locations, both inside and outside buildings.
- Masks will be required in the public areas of all buildings.
- Most dorm rooms at the Hattiesburg campus will be single occupancy. Students who live outside a 50-mile radius from Hattiesburg will be exempt from the requirement to live on campus. Sanitation plans for high-traffic dorm areas will be in place and students will receive instructions about cleaning inside their rooms.
- The number of students in a classroom will be restricted to the number that can be socially distanced at least 6 feet apart. Flexible schedules, hybrid and online options will be used to accommodate class size.
- Faculty members teaching classes requiring labs or clinical rotations will develop methods and schedules to provide those experiences safely.
- Most large gatherings will be eliminated. Weekly chapel services will be delivered in a virtual environment. Remaining campus activities will require social distancing and masks.
University officials will continue to monitor the prevalence of COVID-19 in the communities where WCU campuses are located – Hattiesburg, Gulf Coast and Baton Rouge. The WCU plan is subject to revision based on changing conditions or new federal, state or local regulations.
William Carey University’s fall trimester classes start Aug. 24.
For information, visit
www.wmcarey.edu or email
admissions@wmcarey.edu. You can also call WCU Admissions at (601) 318-6103 or (228) 702-1815.
