UW-Platteville COVID-19 Dashboard

*Dashboard updated 6 p.m. each business day



Dashboard Notes

This dashboard features data from UW-Platteville's Student Health Services (SHS) testing for main campus students as well the overall number of positive cases reported from external (off-campus) sites such as the Grant County Health Department and other local health centers.

The number of tests given include tests performed at Student Health Services only. The total number of tests performed and the percentage of tests that are positive for university employees and students tested off campus are not available. We do not have access to all the different sites students and employees may be tested, as some students chose to be tested in their hometowns, and some employees may live in different counties and get tested there.

Positive tests reflect the numbers reported between 2 p.m. on one business day to the 2 p.m. the next. The dashboard is then updated at 6 p.m. each business day.

Students include all currently enrolled students: undergraduate, graduate/professional and special students.

Employees include all currently employed faculty and staff. It does not include student and graduate employees; they are counted under students.

Resources

Questions

Whom do I contact for questions about UW-Platteville's COVID-19 responses or policies?

Students, faculty and staff are expected to review the published COVID-19 updates and the Fall 2020 Policies in Response to the COVID-19 Pandemic booklet. The booklet will provide many of the answers to common questions and scenarios.

After reviewing that information, the following resources are available for questions:

For Students: faculty, advisors, Residence Hall staff, and the Dean of Students Office

For Employees: Department Chairs, Deans, Provost, supervisors, departmental Directors, Vice Chancellors, and the Human Resources Office

For All: general policy questions may be sent to covidquestions@uwplatt.edu

Public/Media Inquiries: Paul Erickson, Public Information Officer, pr@uwplatt.edu

University Announcements

(Click on month to expand or contract messages)

Announcements in September

September 18, 2020 Please see the following video message from Chancellor Dennis J. Shields https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=citXysL--Pg&feature=youtu.be September 16, 2020 Message about testing As stated last Friday, UW-Platteville has been testing those students who may be most at-risk for COVID-19. The university is now entering the second phase of the process and now strongly recommends that everyone be tested. Even if you are not symptomatic nor have faced exposure to someone who might have tested positive, please undergo COVID-19 testing. The widespread testing will continue to help mitigate the spread of the virus. The Grant County Health Department is offering a free community COVID-19 drive-through and walk-through testing site on Wednesday and Thursday, Sept. 16-17 from 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. on the UW-Platteville main campus. Those wishing to be tested should enter at Greenwood Avenue and Circle Drive. Students, faculty and staff are all encouraged to take advantage of this opportunity. Tests, which are done with the small swabs, will be available on a first-come, first-served basis. Appointments are not necessary. Pre-registration is available online at register.covidconnect.wi.gov but walk-ups or drive-ins are accepted. Students, please use your local address so your results are processed here instead of sent to your hometown. For those students who do happen to test positive, please see this afternoon's earlier email about the processes that will follow. For on-campus students, you will not be charged any additional residence hall or dining fees if you do need to be relocated to the isolation center on campus. If you do test negative, it is recommended that you test in two weeks. Continue to practice the three Ws: Wear Your Mask, Wash Your Hands, Watch Your Distance. Be Safe. Be Strong, Be Pioneers. September 14, 2020 Free COVID-19 testing on UW-Platteville main campus The Grant County Health Department is offering a free community COVID-19 drive-through and walk-through testing site on Wednesday and Thursday, Sept. 16-17 from 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. on the University of Wisconsin-Platteville main campus. Those wishing to be tested should enter at Greenwood Avenue and Circle Drive. This was originally scheduled for just Wednesday but was expanded to two days to accommodate all those who wish to be tested. Tests will be available on a first-come, first-served basis. Appointments are not necessary. Pre-registration, though not required, is encouraged and available online at register.covidconnect.wi.gov. In order to accommodate the testing, normal parking spots in Circle Drive will be not be available for general use Wednesday and Thursday. September 11, 2020 UW-Platteville's Positive Rate There has been considerable discussion about UW-Platteville's rate of positive COVID-19 tests, as reflected on the UW System Dashboard. First, please be aware that the UW System totals are a snapshot for each day, so the percentage rate will vary widely each posting. The UW-Platteville dashboard (above) is a cumulative total. Second, our high rates are expected. UW-Platteville's rate of positive tests reflects the cooperation between the university and Grant County Health Services, who does the contract tracing. Our county partners are helping to identify the students most at risk of contracting COVID-19. Those students in turn, are contacting our Student Health Services to be tested. Those students who may be exhibiting symptoms or may have been exposed to someone symptomatic are the ones we have tested first when we began this semester. So in other words, we are first focusing on the students who may be at-risk. For the first two weeks, our cumulative percentage of positive tests is 13.6 percent. Our initial plans are working. We have now begun more widespread testing, which will include students who may not be symptomatic. Be Safe. Be Strong. Be Pioneers. September 11, 2020 Please see a video update from Chancellor Dennis J. Shields September 4, 2020 Please see an urgent video message from Chancellor Dennis J. Shields. September 4, 2020 A message from Chancellor Shields As we begin the new semester, I understand that there will be ongoing questions regarding how the COVID-19 pandemic is affecting campus. To ensure transparency of the status of COVID-19 cases and response on campus, the UW-Platteville COVID-19 Dashboard has been created. The Dashboard will be updated on a daily basis, and it may be found at the top of this page. The Dashboard includes information such as the number of tests performed on campus and the number of positive test results. UW-Platteville protects the privacy rights of its students and employees and adheres to the law regarding the protection of health-related information. Thus, the test results and medical condition of any specific student or employee will not be shared with the campus community. In the event of a positive case, Grant County Health Department or other public health personnel will perform contact tracing and notify those individuals who may have been in close contact (within 6 feet of an infected person for at least 15 minutes), as defined by the Center for Disease Control (CDC). This is to ensure student and employee privacy, as well as provide the most efficient means for identifying individuals who need further information. If you are not contacted by health officials through contact tracing, then you may assume that any contact you may have had with an infected individual did not rise to the level of exposure through close contact. If you believe that you have been exposed through close contact to someone who has tested positive for COVID-19, or are experiencing symptoms, please contact your healthcare provider. While there is still uncertainty surrounding COVID-19, we are confident in the precautions which have been taken to provide a safe environment for those returning to campus. This includes thorough cleaning of classrooms each night, including the use of electrostatic disinfectant sprayer, as well as increased cleaning of public spaces throughout campus. We all must do our part to reduce the spread of the virus by minding the three Ws: wearing our masks, washing our hands, and watching our distance. By adhering to these personal health and safety measures, we greatly reduce our individual risk of exposure to the virus. Thank you for your commitment to making UW-Platteville a safe campus for your fellow students and colleagues. Be Safe. Be Strong. Be Pioneers. September 3, 2020 A message from the Chancellor's Office regarding a pivot plan and the dashboard As part of the continuous planning in the event of positive COVID-19 cases on our campus, the university has established a “Pivot Plan” that identifies particular areas under which thresholds have been set to determine when and if the safety of students or employees and/or operational services is in jeopardy due to what is occurring on campus. The plan identifies key factors and thresholds (i.e. number of positive cases, isolation capacity, contact tracing, availability of community protective equipment, faculty and staffing levels, etc.). The Chancellor receives daily briefings from pertinent university administrators to assess the information and what is occurring on campus. Because a number of factors are considered in regard to assessing the overall safety of the campus community as well as operational services, there is not one particular factor that may lead to pivoting away from face-to-face instruction. All factors will be considered in determining if, and when, returning to all online learning might occur. If we are unable to maintain the proper safety protocols and/or responses to positive cases, then the Chancellor will determine whether to close campus to students and employees – and go completely remote, similar to what occurred during the spring semester. If we do pivot to online learning, our current plan is to continue to allow students to remain in housing and on campus for other services and activities. To ensure transparency of the status of COVID-19 cases and response on campus, a UW-Platteville COVID-19 Dashboard has been created. The dashboard will be updated on a daily basis, and it may be found on the coronavirus updates webpage. The dashboard includes information such as the number of tests performed on campus and the number of positive test results. You can learn more about COVID-19 at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website. Additionally, university leadership will continue to communicate important updates through direct e-mails to the university community. Thank you for your commitment to making UW-Platteville a safe campus for your fellow students and colleagues. Be Safe. Be Strong. Be Pioneers.

Announcements in August

August 28, 2020 A message from the Chancellor about the EOC Welcome back to campus! Over the past several months, UW-Platteville has provided ongoing updates regarding our campus response to the COVID-19 pandemic and information regarding reopening for the 2020-2021 semester. The Emergency Operations Center (EOC) was activated by senior team in February 2020 to monitor the impact of the virus, prepare for the impact of the virus on UW-Platteville campuses, and to provide emergency response, guidance and planning throughout the past several months. Most recently, the EOC has been responsible for reviewing all the fall operational plans to ensure compliance with the health and safety protocols which have been put in place. As shared in previous e-mails, the Fall 2020 Policies in Response to the COVID-19 Pandemic booklet has been published on the coronavirus updates webpage. This easy-to-read booklet contains policies for every aspect of campus life including Academics, Residential Life and Dining, Student Health Services, Events and Travel, and campus Health and Safety protocols to name a few. Effective immediately, the fall planning team of the EOC has been deactivated. With the release of the Fall 2020 Policies in Response to the COVID-19 Pandemic booklet, the university has comprehensive guidelines to protect the health and safety of the campus community and ensure continuity of operations as we head into the academic year. Going forward, in lieu of contacting the EOC with questions regarding fall operational plans, faculty, staff, and campus leaders are encouraged to review the fall booklet for information, contact the appropriate department responsible for the topic, or direct questions or concerns with the appropriate Director, Department Chair, Dean or senior team member. As we move into the implementation phase of our plans, a subgroup of the EOC will continue to provide project management of the many processes and protocols which are necessary for the health and safety of the campus community, including the development of a campus dashboard and pivot plans. More information on those topics will be shared soon. I wish to extend a huge note of gratitude for the multitude of faculty and staff engaged throughout the past several months to put together the best plans possible with this ever-changing situation. A special thank you to EOC leads who have put in countless hours shaping our guidance for the fall including John Paquin, Pete Davis, Rachel Herman, Mike Ernst, Linda Mulroy-Bowden, Sarah Vosberg, Tiffany Hintze, Joe Hallman, Melissa Gormley, Susan Hansen, Kate Demerse, Tony Hayes, Cathy Riedl-Farrey, Mike Compton and Paul Erickson. The efforts put forward were truly campus wide and our history of pulling together as a community during challenging times remains a point of pride for our institution. Wishing everyone a safe return to the fall term, Chancellor Shields August 18, 2020 Graduation ceremonies postponed For the health and safety of students and their families, UW-Platteville is officially postponing the December 2020 graduation ceremonies due to the COVID-19 pandemic. This decision was made and announced early so family and friends can avoid or change any pending travel plans. Commencement is one of the most special days at UW-Platteville, and the university wants to ensure the graduates receive their proper recognition for receiving their hard-earned diplomas. The university intends to honor the fall semester graduates with a video tribute in December and then hold in-person celebration for the Classes of 2020 (May and December) at all three campuses in 2021 when large gatherings are allowed under CDC and local health guidelines. More information will be forthcoming as the planning is finalized. Classes will begin Sept. 2 through in-person, online delivery or a hybrid combination of teaching until Thanksgiving break when classes will be switched to all online delivery through the remainder of the academic semester. This is based on current plans which may change if the university determines that public health concerns require online delivery sooner. Classes begin September 2 Fall Break (no class) October 16 Thanksgiving Break November 26-27 Online Delivery November 30-December 18 Last Day of Classes December 11 Final Exams December 14-18 August 13, 2020 Message to main campus students regarding Textbook Center The University of Wisconsin-Platteville main campus Textbook Center has enacted several safety measures to help students ensure physical distancing as they pick up their books for the fall 2020 semester. The textbook pick-up will occur at Doudna Hall. Students will be directed to enter at the north entrance, and signage will direct students to the Textbook Center. This route ensures that students are not entering through the designated exit and will provide maximum space for distancing as they wait to pick-up their textbooks. Along the route to the Textbook Center students will generate their “textbook lists” at an access station in the hallway. The lists will be printed in the Textbook Center where employees will select the books, assign to student accounts, bag and take to the Textbook Center vestibule for pick up. Signage will be provided. Students will exit through the marked doors at the Textbook Center vestibule. Appointments and available times can be found at

http://uwplatteville.co1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_5BkOYcYE8jMI9Dv Appointments and available times can be found at To provide a safer environment with maximized social distancing for students and staff, the following schedule will be utilized, including rotations and scheduled pick-ups: Monday-Friday, Aug. 10-27: 8 a.m. – 4 p.m.; and Saturdays, Aug. 15 and 22: 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. Students living within one hour of campus may pick up textbooks based on pre-scheduled appointment.

Friday, Aug. 28 – Sunday, Aug. 30: 8 a.m. – 7 p.m. In conjunction with the welcome weekend committee, textbook pickup will be an activity in afternoon/evening rotation for students moving into the residence halls Open pick- up for students living off campus or arriving after welcome weekend rotations will be available 8am – 12pm

Monday, Aug. 31 – Thursday, Sept. 3, 8 a.m. – 7 p.m. Open pick- up for students living off campus or arriving after welcome weekend rotations

Friday, Sept. 4: resume regular business hours 8 a.m. – 4 p.m., Monday through Friday Textbook pick-up is open to all students

Health and Safety 99.9 % of the textbooks have been stored in the Textbook Center for three weeks or longer, and Textbook Center staff will wear gloves and face coverings during textbook pick-up.

Hand sanitizer will be available at all check-out areas/check-out lanes.

A plastic curtain will be hung above the pick-up tables, allowing Textbook Center Staff to slide the bags of books to the students.

Clear curtains will also be hung between check-out operators.

Students will be able to pick up their two free face coverings when they get their books. Pioneer Promise Students are reminded to show respect for their fellow classmates and the university community as a whole by signing the Pioneer Promise when they register for their textbooks in PASS.

See a Facebook video message about the promise from Chancellor Dennis J. Shields. August 7, 2020 Club Sports/Branch Campus Athletics/Intramurals For the safety and well-being of all participants, the university is suspending all club sports, branch campus athletics and main campus intramurals for the fall 2020 semester. This aligns with the precedence of the Pioneer varsity athletics suspension for the fall, as announced last week. The university will re-evaluate resuming student activities as the metrics of the COVID-19 situation evolve. Mark your Calendars: Fall Break Date UW-Platteville will have a fall break on Friday, Oct. 16, as previously scheduled. No classes will be held, and the university has made it a furlough day for all employees. Business-Related Domestic Travel In response to COVID-19, UW System has initiated an Interim Travel Exception Request procedure required for use across all UW institutions that currently only allow for restricted/essential travel.

To comply with the procedure, travelers (faculty, staff, and students) must complete the Interim Travel Exception Request form to approve travel during this interim period prior to travel .

The Interim Travel Exception Request form requires approval from the traveler’s Manager/Student Advisor, Department Chair/Director/Supervisor, and Dean/Vice Chancellor/Provost. Students traveling for student organizations would need approval from Executive Director of Student Life and Development, Linda Mulroy-Bowden .

If travel is essential, the traveler should prepare for: Changing travel restrictions Staying in-place if they get sick Planning for the impact of being away from their home for an extended period of time if they are required to isolate in-place

Regularly scheduled travel due to multiple work locations, such as between UW-Platteville main campus and branch campus locations, is not subject to approval.



Personal Travel Personal international travel is strongly discouraged, and those traveling internationally are subject to the reporting and quarantining guidance found below.

It is strongly recommended that employees postpone or cancel personal travel outside of Wisconsin or their local area. Any personal airfare travel within the U.S. or its territories is strongly discouraged, as is all other forms travel to areas of high risk. “Local area” refers to travel you perform during your everyday life, whether a commute, grocery store run, trips for medical appointments, assisting elderly family members, or a trip between campuses. Students are allowed to travel to their homes for the weekends if they practice the safety measures described below.

In order to reduce and mitigate any potential exposure to the campus communities, if a student, faculty or staff member travels to an area that is outside the local area and/or attends a large public event, the employee must remain off campus for a period of 14 days for the safety of students, faculty and staff. This direction does not apply to employees who reside out of state and travel to Wisconsin for work.

When traveling, employees and students are strongly encouraged to take personal safety measures such as: avoiding close contact with others and maintaining at least six feet of distancing, wearing a face covering in public and where six-feet distancing is difficult, washing hands often or use hand sanitizer, and avoid touching their face. Visit CDC - Considerations for Travel for more recommendations.

Employees should communicate personal travel plans to their supervisor, and UW-Platteville asks that all employees show respect for their fellow Pioneers to minimize the risk of spreading to the university campuses.



If an employee can attest to adhering to the personal safety measures above, and the supervisor assesses the content of their travel history, the employee may be allowed to return to campus without quarantining for 14 days.



When assessing an individual’s travel history, consideration should be given to where they went, what they did, any contact with sick people, mode of travel, what personal safety measures were taken while traveling, and what position they are in. If they are ill, the employee should isolate and contact their health care provider.

Per the Grant County Health Department regarding household-member travel, no quarantine should be necessary for the person who did not travel if the other member is not ill. Monitoring for illness for all involved is warranted. If an employee believes they have been exposed to someone with COVID-19, they should contact their health care provider to receive direction and guidance.

If an employee becomes ill or symptomatic, they should not come to campus for 14 days or until cleared by your health provider. This will help prevent any possible spread of not just the COVID-19 but other illnesses.

In these events, students should contact their faculty members and employees should contact their supervisors. International Travel Restrictions Education Abroad and Exchanges Semester long Education Abroad programs are canceled through at least Jan. 31, 2021.

One to two-semester long exchange programs are canceled through at least Jan. 31, 2021.

Short-Term Faculty-Led (STFL) Programs for Winterim 2021 are canceled through at least Jan. 31, 2021. The university will accept proposals for virtual STFL programs.

The status of STFL Programs for Spring 2021 is currently undetermined. The university will accept proposals for virtual and in-person STFL programs for this time period.



Other Visiting Scholars and Visiting Student Groups Due to travel restrictions and the uncertainty surrounding visas, health and safety, and future travel restriction changes, visiting scholars and student groups will not be allowed through at least Jan. 31, 2021.

Visiting partners (ex – SAIIE comes to campus each semester) If the visit is deemed essential, all requests for/by visiting international partners need to be pre-approved by the provost or appropriate vice chancellor prior to travel arrangements being made. All visiting international partners will be subject to the quarantine expectations within the Travel Guidelines and must remain off campus for a period of 14 days for the safety of students, faculty and staff.

International Travel of Students, Faculty and Staff Per the Travel Guidelines, all international travel by students, staff and faculty on behalf of the university is restricted at this time. A hold has been placed on all airfare through Fox World Travel and Travel Incorporated, and travelers will receive a warning in Concur that they are unable to book a ticket without contacting an Agent. Travel Agents must have approval from UW-Platteville Travel Accountant – Bobbie Lolwing. If the travel is deemed essential, faculty and staff must seek approval from the provost’s or the appropriate vice chancellor’s office and complete the Interim Travel Exception Request form

Be Safe. Be Strong. Be Pioneers. August 6, 2020 Career Fair / Pioneer Experience Fair to be offered online The Fall 2020 Career Fair has gone virtual. The Career and Professional Development Office and Corporate Relations have collaborated to create a Virtual Career Fair for the upcoming semester. This will take place on Sept. 30 from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.. This event will take the place of an in-person career fair for the fall semester. More information will be coming out over the coming weeks, but plan to join the hundreds of employers looking to recruit for internships, co-ops and careers after graduation. UW-Platteville was recently voted by Zippia as THE best public university in the country for job placement! The 2020 Pioneer Experience Fair will occur in conjunction with the Career Fair. This year, Pioneer Experience Fair will be in a virtual format through Canvas, with four days of live Zoom sessions with students, faculty, staff, employers, alumni, and international partners, as well as other resources for students to explore the range of experiences available to them. The Pioneer Experience Fair will again showcase four categories of high impact practices offered at the three campuses (internships/co-ops and student teaching; student-run businesses, entrepreneurship and community engagement; study abroad and global education; and undergraduate research and creative activities). The event will be open to anyone interested in learning about the opportunities the university offers.

Announcements in July

July 31, 2020 It is UW-Platteville’s goal to keep our university community as informed as possible regarding decisions during this COVID-19 pandemic. For those new faculty, staff and students who are receiving updates for the first time, all of the university communications since January are archived at https://www.uwplatt.edu/news/update-coronavirus Here are this week’s updates: The Pioneer Promise The health and safety of our students, faculty, and staff are of the highest importance to the university. This fall, all students at UW-Platteville are asked to show their respect to their fellow classmates by signing the Pioneer Promise. (Updated August 14, 2020) By signing the promise, students agree to: Prevent: Correctly wear a properly fitting face covering in all public spaces and buildings including instructional spaces such as classrooms, labs and studios. (Accommodations must be approved for those unable to do so)

Check themselves for any symptoms of COVID-19 Fever (temperature of 100.4 or greater) Chills or shaking chills Cough Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing Body aches Headache Sore throat Runny nose Loss of smell/taste

Stay home if they are feeling ill with symptoms of COVID-19 or any other illness

Follow all the university isolation/quarantine COVID-19 protocol upon positive test or exposure notification

Comply with all medical recommendations

Participate and comply with contact tracing protocols Monitor: Properly wash hands and use hand sanitizer often

Practice proper cough etiquette as defined by the Centers for Disease Control

Practice physical distancing, in both indoor and outdoor spaces, including when entering and exiting buildings

Participate in cleaning expectations of personal and shared spaces

Follow specific guidance on seating and furniture use in classrooms and other shared spaces

Follow guidelines and protocols outlined in course syllabi specific to classroom expectations, particularly for in-person learning

Limit attendance and/or hosting of gatherings, including student organizations, to be in compliance with university and local guidelines

Follow university restriction of hosting guests on campus

Comply with and remain informed of university and local policies, postings, and university updates related to COVID-19 Reflect: Make efforts to be part of the solution and recognize that, as more is learned about COVID-19, they will need to adapt to support the overall health and safety of all Pioneers

Treat peers, faculty, and staff with respect, and not participate, promote, or allow their own bias to impede the access and opportunity of others in my Pioneer community

Understand that the university may be required to make exceptions to the safety measures for certain individuals or situations

Recognize that there will be consequences for intentional and/or repeated violations of these expectations

Become familiar with university resources and seek assistance to support them and others during this challenging time The Pioneer Promise will be available in PASS starting on Aug. 5. Before students are able to view their booklist, they will be prompted to accept the Pioneer Promise within the Textbook Rental Agreement. Athletics (from Letsgopioneers.com) The Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference announced this week the cancellation of competition and championships for fall season sports due to the ongoing developments related to the COVID-19 pandemic. In conjunction with the WIAC announcement, UW-Platteville will not compete in conference nor non-conference competitions for the 2020 fall season. The announcement impacts seven UW-Platteville sport programs (men's and women's cross country, football, women's golf, men's and women's soccer, and women's volleyball). Women’s golf will move to a spring 2021 championship, while the other sports will next play against outside competition in fall 2021. UW-Platteville is committed to providing meaningful opportunities for the student-athletes and programs and is developing plans following the announcement of the cancellation of fall season sports. Commencement Video A video of spring UW-Platteville graduates proudly displaying their diplomas or cap and gown may be found at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i22U0N32nuU. Thank you to all the graduates who contributed to this video. Be Safe. Be Strong. Be Pioneers. July 24, 2020 Update message to all faculty, staff, students: Water Bottle Filling For the health and safety of our university community, the water bottle filling sections will be still operational, but the water fountains/bubblers will be turned off. The university facilities staff has rendered the drinking fountain portion of a bottle filler/fountain combination inactive and has been making those changes across campus. Dining Facilities The dining services facilities at all three campuses have been modified to ensure the best safety possible for our students, faculty, staff and visitors. At the Platteville campus, here are some of the most visible changes:

UW-Platteville will increase grab-and-go options for guests who choose to dine in alternate locations.

UW-Platteville will continue to offer salad bars, soup, bakery and buffets in a modified full-service format . Self-serve stations will no longer be available.

The number of chairs in dining facilities will be reduced, and the spacing between tables in all dining rooms will be increased to allow social distancing.

UW-Platteville will add floor markers and signage to encourage six-foot distancing between other guests and team members. All markers must remain as placed and not be moved around.

Cashless operations will be used, which will reduce the register transaction times to under 10 seconds.

Plexiglass will be installed at all registers. UW-Platteville is reinforcing existing sanitation procedures, including frequent and proper handwashing, with staff along with policies regarding wearing and changing gloves during their shifts.

Per UW System policy, face masks must be worn in all facilities.

UW-Platteville has implemented enhanced protocols for cleaning and sanitizing the dining facilities and high-touch areas.

All UW-Platteville Dining location managers and cooks hold a Serv-Safe certification from the National Restaurant Association. In addition, UW-Platteville requires Serv-Safe’s COVID-19 training for the entire staff including students.



Similar measures will be enacted at the branch campus locations. July 17, 2020 Message to all students, faculty and staff: It is UW-Platteville’s goal to keep our university community as informed as possible regarding decisions during this COVID-19 pandemic. For those new faculty, staff and students who are receiving updates for the first time, all of the university communications since January are archived at https://www.uwplatt.edu/news/update-coronavirus Here are this week’s updates: Class Schedules UW-Platteville will offer a variety of ways to safely deliver classes this fall, including face-to-face classes in physical distance-adjusted classrooms, online, and a hybrid of the two. The type of delivery is now available in students’ PASS accounts. (Students must log in with their university username and password.) Students are encouraged to review their schedules in PASS.

Faculty and staff members will be communicating with students about their individual schedules starting in early August. As previously announced, all classes will go to online delivery after the Thanksgiving break. Residential Life Students staying in any of the 12 UW-Platteville main campus residence halls received an email last week detailing the various expectations and precautions that will be enacted during the 2020-21 academic year to ensure the safety and well-being of all residents. Some of the measures include limiting visitors to residence hall students only, turning off the water fountains (updated July 22) as they are high touch surfaces, increased disinfectant cleaning and required face coverings in common areas to outline a few. The branch campus residence halls are run through independent foundations which will have safety measures enacted as well. Face Coverings/Masks To help prevent the spread of the COVID-19 virus, UW-Platteville is requiring all faculty, staff, students and visitors to wear face coverings in all university buildings, including classrooms, pursuant to Board of Regents policy (except for those individuals with approved medical accommodations). Face coverings will also be required outside when physical distancing is difficult to maintain. To better ensure compliance, the university is providing every faculty, staff and student with two free, washable, cloth face coverings. Faculty and staff may contact their supervisor to obtain their face coverings; main campus residence hall students will have face coverings given to them when they check in to their assigned residence halls; and off-campus and branch campus students will be provided details on how to retrieve their face coverings as it gets closer to the Sept. 2 start of classes. Please continue to check your official university email account for updates throughout the summer. July 8, 2020 A message from the provost The University of Wisconsin-Platteville looks forward to welcoming students back for a campus-based fall semester and is planning for an academic schedule that begins on September 2, as previously announced. Recognizing that this is an incredibly fluid situation, our planning also reflects the possibility of having to move to remote teaching and learning at any time during the semester or prior to opening in the fall, in the event there is a second wave of COVID-19, as many health officials predict. Following the advice of local and national healthcare officials—and following the examples of many institutions nationwide—UW-Platteville will move to online after the Thanksgiving break. No classes will be offered face-to-face after November 25 (to include finals week). The academic schedule for fall 2020 is now set as such: Classes begin September 2 Fall Break (no classes) October 16 Thanksgiving Break November 26-27 Online Delivery November 30-December 18 Last Day of Classes December 11 Final Exams December 14-18 Although face-to-face courses will not be offered after the Thanksgiving break, students will be allowed to return to campus for all student services, support, dining, and living accommodations. UW-Platteville is undergoing intensive planning to ensure the health and safety of our university community, including evaluating and modifying cleaning and sanitizing protocols; preparing classroom, office and workspace modifications to maximize physical distancing; and emergency planning in the event of positive cases at UW-Platteville, as well as many other aspects necessary for a safe return. All faculty, staff and students, will be required to wear face coverings in university buildings, and to maintain 6-feet of physical distancing. We are thinking through these issues and more, both as we plan for a carefully phased reopening of campus over the summer and as we think about students on campus in the fall. While it will not be a standard semester this fall, we are committed to providing an array of offerings and educational programming so that students will be able to continue their education. Students will be able to view the mode of delivery on their individual courses by mid-July. We will provide information on how many in-person (face-to-face) classes we will offer, which courses will be online, and what blended learning strategies may be implemented in each course. The ability to offer face-to-face instruction that incorporates blended learning strategies into courses enhances flexibility, as well as accessibility for students and faculty who may not be able, or willing, to return to campus in the fall. We expect many instructors will participate in some form of blended learning in the fall and adjust their courses given the pandemic requirements as well as their own individual course requirements. More than 91 percent of our faculty have undergone, or are currently undergoing, additional training for alternative delivery best practices. We acknowledge the frustration that this lack of certainty causes students and parents. We are balancing everyone's desire to plan for the fall with our need to provide a safe environment for our community. We will continue to provide updates with as much information as we are able throughout the summer months. Sincerely, Dr. Tammy Evetovich Provost and Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs July 2, 2020 We know that many of you are checking this site frequently, looking for answers to when move-in days are or what classes will be held when and in what format. We understand your anxiousness to have answers to these questions. The health and safety of our students, faculty, staff and visitors are of utmost importance, and we are taking these processes very seriously to ensure the best possible fall of 2020. The university is close to finalizing the fall plans and will have updates in mid-July. Students received an email from residence life a few days ago, and the detailed email will be coming within the next two weeks. That one will have information on distancing in the halls, what to bring, move-in days, etc. The university has been looking at every single classroom on our campuses to determine maximum capacity, according to CDC guidelines, and then making the determination of what classes can fit in those revised classrooms and what times those classes will be. Similar guidelines are being established in our dining areas and our work spaces. Thank you for your patience and understanding. We hope you are having a happy--and safe--summer. Paul Erickson, Public Information Officer

Announcements in June

June 30, 2020 The University of Wisconsin-Platteville is making plans to safely re-open its campuses in August in preparation for the fall semester, which begins Sept. 2 with campus-based instruction.



In March, the university closed all three of its campuses until at least Aug. 1 because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Only some employees have remained working on campus while those who can work remotely have done so. Additional faculty and staff will be allowed back on campus, with safety precautions made to work areas and staggered days and start times for those who share work spaces. Those who can work from remote locations are still encouraged to do so.



Among the safety measures enacted: Face coverings will be required in all university buildings (except for those with ADA exemptions)

Social distancing will be required in all areas

Additional cleaning and sanitizing operations will be in place The Emergency Operations Center staff, along with the Senior Staff leadership team, have been working during the spring and summer to make the re-opening as safe as possible for students, faculty, staff and visitors. More detailed plans will be announced as they are finalized. On the main campus, the Children’s Center will open July 6 for children of employees community members who had children attending the Center immediately prior to the Center’s closure in March with the following safety measures in place: Limiting access for parents at arrival and pick up Parents will not be allowed past the lobby area and will be required to wear a mask when in the building

Health screening upon entry for children and staff including temperature checks

Requiring masks for staff interacting with families in the building at drop off and pick up times

Limit mixing between groups of children of different ages

Limit staff crossing between multiple classrooms

Increased sanitation and hygiene practices The Pioneer Activity Center and Williams Fieldhouse will open in a phased approach, beginning Aug. 1. Phase 1: Aug. 1, Department of Athletic and Recreation staff members are permitted to return to the Williams Fieldhouse abiding by COVID-19 return to work guidelines.

Phase 2: Aug. 9, Fall sport student-athletes start to return to campus for orientation, conditioning and practice sessions. Student-athletes will return to campus beginning in Phase I and start practicing Aug. 12 in groups of no more than 10 individuals.

Phase 3: Sept. 2, All UW-Platteville students and PAC members are permitted access to the recreation facilities on the first day of classes. The PAC will have social distancing and safety measures in place before its opening. The Markee Pioneer Student Center is undergoing planned renovations and will not be available until the project is completed, most likely mid- to late-August. New safety measures will be enacted in the meeting rooms, dining areas and open spaces. Karrmann Library will reopen once classes begin Sept. 2 with safety measures: Seating will be limited, with two people per table, one per study room.

Computers access will also be limited to maintain social distancing.

Social distancing markers will be placed around the circulation and reference desk.

Disinfectant wipes will be available to clean off computer keyboards.

Sanitation stations will be located outside the restrooms and possibly in other areas of the building.

Beginning Aug. 1, some staff will be onsite on a rotating basis. There will always be staff at the circulation counter and a librarian will be onsite Monday through Friday and on Sunday. Other departments, such as Technical Service, will be in operation, but will remain closed to the public. Many reference questions can be answered via Library Chat and reference@uwplatt.edu. Information Technology Service questions can be sent to helpdesk@uwplatt.edu. The UW-Platteville Baraboo Sauk County branch campus will reopen to the public on Aug. 3, with staff and visitors required to follow mandatory safety guidelines. The T.N. Savides library will be open for limited hours starting Aug. 3, with plans to be fully open when the fall semester begins Sept. 2. Food service will also resume in the Joe Wankrl Cafeteria on Sept. 2. The UW-Platteville Richland campus will also open to the public on Aug. 3, with staff and visitors required to follow mandatory safety guidelines. The Miller Memorial Library will be open for limited hours, with plans to be fully open when the fall semester begins Sept. 2. Food service in the Roadrunner Café will also resume Sept. 2. The independent Symons Recreation Center on the campus is open now – more information on the Center’s hours, current programs, and safety guidelines, are on the website, https://symonsrec.com

More detailed information will be forthcoming about safety measures in all the dining facilities as well as the residence halls. Please continue to check campus email or https://www.uwplatt.edu/news/update-coronavirus for the latest updates. June 23, 2020 To better assist students, faculty and staff this summer, the University of Wisconsin-Platteville Karrmann Library began offering contactless pick-up for books and other physical materials owned by the library this week. The service is offered Monday through Thursday, 10 a.m.- noon and 1-3 p.m. at the north entrance of the library. Patrons must request items using the library catalog, Search@UW. This triggers an email to the patron with a link to SignUpGenius. The patron selects a time slot to pick-up materials via SignUpGenius (each time slot is 15 minutes). On the appointed day, the library staff (in gloves and mask) pack up plastic bags for patron’s scheduled pickup. Sheets with last name will be stapled to bags for easy identification. Bags are placed on a cart and moved near the north entrance, where requesters may pick up the materials. The carts are sanitized after each pickup. There is a limit of five items at one time and one scheduled pickup per week for each individual. Patrons must use the outside book drops to return materials. This service is only for UW-Platteville students, faculty and staff and not community members at this time. June 18, 2020 Chancellor Shields' message to faculty, staff The COVID-19 pandemic has affected our families and communities in many ways, and the university recognizes the hardships and inconveniences many employees have endured during this time. This past spring, UW-Platteville put into place precautionary measures to ensure the health and safety of the campus community, including limiting the number of employees physically on-campus. As we move past the initial phases of the pandemic, we look forward to welcoming more employees back to our campuses. While there is still uncertainty surrounding COVID-19, we are confident in the precautions which have been taken to provide a safe environment for those returning to campus. We will continually evaluate and evolve our response and safety measures based on the guidance provided by health and government officials. UW-Platteville will phase-in a return of employees to campus over time in a coordinated process to ensure appropriate physical distancing and re-acclimation to the office environment. Human Resources is working directly with deans, directors and supervisors across campus to determine when and how to return staff to their work spaces beginning July 1, 2020. Any decision to return an employee to a campus work space will be based on operational need, ability to control and manage specific work environments, and necessity to access on-campus resources. Once managers and supervisors have a plan in place for their particular areas, the plans will be shared with individual employees through department directors, supervisors and deans over the course of the next six weeks. An Employee Guide for Returning to Campus has been developed to share the safety measures and protocols which have been implemented and the expectations of faculty and staff working on-campus to contribute toward a safe and healthy work environment. Employees are expected to familiarize themselves and fully comply with the policies, protocols and guidelines outlined in the Guide to support a strong return to campus. All employees will be expected to sign an acknowledgment form prior to returning to work on campus. Furthermore, as more employees return to campus, we must recognize and respect that everyone has different levels of comfort with being in public and returning to campus. There is no “wrong” way for someone to feel, and the expectation is for each member of our campus community to treat one another with kindness and respect. I thank all of our faculty and staff for their flexibility, resiliency, and dedication to UW-Platteville. Together, we will return to campus stronger than ever. Be Safe. Be Strong, Be Pioneers. Chancellor Dennis J. Shields June 11, 2020 Chancellor Shields' message to students, parents The University of Wisconsin-Platteville will start classes as originally scheduled on Sept. 2. As previously announced, university plans include physically returning to campus, but the educational experience will look different as we take into account the health, safety and well-being of our students, faculty, staff and visitors. What will fall classes look like? Our on-campus courses will continue to feature our outstanding faculty, who will lead instruction and advise students throughout the fall. However, due to physical distancing needs in the classroom, there will be many classes that cannot be held on our campuses with full attendance of every enrolled student at the same time. That is simply not possible. Instead, each student will most likely have a blend of courses that has on-campus attendance, especially our hands-on labs, as well as some online components. (You may see these called hybrid classes, too.) We have targeted a date no later than the end of June to make a final decision on how many in-person classes we will offer, which courses will be online, and what blended learning strategies may be implemented in each course. We continue to strive to offer a full array of offerings and educational programming, so that students will be able to continue their education and remain on a timely path to graduation. What are we doing this summer? In preparation for the fall, we are making adjustments in our classrooms, offices, residence halls, dining areas, health services and more in accordance with Centers for Disease Control and local health department guidelines. Our faculty are going through trainings this summer to be able to teach in all formats. How can you stay up to date? As we have already experienced, this pandemic has caused many changes and quick responses to those changes. We must continue to be flexible and willing to adapt to these changes, just as we all did in March. We ask each student to keep up to date with these changes. You will continually receive communications through your university email account, @uwplatt.edu. Those announcements, and more, are archived on the website COVID-19 response page, which may be accessed from the front page of the website or directly at https://www.uwplatt.edu/news/update-coronavirus June 5, 2020 Chancellor's message to faculty and staff As announced in the Chancellor's Message on May 6, 2020, UW-Platteville has implemented a furlough program consisting of three phases: 1.) consecutive furlough, 2.) temporary work reduction furlough, and 3.) intermittent furlough. The consecutive furlough and temporary work reduction furloughs were implemented in May. Over the past few weeks, I have considered several intermittent furlough options giving great consideration to feedback from Faculty, staff, and shared governance. The intermittent furlough program will begin July 1, 2020 and run through June 30, 2021. All Faculty and staff are included in the unpaid intermittent furlough program with the exception of student employees, ad hoc employees, and employees funded at least 50% through grants. Employees assigned to a consecutive day furlough or temporary work reduction furlough equal to the intermittent furlough program will have fulfilled their furlough obligations and will not be required to take additional intermittent furlough days. The amount of intermittent furlough days will be assigned on the following criteria based on salary tiers, academic or calendar year appointment, and prorated by FTE. Employees hired between July 1, 2020 – June 30, 2021 will be assigned a pro-rated amount of intermittent furlough days based on their FTE and date of hire. Salary Tier Furlough Days for 9-month Staff Furlough Days for 12-month Staff < $50,000 6 days 8 days > $50,000 9 days 12 days Outside of the criteria above, and in lieu of furlough, senior leadership will be taking a 6.5% temporary salary reduction for the fiscal year to provide additional salary savings which is equivalent to 16.9 furlough days. I will take a 10% temporary salary reduction for the fiscal year which is equivalent to 26 furlough days. The estimated combined salary savings from the furlough program including consecutive day, temporary work reduction, intermittent furloughs, and temporary pay reductions is $2.9 million. The UW-Platteville Furlough Program Guidelines have been updated to include the intermittent furlough program details, and they are published on the Human Resources website. Each employee will receive a personalized furlough notification letter mailed to their home address in coming weeks. I recognize that this is a stressful and challenging time for all of you, and it is a lot to ask our campus community to participate in a furlough program. I am confident that these efforts, along with increased budget planning and reduction activities to create a sustainable budget model will ensure that we are able to provide an affordable and accessible education for generations to come. Over the next few weeks, we will be providing information and details on returning more employees back to campus. Supervisors will be working directly with their employees to determine who will be allowed to return to campus for work and when. Stay tuned for more information. Thank you again for all that you do. Dennis J. Shields Chancellor June 3, 2020 Chancellor's Message: return to campus-based learning in fall 2020 Dear University Community, First and foremost, thank you for all your efforts during this unprecedented time in higher education. The last semester has seen extraordinary undertakings by our faculty, staff and students to ensure the best possible educational experiences. Second, after much consideration and consultation with health officials, we are making plans to bring students back to campus for the 2020 fall semester. Please note, these plans are fluid and depend on how well we can manage the health and safety of our university community, but we are starting from the position that we will be together in the fall. We are now taking the summer to make plans for the return to campus with safety measures enacted in the residence halls, dining areas, classrooms, office areas and our health services. We know we are going to look different than in our previous years as we these make adjustments to limit the spread of the virus. We will keep you up-to-date throughout the summer with regular communications as plans evolve, but I felt it was important to let you know as soon as possible about this decision. I am excited to see you again on our campuses! Sincerely, Dennis J. Shields Chancellor, UW-Platteville

Announcements in May

May 29, 2020 Updates on furloughs On May 6, Chancellor Dennis J. Shields announced three levels of furloughs to help combat the approximate $6.2 million revenue loss during the COVID-19 pandemic. The consecutive days and the work reductions furloughs are already underway, and the intermittent furlough plans for all employees during 2020-21 are being finalized. Chancellor Shields is engaging the shared governance leaders with the final scenarios and plans to provide a campus-wide announcement sharing the plan with all staff and faculty next week. The UW-Platteville Furlough Program Guidelines are published on the Human Resources website. May 25, 2020 Chancellor Shields' message to the university community The safety and well-being of the University of Wisconsin-Platteville community has been and will continue to be at the forefront of all our decisions regarding the COVID-19. I write today to inform you that the Grant County Public Health Department notified us that a member of the UW-Platteville community has a confirmed case of COVID-19. The individual’s name is not being released in accordance with HIPAA rules.

This individual will remain quarantined under Grant County Public Health Department guidelines until their officials have cleared the individual.

The Grant County Public Health Department will notify students, faculty, and staff who may have been had direct contact or exposure with the individual as warranted.

Those notified should contact their primary care provider for guidance.

Affected physical spaces will receive deep cleaning consistent with public health guidelines. Appropriate precautions are being taken to keep the students who are staying on campus and the essential employees working on-site safe. It is important to remember to exercise caution regarding the information you may see on social media. The Grant County Public Health Department, in conjunction with the Wisconsin State Department of Health, provides the only official quarantine measures for COVID-19. All university updates will continue to be posted at https://www.uwplatt.edu/news/update-coronavirus. I urge you to continue practicing good hygiene as well as social distancing in order to minimize spread of this virus. Stay safe and remain well! Sincerely, Chancellor Dennis J. Shields May 18, 2020 Provost Joanne Wilson message to faculty and staff We are entering the final stretch of this unusual semester! I know this has been an adjustment for all of us. I want to thank you again for all that you have done to ensure our students’ success. To turn classes, advising, counseling, tutoring and other important services to alternative delivery in a short two weeks was truly a remarkable effort. The first message is a resolution passed by Faculty Senate (see May 12 for full resolution). This was in response to the Student Senate request to change finals week. This resolution was written by Travis Nelson, Jeff Huebschman, Katie Kalish and Andy Pawl. It was approved by Faculty Senate. Subsequently, Travis Nelson and Irfan Ul-Haq took this to Student Senate. Note that the request to delay the completion of final grades until Monday, June 1, has been approved by Registrar Kieckhafer and myself. (Grades will be due on June 1 at 8 am) The second document (listed below) is an outline of the discipline process. Unfortunately we did have students that did not follow instructions and found other means to solve their exam questions. For you that are pursuing discipline for these reasons, we thought it a good idea to provide you this process. The Dean of Students office is willing to assist with discipline, but we are hoping that these issues can be resolved at the department or dean level. It is unfortunate that we have to address these issues at this time. I would point out that while this has been an issue for some faculty, I believe that the majority of our students have given their assignments, projects, and exams their very best effort. The saying that we spend 95% of our time on 5% of the people comes to mind at this time. In closing, thank you again for your patience and hard work this semester. And one last reminder that final grades must be posted on June 1 at 8 a.m.! Be safe. Joanne Outline of discipline process As the campus navigates the challenges of alternative delivery, discussions around encouraging academic integrity and holding students accountable for violations of academic misconduct have been on the rise. As such, we wanted to remind everyone how to initiate the academic misconduct process and what resources are available to instructors. If an instructor suspects academic misconduct, they will need to set up a time to discuss the alleged misconduct with the student. The next step in the process is dictated by the instructor’s decision of responsibility and recommend sanction. If the instructor determines the student is not responsible no further action is needed.

If the instructor determines a student is responsible and wants to sanction an oral reprimand, written reprimand presented only to the student, or assign the student to repeat the work, they can do so without writing a formal report.

If the instructor determines a student is responsible and wishes to lower the grade of the assignment or fail the assignment, lower the student’s course grade, or give a failing grade for the course, a formal report* needs to be written. This report needs to be mailed to the student, and e-mailed to the Dean of Students Office, student’s advisor, Registrar, and dean of the college.

If an instructor determines a student is responsible and would like to remove the student from the course, have a written reprimand included in the student’s file, recommend disciplinary probation, suspension, or expulsion, the instructor would need to write a report and forward it to the Dean of Students Office for a further investigation. For additional information on the academic misconduct process please review UWS Chapter 14. *The Dean of Students Office has created a template of the formal report required. This document is attached to this email. A few other helpful tips as you navigate this process: The first step of the process is to conference with the student about the suspicions of academic misconduct. This can be via Zoom, over the phone, etc. If the student is not responsive to this request to conference, set a hard deadline for the conference to occur and communicate that if the conference does not happen by this time, you will make a decision without the value of the student's input.

The more specific the you are in describing the alleged misconduct, (evidence, etc) the easier it is for the student to understand. This may also reduce the number of cases appealed.

If the sanction has the potential to impact the student's final grade, and the appeal window overlaps when grades are due, it is recommended that you give the student an INC in the class until the full process plays out. This is easier than a change of grade, should an appeal happen. Please note that UWS Chapter 14 requires all reports/letters to students be either hand delivered or sent via US Mail. If faculty do not have the ability to send this document via US Mail, please inform the Dean of Students Office and we will take care of this step for you. It is still your responsibility to email the report/letter to the student. For questions about how to proceed with an instance of academic misconduct in your course, please first consult with your department chair or the dean of your college. If you have additional questions about the academic misconduct process, you can further consult with the Dean of Students Office at 608.342.1854 or deanofstudents@uwplatt.edu. Thank you all for the work you continue to do during these unprecedented times. May 18, 2020 Student Body President Ben Behlke message to fellow students If we have not yet had the opportunity to meet, my name is Ben Behlke and I am the Student Body President of the University of Wisconsin-Platteville. I would first like to say, it is okay to be scared and frustrated. This is a time like never before in our lives. More people are faced with financial burdens and mental health issues like they have never experienced. It is a time filled with high anxiety and concerning uncertainties. Many have lost summer employment, and many will continue to feel the impacts of this pandemic for years to come. But in this time of great darkness, there is still light. The overwhelming support for the men and women on the front lines during this pandemic has been inspiring. The ability of our student body to convert to alternative delivery for our classes, and overcoming the challenges that come with it, and the ability to adapt to the continual rapid changes of the pandemic, is nothing short of amazing. This is told to the student body a lot, but from my position, I hear and feel the struggles that many of you feel, and to still come out on top of many of these challenges both big and small is inspiring to see. As we near the end of the current semester, I would like to send my greatest congratulations to the graduating class of 2020. The current situation should not stop you from feeling proud of all that you have accomplished and the rich legacy each one of you will leave at the university. To the continuing students, finish strong. I am sure many of you are looking forward to this whirlwind of a semester to be over, but we are in the final stretch. Be sure to study and make sure you check in with your professors if you are in need of special accommodations, due to any unique circumstances you may be facing, and be sure to know how each final exam will be administered. I wish you the best of luck during this time. As we head into the summer, be sure to read university updates and if you are feeling a great financial burden, please feel free to apply for an emergency grant. At our university, the program is called “Pioneers Help Pioneers”. They can assist with your current rental payment so you can maintain your housing, help to pay for your internet bill so that you can access online delivery of coursework, help to purchase some much-needed groceries and hygiene products, help to purchase a current medication or prescription, help to make an automobile repair so that you can continue to utilize your vehicle for essential needs and assist with the payment of this month’s utility bills. Take advantage of this if you run into financial burdens over the course of the summer. Here is the current link for the grant program https://campus.uwplatt.edu/campus-climate/pioneers-helping-pioneers. Lastly, the University of Wisconsin-Platteville Student Senate is here for you. Our email is ssenate@uwplatt.edu. If you have any issues or concerns talk to us and let us know how we can help. We are here to serve as your voice during this uncertain time. No matter how big or small it may be, you letting us know will help us in serving you. Feel free to like and message us on Facebook as well for more updates from us. We are hoping to be as transparent as we can through the summer months so liking us on Facebook will allow you to receive the updates as soon as possible. Thank you all, and I hope you are staying safe and well. May 15, 2020 Commencement recognition pages The University of Wisconsin-Platteville salutes all of its 2020 spring and summer candidates for graduation! Each campus has put together special commencement recognition sites to honor our graduates. Once it is safe to do so, we plan to host an in-person celebration. The UW-Platteville campus page features a video tribute along with a PDF of all our candidates' names. That site is at https://www.uwplatt.edu/204commencement Our branch campus celebrations are at: UW-Platteville Baraboo Sauk County (premiering Sunday at 2 p.m.)

UW-Platteville Richland (Facebook site) May 14, 2020 A Message from the Chancellor Yesterday, the Wisconsin Supreme Court ended Gov. Tony Evers' Safer at Home edict and as a result, many businesses opened up immediately. At the University of Wisconsin-Platteville, the health, safety and well-being of our students, faculty and staff continue to be at the forefront of our decisions. Currently, our campus is operating remotely with limited staff on campus to minimize any unnecessary risk to the health or safety of our campus community while still delivering educational content to our students through alternative methods. In light of the court’s decision, we will develop a plan as to how, when and under what conditions we should allow employees to return to campus safely and effectively. This decision will be made in consultation with our local public health officials. We will continue to have thoughtful and deliberate conversations regarding the health and safety of UW-Platteville. While we would all like to be together as soon as possible, that won't happen until we can ensure the safest possible environment for all. Be Strong, Be Safe, Be Pioneers. Sincerely, Chancellor Dennis J. Shields May 12, 2020 Platteville's M to be be lit blue tonight Southwest Health and UW-Platteville are lighting the M blue tonight in support of the health care industry dealing with the COVID-19 pandemic. The M will be turned blue, with lighting equipment donated by Scott Implement, at dusk tonight through 10:30 p.m. The World's Largest M measures 214 by 241 feet and was constructed in 1937 by students from the mining school. That school merged with the teacher's college in 1959 to form what is now known as UW-Platteville. May 6-12 is National Nurses Week, while May 10-16 is National Hospital Week. Please join us in saluting those who are leading the health response to COVID-19. May 12, 2020 A message from Provost Joanne Wilson to students Dear UW-Platteville Students, We are currently in our last week of what would have been your face-to-face classes. I know that there have been many bumps along this journey. There are so many things I would like to acknowledge about this semester. You have responded to everything as well as can be expected. Yes, things weren’t always perfect and I hope you have learned that you are able to advocate for yourselves. You should never be afraid to speak up and ask the appropriate questions. Members of the Academic Affairs team have reached out to many of you in the past weeks, and we have done our best to rectify a difficult situation that you may have found yourself in. I am extremely proud of our students and their successes this semester. Likewise, I am proud of the faculty who have also done their best to teach you. As we move forward, know that we are doing our best to plan what the subsequent semesters will look like. We maintain student success at the core of our planning. As the Chancellor stated in his campus email Monday afternoon, we are working on different scenarios that will depend on where we are with this pandemic. Scenario 1: Face-to-face with normal or late start date after ensuring living and learning spaces meet all safety guidelines established by our local, state and national guidelines.

Scenario 2: Completely alternative delivery with late start to allow for two weeks of training for students, faculty and staff to maximize the educational experience. In addition, there are a few other things I would like to address as you move forward through this week and finals week. Final Projects and Exams Below you will find the Faculty Senate resolution regarding final projects and finals week. After the faculty senate approved this document, the faculty presented this to Student Senate as well. The paragraph that is most important to you as a student states the following: “Given the special circumstances of the semester, and recognizing that many students have limited flexibility in their schedules, we ask faculty and staff to offer students more time to complete and submit final projects and exams than would be required in an on-campus setting and to refrain from including any material on a final exam that was not adequately covered in class. The logistics of a final exam week in alternative delivery also leads us to strongly encourage faculty and staff to, if at all possible, reduce the length of their final exam compared to a typical semester and to be prepared to offer reasonable accommodations to students who communicate scheduling issues in advance. Individual instructors may also determine whether they want to make a final assessment optional, convert a cumulative final to a non-cumulative exam, or offer other alternatives to a traditional final. In order to accommodate as much individual flexibility as possible, we ask the provost and registrar’s office to consider extending the deadline for final grades submission to June 1, 2020.“ I encourage you to communicate with your faculty this week about the expectations that they have regarding the final projects and exams that they are asking you to complete. Their expectations for the following two weeks should be clearly identified for you. And the request for a later date for final grade submission has been approved by Registrar Kieckhafer and myself. Commencement I am extremely sad that we will not be holding commencement exercises this weekend. As many of you might know, this was to be the last set of commencement exercises that I would emcee, as I am retiring at the end of June. Commencement is always my favorite day, and this day was to be even more special spent with all of you. Recently we sent a survey to the campus community asking for opinions on what we should do to recognize our graduates. The most common response was that you wanted a ceremony, with a REAL stage, that you could enjoy with your family and friends. We are going to do our best to honor your request for a real ceremony. We expect that this might be scheduled for late Fall, as we will know more about the social distancing restrictions which should be followed. In place of the ceremonies this weekend, we intend to post a website dedicated to recognizing you as May and August graduates. The Chancellor will say a few words as will I and ALL of the names of those of you intending to graduate will be listed on the website. We will provide a link so that each of you can provide picture(s) of you celebrating your commencement. We intend to create a video with all of these pictures and that video will be posted later in June. Those of you that provided an address in the survey, we are working on that project and hope to have it completed as soon as possible. This has turned out to be a bit bigger endeavor than we had projected, and we are waiting for a few shipped items to arrive at the university before we can complete the project. Please note that we are only sending this package to those graduates that asked us for this delivery. Provide Information to Us Soon you will be asked to provide your feedback on alternative delivery. This survey will be about your overall educational experience and differs from in-course evaluations that some of your instructors may require. When asked to respond to the survey, please answer the questions about your overall experience in your classes since Spring Break. We will use this information to help us improve your learning experiences in the future. As I close, I want to ask that you continue to complete your courses and give them your best effort. Please know that the campus community is doing its best to support you. We are hopeful that we will be able to see you in a face to face environment in the fall semester. Please be safe. Sincerely, Joanne May 12, 2020 Faculty Senate Resolution FACULTY RESOLVE TO COVID 19 STUDENT SENATE ACADEMIC RESOLUTION [20200330] This memo is in response to the portion of the Student Senate Covid-19 Academic Resolution (sponsored by Senator Ciesla) requesting that students be allowed to opt out of final assessments and projects and that due dates for final assessments and projects be extended to 5:00 p.m. on Friday, May 22, 2020. Other important aspects of this resolution have been addressed by the provost and deans. We certainly recognize that students are under extraordinary and diverse pressures in these challenging times and have worked very hard to adapt to the particular challenges of alternative delivery instruction. Despite the significant concerns outlined in the Student Senate resolution, the student body has demonstrated remarkable persistence, responsibility, flexibility, and resilience and has, in most cases, engaged positively and productively in newly-structured courses. Faculty and instructional staff have worked similarly hard to quickly restructure their courses and instructional methods and have, in most cases, done their best to accommodate student needs as much as possible. Because we value academic freedom and the rights of faculty and instructional staff to make decisions about student learning, pedagogy, and assessment, we do not support a broad policy of optional final assessments and projects. Such assessments and projects are often essential to the integrative and reflective parts of student learning. And the content covered in these assessments and projects is often vital for next-step courses or as preparation for pre-professional tracks. Similarly, a universal extension of final assessment and project due dates to May 22 is likely to have unintended scheduling and other consequences for both students and faculty/staff. Given the special circumstances of the semester, and recognizing that many students have limited flexibility in their schedules, we ask faculty and staff to offer students more time to complete and submit final projects and exams than would be required in an on-campus setting and to refrain from including any material on a final exam that was not adequately covered in class. The logistics of a final exam week in alternative delivery also leads us to strongly encourage faculty and staff to, if at all possible, reduce the length of their final exam compared to a typical semester and to be prepared to offer reasonable accommodations to students who communicate scheduling issues in advance. Individual instructors may also determine whether they want to make a final assessment optional, convert a cumulative final to a non-cumulative exam, or offer other alternatives to a traditional final. In order to accommodate as much individual flexibility as possible, we ask the provost and registrar’s office to consider extending the deadline for final grades submission to June 1, 2020. Finally, we invite students to communicate regularly with their instructors and, when necessary, department chairs – especially if they are having academic or other difficulties. It is very important that we as a UW-Platteville community continue to support each other and to help our students learn and thrive. APPROVED BY FACULTY SENATE APRIL 28, 2020 May 11, 2020 A message from Chancellor Dennis J. Shields Greetings, As we begin the final week of classes this semester, I offer my sincerest appreciation for all you have done during this unprecedented time in our history. Your willingness and ability to adapt have been nothing short of remarkable. I have been thoroughly impressed with our entire university community during this time. You truly are why every day is a great day to be a Pioneer. Congratulations to our graduating seniors. I will miss shaking your hands and celebrating with you this weekend. It is important that we reschedule your ceremony so we have that opportunity. Congratulations and thank you as well to our faculty and staff who are retiring after this academic year. We plan to have a retirement party for you when we are all together face-to-face again. For those who are returning this fall, I assure you that we are working on different scenarios that will depend on where we are with this pandemic. Scenario 1: Face-to-face with normal or late start date after ensuring living and learning spaces meet all safety guidelines established by our local, state and national guidelines.

Scenario 2: Completely alternative delivery with late start to allow for two weeks of training for students, faculty and staff to maximize the educational experience. I know it is everyone’s preference, including mine, to return to face-to-face classes as soon as possible, but your safety and well-being have been–and will continue to be­–at the forefront of all our decisions. If all 7,000+ students, faculty and staff are back in close contact on a daily basis, and there is an outbreak, we could overwhelm our healthcare facilities. That is why we as a university have acted with such careful and deliberate methods in assessing the feasibility of this situation. We have a responsibility to you and to the entire Tri-State area. We will continue to assess the ever-changing situation and would like to have a decision around July 1 so we can all be prepared for the fall. Thank you again for your commitment to the UW-Platteville educational experience. Be Safe. Be Strong. Be Pioneers. Sincerely, Chancellor Dennis J. Shields May 6, 2020 Chancellor's message regarding budget, furloughs Over the past two months, our campus and communities have endured many changes and challenges as we face the COVID-19 pandemic. The way in which we deliver a world-class education and services to our students, and the way in which this university runs day-to-day has been transformed. I want to thank each and every one of you for your flexibility and commitment during these unprecedented times. Prior to the pandemic, UW-Platteville was facing a budgetary shortfall of $8.2 million including branch campuses. The effects of COVID-19 on this campus has resulted in an additional revenue loss of $6.5 million through summer 2020, and we will continue to feel the effects of the pandemic for much longer. We have received approximately $4.8 million in federal assistance; 50% of these dollars must be used for the sole purpose of providing emergency financial aid grants to students, and 50% may be used to cover costs associated with significant changes to the delivery of instruction due to the coronavirus and refunds to students. Additionally, Governor Evers has directed state entities to reduce their spending by 5% by July 1, 2020 which equates to a reduction of approximately $1.4 million in our current fiscal year’s spending. The university has been engaged in budget planning and reduction activities for the past several months. The current crisis increased those efforts. Some immediate actions we took to control current and future costs included: Voluntary Separation Incentive Program (VSIP)

Freezing travel and limiting non-essential expenses

Reducing or rotating staff in areas where services have been reduced or eliminated

Limiting recruitment and hiring with increased approval processes

Redoubling our efforts to increase enrollment Unfortunately, we must take additional short-term steps to address the ongoing financial challenges including the implementation of a furlough program at UW-Platteville. The furlough program will consist of three phases: 1.) consecutive furlough, 2.) temporary work reduction furlough, and 3.) intermittent furlough. The decision to implement a furlough program did not come easy, and I thank everyone who participated in the employee survey which helped to shape the design of this program. Beginning May 18, approximately 70 UW-Platteville employees of operational units where services or workload has been reduced or eliminated due to the COVID-19 pandemic will be placed on consecutive day furloughs of up to three months. A consecutive day furlough is assigned in full-day increments for a continuous period of time with a defined start and end date; dates may differ by operational unit. Employees identified for a consecutive day furlough will be notified by their supervisor or manager and by a letter mailed to their home address 7 days prior to the first day of the furlough. Employees may not utilize any paid leave benefit on a day the employee is assigned to a consecutive day furlough; however, they are eligible for apply for unemployment benefits. Estimated savings from the consecutive leave program may reach $500,000. Some employees will be placed on temporary work reduction furlough beginning around May 18. A temporary work reduction (TWR) furlough assignment reduces the FTE percentage of an employee’s appointment for a continuous period of time with a defined start and end date. Leaders are currently working to identify staff for whom this may be an option, and implementation dates and length of TWR furlough assignments will vary. Employees will receive at least 7 days’ notice prior to the start of the TWR, and they will also be eligible to apply for unemployment. Reach out to your supervisor if you feel a temporary work reduction may be an option for you. Finally, we will be implementing an intermittent furlough program for all employee classifications from July 1, 2020 – June 30, 2021. Thank you again to all of you who completed the employee furlough survey. Your input has been instrumental in developing several financial models currently in consideration. Details on the intermittent furlough program are still being finalized. The Chancellor intends to make a final decision by the end of the month. The UW-Platteville Furlough Program Guidelines have been published on the Human Resources website and will be updated upon finalization of the intermittent furlough details. Additionally, I invite you to review the UW System Administrative Policy 1200-Interim 04: Furlough which establishes the guidelines for institutional furlough program development. I recognize that this is a stressful and challenging time for all of you, and it is a lot to ask our campus community to participate in a furlough program. I am confident that these efforts, along with increased budget planning and reduction activities to create a sustainable budget model, will ensure that we are able to provide a world-class education for generations to come. Thank you again for all that you do. It is because of you that every day is a great day to be a Pioneer! Dennis J. Shields Chancellor May 5, 2020 Commencement update It is the University of Wisconsin-Platteville's full intention to have our spring 2020 graduates walk across the stage at some point. Our graduates have earned that right, and we are anxious to set a new commencement date, once we know when public gatherings will be safe again. For the main campus students, please watch for an announcement about a special web site that will go live on May 14 to recognize those who are graduating. Similar recognition sites or videos will be communicated to branch campus graduates as well as online graduates. Be Safe. Be Strong. Be Pioneers.

Announcements in April

April 30, 2020 WiFi connections We are aware that some of you are struggling with reliable WiFi connections. For those in the Platteville area, we encourage you to use the university WiFi in the Karrmann Library parking lot for large downloads or uploads. Your university login and password will still be needed. If you are taking advantage of the stronger university WiFi connections in the parking lot, please remember to still use proper social distancing. For those near the Richland and Baraboo Sauk County campuses and across Wisconsin, the Public Service Commission (PSC) of Wisconsin provides information on public internet resources in your local communities at https://psc.wi.gov/Pages/Programs/BroadbandEmergencyInternetResources.aspx April 28, 2020 Return of UW-Platteville Items (textbooks, equipment, instruments, materials, etc.) at UW-Platteville Main Campus (Branch campus students please note: similar information is being compiled and will be sent for UW-Platteville Baraboo Sauk County and UW-Platteville Richland.)

We hope you are doing well during these times. We also want to wish you well as we approach the end of the semester. With the semester soon coming to a close, we understand that students may want to take care of as much as possible while they are moving out of their Residence Halls or Off-Campus housing. So, all students may drop off items belonging to the University (textbooks, lab equipment, instruments, etc.), this weekend, May 1st , 2nd , and 3rd and on May 28, 28, 30, or the 31st from the hours of 8AM-8PM.

The drop-off location will be located in Ullsvik Hall, Velzy Commons. Ullsvik Hall will be completely secured, except for the large bank of doors found on the Hickory St. side of the building, which will be the entrance for drop off. To stay consistent with Grant County Health and CDC guidelines, UW-Platteville will provide social distancing by only allowing a maximum of thirty students in Velzy at one time. There will be an employee at the entrance that will authorize you to enter in the facility. We are encouraging social distancing outside the facility as well. Masks/face-coverings will not be provided, but UW-Platteville strongly encourages you to bring your own PPE.

This is a drop-off only. Students will be expected to find the appropriate labeled table to drop their items off and leave immediately, through the doors marked “Exit”. Textbooks and equipment will be “checked-in” at a later date.

On-time textbook due date has been extended to June 12. A two-week late fee period will follow: June 12, after 4 pm – June 19 4 pm $3 per book

June 19, after 4 pm – June 26 4pm $5 per book

After June 26 4pm, Spring textbooks will not be accepted and will be charged the full amount to student PASS accounts. UW-Platteville prefers that for safety reasons textbooks and other items be mailed, at student expense, to: “Enter Department Name” for example Textbook Center

University of Wisconsin-Platteville

1 University Plaza

Platteville, WI 53818 Use the US Postal Service “Media Mail”, it is tracked and the most affordable rate. Please see USPS Media Mail Rates. Media Mail is defined as: recordings, books, scripts, DVDs, CDs, etc

Textbooks may also be dropped off at the Textbook Center drop box or Karrmann Library drop boxes. All drop boxes are available 24/7. Student identification on textbooks is not required at drop off.

For oversized or very sensitive items please contact your instructor to make arrangements. For those students in need of picking up property in university buildings, it is recommended that you contact your instructor to make those arrangements.

Please note that we will continue to confer with county and state officials regarding the safety of completing a check out. The above dates are subject to change, and you will be notified if they do. April 23, 2020 New Student Registration to utilize virtual format For the health and safety of our campus communities, the University of Wisconsin-Platteville will be transitioning to a virtual format for summer 2020 New Student Registration. Even though New Student Registration is going to be a bit different than originally planned, the university is committed to offering a personalized, engaging experience online for incoming freshmen and families. All students will have their own Success Team to answer questions and provide guidance along the way, as they learn about important resources, connect with the campus community, register for classes and prepare for the fall semester. Additional information about NSR and placement testing will also be sent directly to the incoming students in the near future. For questions, please contact Academic Support Programs at 608.342.1081 or academicsupport@uwplatt.edu. In the meantime, Be Safe. Be Strong. Be Pioneers. April 22, 2020 Drop deadline extended, fee waived The drop classes deadline has been extended until the last day of classes. Students now have until 4 p.m. on May 15 to officially drop a course. The drop fee has been waived for this semester as well. Resources for all three campus Single sites with links to helpful resources during this semester have now been developed for all three campuses. UW-Platteville Main Campus

https://uwplatt.sharepoint.com/sites/EnrollmentStudentSuccess/SitePages/Campus-Resources-for-Students-During-COVID-19.aspx

UW-Platteville Baraboo Sauk County

https://uwplatt.sharepoint.com/sites/BarabooSaukCounty/SitePages/COVID-19-Resources-for-Baraboo-Sauk-County.aspx

UW-Platteville Richland

https://uwplatt.sharepoint.com/sites/Richland/SitePages/COVID-19-Resources-for-Richland.aspx Travel update All university travel by air is suspended through at least Aug. 1 (previously the university announced the suspension through May 31). In addition, all travel by land for university-related business must be approved in advance by the applicable divisional leader. April 22, 2020 Parking refunds for main campus UW-Platteville has been working to develop a plan to refund students and employees for unused time for parking on the main campus parking lots, due to COVID-19. The University Police Department will be refunding students and employees that have purchased either an annual or a spring semester parking permit, a percentage of the total amount paid. This percentage is based off the time left, and the original purchase price of the permit.



Should students or employees have any questions, please feel free to email us at police@uwplatt.edu.



For students, University Police will work with the Cashier’s Office to process the adjustments. This may result in a refund. Refunds for these adjustments will be initiated on April 21, 2020 and you should start to see them in your bank accounts around April 24, 2020. Make sure you’ve set up your BankMobile preferences.



For employees that paid through payroll deduction, the refunds will appear on a future paycheck. (Monthly on the May 1st check and bi-weekly on the May 7th check)



For employees that paid directly, the refunds will be issued through a paper check and mailed to the address on file.



The university has previously sent emails to those students impacted regarding refunds for dining, housing, and student work continuation. April 20, 2020 Residence hall move-out days To allow students to collect their belongings from the main campus residence halls and still ensure social distancing, UW-Platteville has devised a staggered schedule for April 25-26 and May 1-3. Students vacated the residence halls on March 13 for an extended two-week spring break due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The two weeks of alternative delivery originally scheduled to follow the spring break were extended to the entire semester following Gov. Tony Evers’ Safer At Home decree. The Safer At Home order originally expired on April 24, and the edict does allow for facilitated evacuation of residence halls. This plan has been approved by the UW-Platteville Emergency Operations Center with guidance from the Grant County Health Department. To ensure the safety and well-being of the students and staff, students have registered for different two-hour slots over the five move-out days. Only 20 students, with no more than two helpers, are scheduled per time slot per building to collect and move their belongings. In addition, the parking lots will be staffed to facilitate traffic flow and encourage social distancing. The Centers for Disease Controls recommends social distancing of at least six feet. Personal safety measures, such as masks, are also encouraged. April 16, 2020 Chancellor's communication regarding furloughs On April 16, 2020, the Board of Regents Executive Committee reviewed and approved amendments to Regent Policy Document 20-21 which authorizes UW institutions to implement furloughs. UW System 1200 Interim 04 Policy: Furlough establishes standards for UW System institution furlough programs. Specifically, the Board Resolution states: The University of Wisconsin System is facing increased fiscal challenges as a result of the COVID-19 crisis. As a result, the Executive Committee of the Board of Regents, under the authority granted to the Board in Wis. Stats. s. 36.115, is being asked to modify Regent Policy Document 20-21 to authorize the UW System President and the UW-Madison Chancellor to create furlough policies. The furlough policies will provide options in addition to the other workforce reduction and cost saving measures, to address these financial challenges in a way that minimizes layoffs and maximizes the UW System’s ability to continue to perform its critical educational and outreach mission. The furlough process is not a substitute for layoff, non-renewal, or termination processes as outlined in the Wisconsin Administrative code, systemwide policies, and institutional policies Per this Resolution, the Board grants the President the authority to delegate to individual Chancellors of institutions other than UW-Madison the administration and oversight of the personnel system for all system employees (excluding UW-Madison, which has its own personnel system). The Chancellor and Leadership Team are reviewing the UW System 1200 Interim 04 Policy in detail and will determine shortly whether to use the furlough process to address our budgetary and revenue shortfalls created by COVID-19. The Chancellor fully realizes the financial impact that a furlough or reduction in pay/work can have on our employees and will be considering this impact throughout every stage of this process. The Chancellor will be consulting with governance and other university leaders and sharing any tentative plans prior to making any final decisions on furloughs. More information and details will be forthcoming next week. (Update: the university sent a survey to faculty and staff for input on April 23.) April 16, 2020 COVID-19 Updates: grades, drop deadline, summer announcements Many universities have decided to modify their grading approach for the Spring 2020 semester due to the COVID-19 pandemic. After careful consideration, UW-Platteville is adjusting its grading approach through changes to a series of policies. Students, faculty and staff are aware that a Pass/Fail option is being adopted by many other universities. The Academic Affairs team does not believe that this approach will benefit the students at UW-Platteville. The decision to provide changes to the following policies and standards will prevent students from inadvertently disadvantaging themselves at a later date in their academic career. The Provost has reviewed this plan with the Faculty and Student Senates. The Chancellor has agreed that this is the best plan for our students at this time. Possible issues with the Pass/Fail option include students putting themselves in jeopardy for future classes, ability to meet GPA requirements for specific programs and subsequent admissions to graduate school. Changes to policies include: Extending the last day to drop to April 20 (originally scheduled for April 9)

Waiving the drop fee for the remainder of the Spring 2020 semester

A note will be inserted on each student’s transcript for the Spring 2020 semester indicating that this was a semester that was interrupted by the COVID 19 pandemic

Leniency of the dismissal policy. For a student on first semester of final probation, if Spring 2020 term is 0.0 GPA and the student is dismissed, the student may appeal for re-entry. If the term GPA is above 0.0—the student will be placed on standing earned or, if already on 2nd semester of final probation, will stay on final probation. A student who was on one semester dismissal and was reinstated as special student this semester: if the Spring 2020 GPA is 0.0, student is dismissed and may appeal; if the GPA earned is above 0.0, the student will be reinsta