Campus Update 12.31.2020
Posted: Dec 31 2020
WSC School Start Information – Spring 2021 Semester
I hope you are in the middle of a happy and healthy holiday break, filled with loved ones and good cheer. Next week we will begin our transition to the spring 2021 semester and welcome athletes back to campus for a resumption of practice and games. As we approach the start of the spring semester on January 11th, I have some general information and reminders you will find helpful.
WSC strongly encourages all faculty, staff, and students to be tested for COVID-19 prior to their return to campus for the spring semester.Weekly community testing sponsored by the Upper Missouri District Health Unit (UMDHU) will continue with the first testing event of the new year scheduled for Monday January 4th from 4:00 – 6:00. If you are in or around the Williston area you can take advantage of free COVID-19 testing as part of your pre-semester preparations. For additional information about COVID-19 testing in North Dakota please visit https://www.health.nd.gov/diseases-conditions/coronavirus/symptoms-testing-care/where-get-covid-19-test.
As a refresher for the spring semester, I encourage you to review WSC’s COVID-19 Plan and all FAQ’s relating to COVID-19. This information can be found on the WSC website at the following link: https://www.willistonstate.edu/students/Student-Resources/COVID-19/. In addition, For all things related to the COVID-19 vaccine, you can stay current and informed by visiting the North Dakota Department of Health website (https://www.health.nd.gov/covid-19-vaccine-information), which will be updated regularly as mass vaccination information becomes available.
Testing, along with proper mask use, hand sanitation, social distancing, curtailing travel, and limiting who you are around are still the best tools available to slow the spread of COVID-19. We all await widespread distribution of a COVID-19 vaccine to North Dakota in the coming months, but for now we need to remain vigilant and smart about where we go, what we do, and how we act.
When we begin the semester on January 11th, we will continue to deliver most of the instruction, student services, and activities in a “face-to-face” manner. As was our practice in the fall 2020 semester, any changes in operations, activities, or instruction will be based on current pandemic data, CDC guidelines, and recommendations from the North Dakota Department of Health.
Thank you for your continuing patience and cooperation. We are all responsible for our own personal safety and the safety of others, and each of us has a part to play in the semester to come. The Teton Community is strong and resilient, and I know we will make it through these challenging times together.
Best wishes for a safe and prosperous New Year!
Respectfully,
John Miller