On Thursday, Oct. 29 William Jewell College announced changes to the spring semester schedule. The regularly scheduled Spring Break will be removed in favor of taking five miscellaneous days off throughout the semester. Each respective class is planned to have a single mode of delivery for the entirety of the semester. Additionally, all students, faculty and staff will be required to take a COVID-19 test prior to the beginning of the spring semester.

The email announcement from Dr. Anne Dema, provost, and Shelly King, dean of students, stated that rather than having a week off for Spring Break, there will be no classes on: Friday, Feb. 5; Wednesday, Feb. 24; Tuesday, March 16; Thursday March 18; and Wednesday, April 14.

“Faculty will be encouraged to make a clear statement in spring syllabi that these are days off, and they recognize the importance these breaks have to the student experience” the email stated.

These days off are intended to reduce interruptions while still providing breaks throughout the semester. They are intended to truly be days off – without increased workload for students.

“This change enables a less interrupted mid-semester schedule, which is a time that often involves personal travel, thus mitigating increased exposure risks… The College will still observe one Advising Day (Mar. 30 (T)), Good Friday (Apr. 2), Easter Monday (Apr. 5), and Colloquium Day (Apr. 23), meaning there are no classes on these days.  Feedback from faculty and student surveys indicate that this is the best option among those considered, other than wishing things were normal and no changes were needed and we could enjoy a normal Spring Break – a hopeful position but one that doesn’t seem likely,” stated the email announcement.

Each respective class intends to have a single method of delivery for the duration of the semester. Each professor will choose a mode of delivery prior to the start of classes. The College does not intend to go completely virtual other than when it may be required by Operation Safe Campus.

All students, faculty and staff will be required to participate in COVID-19 testing prior to returning to campus in January 2021. Faculty, staff and select student groups will have an opportunity to test Wednesday, Jan. 6 on campus. Employees – excluding those essential to on-campus operation – will work virtually the week of Jan. 4 – Jan. 8.

Students, both returning and new students, will be tested during the week of Jan. 11 – either on-campus or through an at-home test.

Results of these tests will determine when members of the community are able to return to campus. If faculty and staff test negative, they will return to campus Jan. 11. If students test negative, they may return to campus beginning Jan. 17. Spring semester classes will begin Jan. 19.

After opening Jan. 17, residence halls will remain open until the end of the semester.

Everyone who tests positive will be expected to follow the Isolation Guidelines in Operation Safe Campus. The College will provide more details about the testing in the future.

The email announcement also confirmed that commencement is planned for May 15, 2021. The plans will be adapted as needed given the state of COVID-19 at the time.

The changes to the calendar were approved by the president’s cabinet and were informed by feedback from faculty and staff. The email emphasized the need to make the changes now in order to begin planning for the spring.

“Please know that none of these decisions were made lightly or in haste. They are the result of good deliberations among members of the Jewell community with the best interests of all in mind and a desire to be proactive in support of Operation Safe Campus,” stated the email.

Those with questions or concerns are encouraged to contact Olivia Eggleston, Student Senate president and senior nonprofit leadership and Applied Critical Thought and Inquiry major; King; Dr. Ian Coleman, faculty council chairman; Chris McCabe, staff council chairman; or Dema.

William Jewell College will reopen for in-person classes Aug. 26. As the College opens, it will be instituting many changes to life, academics and work on campus to keep the community safe and healthy. Primary changes include modes of delivery for courses, a facial covering policy, mandated social distancing, daily health screening and changes to the academic schedule. 

Dr. Anne Dema, provost of the College, described the decision making process for the various changes. Most decisions were made by committees or with input from collaborative teams to provide several perspectives. Faculty have been involved in conversations, including in determining modes of delivery and identifying potential outdoor spaces for class. 

Dema emphasized the iterative process necessary to react to the evolving situation. As the College learns from the initial return to campus, further modifications will likely be made. Dema reiterated that this process is reflective of science and the ever-developing situation.

“Being ready to start is one thing, but we have to be ready to continue to adapt,” Dema said. 

In addition to the primary changes highlighted below, Dema described that more activities will take place outside, including efforts for student engagement – like meetings, events, clubs and organizations, and classes – depending on professorial decisions and weather. Access to cleaning supplies, including wipes and masks, will be greatly increased, as well as an overall change to the way the school cleans. Several departments, like the business office,  are also working to make it easier for students to schedule virtual appointments.

New Policies

Jewell has instituted a facial covering policy requiring facial coverings to be worn at all times while indoors. Exceptions to the policy include when one is alone in a personal office, in the dorm where one sleeps, while eating or drinking and when one is outdoors and social distancing is possible. Students participating in athletics, music or performances have exceptions to the facial covering policy. The exceptions include “team physical exercise, athletic practices and weight training, and athletic performances in which distancing is difficult and facial coverings are not advised,” as well as those in “ensembles, rehearsals, and vocal or theatrical productions (performers only).”

Social distancing of six feet will be required between people at all times.

Students and faculty will also be required to submit a daily health screening form via a web app to monitor potential symptoms of COVID-19. Members of the community should monitor symptoms every day and begin quarantining if they begin experiencing symptoms.

If students begin showing COVID-19 symptoms, they should contact the Student Health Center – now located in Browning Hall – to determine if a COVID-19 test is necessary. Testing of symptomatic individuals will occur on campus or at Liberty Hospital – depending on severity. Those who have been exposed to COVID-19 on or off campus will also be able to get tested at the Student Health Center or Liberty Hospital. 

Academic Changes

The College has altered the academic schedule for this semester. Fall Break will be moved to Nov. 23-24 – giving an entire week of break for Thanksgiving. Advising days have been moved from  Tuesday, Oct. 27 and Wednesday, Nov. 4 to Thursday, Oct. 29 and Wednesday, Nov. 4.

After Thanksgiving break, all classes will be virtual, but the campus and residence halls will remain open. This will allow students and faculty to return home for the holiday without interruption due to quarantine upon return. 

Classes are being offered with one of five new modes of delivery: face to face, hybrid asynchronous, hybrid synchronous, online asynchronous and online synchronous. Face to face courses will have all class meetings in person – as long as it is safe to do so. Hybrid courses will have some in-person classes each week and some virtual classes. Online classes consist of virtual classes only. Synchronous courses will have virtual classes occurring live during the pre-assigned class period. Asynchronous courses will have virtual classes take place with pre-recorded material that can be completed at various times. 

Classrooms have been reassigned and re-spaced to account for social distancing restrictions. Desks will be placed at least six feet apart, and each desk will be placed over a red “X” to mark its intended location. Students are not allowed to move desks or chairs in classrooms. 

New classroom spaces include Yates-Gill 221-222 and both the main and second floors of Curry Hall. These classrooms will be able to accommodate larger classes, and professors will have microphones to use to ensure students can hear in the larger spaces.

Classrooms will be equipped with an iPad to allow students who are unable to attend class in-person to stream or Zoom in to the class. Students and faculty will need to use the “wingtip and wipe” method of disinfecting both before and after classes. This entails one wiping down every area within reach of one’s open arms.

Campus Changes

Visitors and guests will be restricted during the 2020-21 school year. Visitors will not be permitted in the residence halls, and all visitors will need to be approved by the College. Departments must submit a request for visitors to the Screening Committee 14 days before the intended visit. Visitors must submit a health screening form 24 hours prior to arrival on campus and will not be allowed on campus if they display COVID-19 symptoms. Contact information of visitors must be submitted to the Screening Committee, and visitors will be expected to abide by social distancing guidelines.

Dining services will adapt to new guidelines depending on the campus threat level. Capacity in the dining hall will be reduced to accommodate social distancing. Once the dining hall has reached maximum capacity, those in line to enter will be required to wait until there is more room. Students will also be encouraged to use the Green & Go takeout boxes. Self-serve stations will be removed and replaced with staff-served stations. Coffee shops and the Cage will remain open as long as the campus is above level D. 

Residence Life has instituted Quarantine & Isolation policies for students, faculty and staff. Student housing will also be required to operate differently under different Operation Safe Campus threat levels.

On June 2, William Jewell College announced in an email to students that in-person classes will not resume after Thanksgiving break 2020. Fall Break has been moved to Nov. 23 and 24 – giving students a full week of break for Thanksgiving. Advising Days have been moved from Tuesday, Oct. 27 and Wednesday, Nov. 4 to Thursday, Oct. 29 and Wednesday, Nov. 4.

Jewell made the decision in order to decrease the amount of potential travel throughout the semester and allow students and faculty to return home for Thanksgiving without needing to worry about quarantining for 14 days upon returning. The decision was made to promote the most possible in-person, on-campus education without keeping members of the Jewell community away from their families for the holidays. 

An email announcement from Dr. Anne Dema, provost of the College, and Shelly King, dean of students, discussed the motivation for making a decision regarding the fall schedule so early on.

“Making these changes now are essential so faculty members may plan the best classes possible for the fall, Student Life and Academic Support staff can plan the best co-curricular and support services as possible for students, and Student Organizations can make plans, accordingly. The timing also allows students to make decisions about their individual travel plans,” the email said. 

Dema said that the decision was made as part of an awareness of concerns regarding the fall schedule from faculty and healthcare experts – who want to mitigate the effects of an outbreak on planned activities. 

“Questions about making changes to the fall schedule arose in several faculty conversations including those had by a group of faculty led by Dr. Gina Lane, who facilitated a survey of faculty about their spring, post-spring break experience, and faculty members on the Operation Safe Campus group led by Mr. Daniel Holt,” Dema said.

The College paid attention to how other schools in the region and in the country were planning for the fall semester and the speculation about a resurgence of the virus in late fall. Jewell was also limited in its response without approval from outside entities like the U.S. Department of Education or the Higher Learning Commission. Changing start and stop dates requires external approval but shifting of breaks can be decided by the College itself. 

Dema discussed other alternatives that were considered by the Cabinet before final decisions were made.

“We discussed whether or not to have classes on Labor Day, but decided not to cancel this day off. I know some schools have decided to hold sessions on Labor Day, and even to start early, but we didn’t see the potential gain, especially since everyone will always have a two-day weekend in which he or she will have to make smart choices about keeping themselves and their community healthy in the midst of a pandemic,” Dema said. 

In addition to shifting the fall schedule, the College is considering implementing a self-isolation of 14 days prior to the start of both the fall 2020 and spring 2021 semesters for students coming from farther away. If students are asked to self-isolate for 14 days before official move-in day, they will be provided food from dining services. 

The email announcement said that such precautionary measures would likely be in place, but Dema indicated this self-isolation may not be necessary and that guidelines are still in development. Dema said people are anxious to know more about details for precautionary self-quarantine, so they are eager to finalize details as soon as possible.

Jewell’s Cabinet made the decision to move Fall Break and advising days, while faculty made the ultimate decision about going virtual after Thanksgiving. Academic department and faculty leaders made the decision with endorsement from the Cabinet. 

Dr. Ian Coleman, professor of music and Faculty Council chair, described the decision making process on the part of the faculty.

“The road ahead is, to say the least, uncertain, and I think we are all looking for any opportunity to make final decisions so that we can have at least some sense of what the fall will look like,” Coleman said. “When all the factors were taken into account, including, but not limited to what other schools are doing, how our students usually travel over Thanksgiving Break, the possibility of a resurgence of COVID-19 in the winter weather, the high possible need for quarantine when returning from travel, and so forth, it just seemed to make sense that we make this call now, sooner rather than later, so that faculty can be preparing classes with this schedule in mind, and students can come back with some clarity about the semester ahead. One of the main challenges last semester, for obvious reasons, is that we started it with one calendar in mind, the usual one we always follow, and had to end it very differently. We would like to avoid that as much as possible for the fall.  I think these are the reasons there was so much support for this idea.”

Coleman reiterated the thought and intention that contributed to the decision, and hope that making the decision about virtual learning after Thanksgiving so early will enable the most effective semester possible.

“I would just want to stress that this decision was not taken lightly, or easily, or without much discussion and careful consideration. The goal is to still offer an entire semester of instruction, but the weeks after Thanksgiving will be offered virtually, rather than in the classroom together. So the College is not closing after Thanksgiving, we are just choosing now, before it is forced upon us by circumstance, to anticipate that it will be best for all that we not meet in person after Thanksgiving break,” Coleman said.

“I think it is fair to say that what the Faculty want is to teach their classes in the usual on-ground way to our students, because we value and enjoy the real time, in the classroom, interaction and dialogue that is such an important part of a Jewell education,” continued Coleman. “That sort of face-to-face instruction, where you can look a student in the eye as you ask an important question or watch as an idea forms in the student’s mind right in front of you, that’s the sort of interaction and teaching we want to do… [But] never for one minute think that the Jewell Faculty want anything other than to teach in the way we have for so many years, in the classroom interacting with students in person for the entire semester.”

More information about modes of delivery for classes in the fall can be found in an upcoming article.

Students may reach out to Dema, King, Coleman or Mario Magaña, junior business administration major and interim Student Senate president, if they have questions about the schedule changes. 

“Please know that none of these decisions were made lightly or in haste. They are the result of good deliberations among members of the Jewell community with the best interests of all in mind and a desire to be proactive in support of Operation Safe Campus,” the email said before providing resources for students with questions. 

Dema said thus far the response has been exclusively positive as the schedule changes were viewed as logical changes in light of current circumstances. 

Many colleges and universities have changed the schedule of the fall semester in response to COVID-19. The University of Notre Dame will begin two weeks early and remove Fall Break. Yale University has also decided all post-Thanksgiving activities will be virtual.

Jewell was one of the first colleges in the nation to announce their intent to reopen in the fall, and they plan to release more information about a safe return to campus throughout the summer.