UW Working Groups Focus on Fall Reopening Issues

In preparation for the May 13-15 University of Wyoming Board of Trustees meeting, five working groups of faculty, staff and students have been formed to put together policies and procedures that could be used if the trustees decide to reopen campus this fall.

“Our trustees will not reopen campus unless the administration can provide our students, staff and faculty with the gold standard in testing and prevention of COVID-19,” Acting President Neil Theobald says.

The five working groups focus on:

--University Operations: On-campus education/activities present numerous challenges (e.g., visitors to campus) that UW must mitigate with rules, regulations and policy changes.

Vice President/General Counsel Tara Evans and Acting President Neil Theobald, co-chairs. Other members: Athletics Director Tom Burman, Interim Vice President for Administration Bill Mai, Director of Government Relations Meredith Asay, Wyoming State Veterinary Lab Director Will Laegreid, Student Health Service Director Mary Beth Bender, Director of Education Abroad Shelley Jewell.

-- University Structure: Curriculum procedures such as class size restrictions and modes of instruction for larger classes.

Vice Provost Tami Benham-Deal and Associate Vice President for Financial Affairs David Jewell, co-chairs. Other members: Associate Vice Provost for Undergraduate Education Anne Alexander, Associate Vice Provost for Graduate Education Jim Ahern, Associate Vice President for Research Diana Hulme. (Additional subgroups listed below.)

-- Social Structure: Residence hall practices and student interaction guidelines.

Vice President for Student Affairs Kim Chestnut, chair. Other members: Residence Life and Dining Services Executive Director Eric Webb, Center for Student Involvement and Leadership Director Jeremy Davis, Associate Vice President/Dean of Student Success and Graduation Nycole Courtney, ASUW President Riley Talamantes, Associate Vice Provost for Enrollment Management Kyle Moore, Senior Project Coordinator Courtney Thomson-Lichty, Deputy Athletics Director Matt Whisenant, Student Health Service nurse Holly Bowlds, Sports Medicine Dr. Matt Boyer.

-- Personnel Policies: Protecting older populations, especially those with underlying health problems and guidelines for working remotely.

Associate Vice President for Human Resources Tom Koczara, chair. Other members: Deputy General Counsel Paula Whaley, HR Operations Director Mark Bercheni, Chief Diversity Officer Emily Monago, Vice President for Information Technology Robert Aylward, Staff Senate representative James Wheeler, Faculty Senate representative Rudi Michalak, ASUW representative Jason Wilkins, Executive Assistant to the Provost Mandy Gifford.

--Community and State Interaction: Protecting Albany County residents, coordination with Wyoming Department of health, coordination with community colleges.

Interim Vice President for Community Affairs Chris Boswell and Associate Vice President for Marketing and Communications Chad Baldwin, co-chairs. Other members: Director of Government Relations Meredith Asay, Chief Risk Officer Tim Wiseman.

Additional subgroups under the University Structure working group:

Scheduling and Instructional Delivery

College of Arts and Sciences Associate Dean Danny Dale, facilitator. Other members: College of Engineering and Applied Science Interim Dean Cam Wright, School of Nursing Dean Sherrill Smith, Department of Visual Arts Head Ricki Klages, Department of Music Head Scott Turpen, Department of Plant Sciences faculty member Randa Jabbour, Department of Chemical Engineering faculty member Joe Holles, Faculty Senate Chair Rudi Michalak, Ellbogen Center for Teaching and Learning Director Janel Seeley, Director of Enrollment Marketing Jenny Petty, Registrar Kwanna King, Scholarships and Financial Aid Director Debra Hintz, Campus Architect Matt Newman, Wyoming Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit graduate student Rhiannon Jakopak.

Research

Department of Botany Head Naomi Ward, facilitator. Other members: College of Health Sciences David Jones, School of Pharmacy Dean Kem Krueger, Wyoming Agricultural Experiment Station Interim Director John Ritten, American Heritage Center Director Paul Flesher, Department of Zoology and Physiology Head Scott Seville, School of Energy Resources Executive Director Holly Krutka, Department of Chemical Engineering faculty member Patrick Johnson, Department of Economics faculty member Dave Finnoff, Department of Theatre and Dance faculty member Marsha Knight, Department of History and American Studies Head Isa Helfgott, Director of Research Integrity and Compliance Carolyn Broccardo, Office of Sponsored Programs Senior Director Comfort Brownell, Associate Vice Provost for Graduate Education Jim Ahern, Associate Vice President for Research Diana Hulme, neuroscience/pharmacy research assistant Danny Burns, Assistant to the Vice President of Research and Economic Development Karyn Bercheni.

Reflection, Assessment and Lessons Learned

College of Business Dean Dave Sprott, facilitator. Other members: College of Education Associate Dean Leslie Rush, Department of Family and Consumer Sciences Head Chrissy Wade, Department of Mathematics and Statistics Head Jason Williford, Department of Theatre and Dance Head Margaret Wilson, Department of Economics Head Dave Aadland, WWAMI Medical Education Program Director Tim Robinson, School of Nursing faculty member Ann Marie Hart, Ellbogen Center for Teaching and Learning faculty member Christi Boggs, LeaRN Programs Director April Heaney, Outreach Credit Programs Manager Jayne Pearce, ASUW President Riley Talamantes, Wyoming Survey and Analysis Center Interim Director Tiffany Cook.

Additionally, several other groups continue to handle UW’s response to the pandemic:

-- Emergency Executive Policy Group: General Counsel Tara Evans, Vice President for Student Affairs Kim Chestnut, Vice Provost Tami Benham-Deal, Associate Vice President for Financial Affairs David Jewell. Provides overall direction, management and coordination for all operational functions. Establishes operational priorities and strategies.

-- Emergency Operations Group: Vice President for Information Technology Robert Aylward and Interim Vice President for Administration Bill Mai, co-chairs. Other members: Chief Risk Officer Tim Wiseman, Associate Vice President for Human Resources Tom Koczara, UW Police Chief Mike Samp, Associate Vice President for Operations John Davis, Facilities Engineering Deputy Director Jen Coast, Deputy Risk Officer Curtis Cannell, Student Health Service nurse Holly Bowlds, Sports Medicine Dr. Matt Boyer, Associate Vice Provost for Undergraduate Education Anne Alexander, College of Health Sciences Dean David Jones, Residence Life and Dining Services Executive Director Eric Webb, Interim Dean of Students Ryan O’Neil, Associate Vice President for Research Diana Hulme. Provides policy direction and general support, defines emergency policy, and determines program closures and resumptions.

-- Government Relations Working Group: Director of Government Relations Meredith Asay, chair. Other members: College of Health Sciences Dean David Jones, School of Pharmacy Dean Kem Krueger, College of Engineering and Applied Science Interim Dean Cam Wright, Associate Vice Provost for Graduate Education Jim Ahern, Associate Vice President for Research Diana Hulme, veterinary science Associate Professor Brant Schumaker, and botany Professor Alex Buerkle. Leverages the knowledge of UW employees and research base to serve Wyoming and its citizens during the pandemic.