Western reopens for in-person instruction in Spring 2021 semester
by Western Wyoming Community College
February 10, 2021
ROCK SPRINGS, WYOMING - Western Wyoming Community College opened for business on January 6, 2021. In order to mitigate the spread of COVID-19 on campus, and continue in-person coursework, the College has implemented several new practices to its existing reopening plan.
Both Western and Green River Center are operating at a Level Two, under the COVID-19 reopening levels designated in the Fall of 2020. The levels are subject to change based on positive case volume, Governor Gordon’s orders, and other safety factors.
The Spring Academic Calendar was revised and the first few weeks of the semester were conducted virtually. Students will return to campus for in-person coursework on February 15, 2021. The new calendar was designed to best meet learning outcomes and safety requirements. Note that there will not be a Spring Break holiday this year, due to the potential risk of virus spread as people tend to travel during that time. In doing this, Western hopes to have an in-person graduation on May 8.
The updated academic calendar does not impact the Green River Center or Workforce courses.
Western has begun conducting surveillance testing for students living in the Residence Halls as well as for student-athletes and athletic staff. Students are tested upon arrival to the Residence Halls and continue to be tested on a weekly basis. To date, Western has conducted 744 surveillance tests with a 3% positivity rate.
Residents who are in quarantine or isolation are safely provided for by housing staff, including no-contact meal service and laundry. Housing staff communicates with these students daily to check on their health status and ensure their needs are being met, including academically.
Mustang Athletics will compete in Basketball, Volleyball, Women’s Soccer, and Wrestling during the Spring semester. The teams are complying with local, county, and state regulations and recommendations as well as those set forth by Region IX and the NJCAA to implement proper health and safety measures. In addition to sanitization protocols, Mustang Athletics conducts daily symptom checks and temperature checks and are social distancing as much as is possible.
Updated calendars of contests can be found on the Mustang Athletics page.
"We are looking forward to having our students back on campus again for the Spring semester. I am very proud of the work we did as an institution to keep each other safe, and the campus open last semester. I hope to see the same level of care for one another in the coming months," stated Mark Rembacz, Western’s COVID-19 Crisis Taskforce lead.
Community members who wish to use Western’s facilities can submit a usage request on Western’s website. Requests are subject to approval by Western’s Vice President for Administrative Services.
For the latest COVID-19 information as it pertains to the College, visit the COVID-19 Dashboard or the coronavirus updates page.
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