Just like with K-12 schools, Gov. Mike DeWine has laid out guidelines for students at colleges and universities to return to campus this fall.
And actually, the University of Northwestern Ohio, like many schools, has been working on plans all summer. Their practices line up with what the state details as best practices.
Everyone on campus will be required to wear a face covering. Students won’t need to while in their dorms. Signage is posted reminding to social distance, wash your hands, and monitor your health. What’s tricky are all the hands-on classes UNOH offers.
"You look at our College of Applied Technologies, that’s a hands-on course," said Stephanie Malloy, vice president of marketing and public relations. "They’re doing transmissions, engine work, suspension, steering.
So they will need to have that face to face contact really. So when they go to the labs, when they go to the shops they’re going to have to wear their mask, obviously, but we also will have them requiring facial shields. So they’ll have those clear 'Plexi' shields when they’re in small groups like that."
All classrooms are being reconfigured to meet distance requirements. Instructors will have a Plexiglas barrier and there will be some dividers in the rooms that need them.
When it comes to testing, the school will create a medical advisory board made up of county health officials and representatives from both Lima hospitals.
"We’re meeting to discuss how we want to do that testing," Malloy said. "We obviously don’t have facilities on campus to test. So we will have to work with one of our local community hospitals to get the testing completed."
For those that need to quarantine or await test results, dorms are set aside for that with all necessities provided."
For students uncomfortable returning to class, they can take those general education courses online. But from a survey sent to the College of Applied Technologies, a majority feel good about coming back.
"Are you coming back," said Malloy about the questions on the survey. "Do you need housing? What are your concerns? And 98 percent of the students said they’re coming back, they’re excited to come back. They’re ready to be here on campus and we’re happy to have them. We just want to make sure
everything we’re doing is to keep them as safe as possible and keep our faculty and staff as safe as possible too."
As of July 10, UNOH is planning to have athletics. Student activities will be altered to avoid mass gatherings.
