A fall unlike any other

A fall unlike any other The excitement of the first weeks on campus is overshadowed by COVID-19 and a campus shutdown.

A brightly lit "L" glows on top of Grandad Bluff to welcome students and families to UWL during the first week of classes.

The Screaming Eagles Color Guard practice near Center for the Arts before the first day of classes. Members of the Screaming Eagle Band moved in a week before the rest of campus to practice for their upcoming season.

Screaming Eagles Marching Band drummers practice their scores while physically distancing and wearing masks in Lindner Forest.

Students and families move into the residence halls during an extended move in period to keep numbers of people low on campus.

Chancellor Joe Gow introduces himself to the new faculty in the Student Union during faculty orientation.

A student finds solitude near the new patio next to Wittich Hall.

Classes at UWL started the semester with a hybrid model of in-person and virtual classes to keep classroom capacity low on Sept. 8, 2020. Classrooms are marked with physical distance stickers and masks are required.

A student studies in the Student Union during the first week of classes. Chairs and tables were removed to keep students safe.

A student studies in Centennial Hall during the first week of classes. Seats and study areas are marked and taped off with physical distancing measures.

A student gets her temperature checked before heading into the Recreational Eagle Center for a workout. Lower capacity, symptom checks, mask requirements, extra cleanings and scheduled signup times were in place to keep student safe while exercising.

Assistant Professor Charlotte Roberts, Educational Studies, lectures to students in person and online during the first week of classes. Some classes were split and would rotate from in-person to virtual during scheduled times of the week.

Top, on Sept. 10, after a surge in positive tests, UWL ordered Coate Hall residents to shelter in place three days into the semester. Bottom left, a Coate Hall resident uses sticky notes on their room window to facetiously call for help during the Coate Hall shelter in place order. Bottom right, Chartwells dining staff set up an outdoor food pickup for Coate Hall residents.

Students carry to-go food from Whitney to eat outside on Coate Field.

Students walking outside of the Student Union.

Students studying near Eagle Hall.

A group of students with food from Whitney Center.

A student walks by Sanford Hall. On Sunday, Sept. 13, the university told all residence halls to shelter in place. In person classes were suspended and transitioned to an online format. In an email to students and staff, Chancellor Joe Gow said the reason for the shutdown was “a high number of positive test results among resident students in a variety of residence halls, and due to our isolation spaces approaching the point of being filled."

Chatwells set up a temporary food tent for students sheltering in place in the residence halls.

Students take advantage of the warm fall weather on campus to study outside and exercise.

UWL student Jackson Falkner moves out of the Wentz Hall quarantine back to his room. He said his symptoms were mild but quarantine was very boring. He made it a point to focus hard on his classes and not fall behind.

A sign of fall as a light post is adorned by yellow leaves near Hoeschler Tower.

Students take a sunlit stroll past the Whitney Center, carrying a Kwik Trip grocery haul back to the residence hall.

Appreciate

Credits:

Michael Lieurance, University Communications