Learn about the campus re-entry process for the Fall 2020 Semester

See Wentworth's full Re-entry Site for more information on schedules, campus life, testing and health precautions.

Wentworth Institute of Technology is well into the implementation of a comprehensive campus reentry plan for the Fall 2020 semester.  As President Mark A. Thompson has announced, the university is offering a combination of in-person, virtual and hybrid instruction, depending on course content and the need for applied learning. Students are occupying residence halls on campus, with numerous public health practices and precautions in place.

“We are confident that we can minimize risk while providing an outstanding education and a high-quality student experience, but we are asking everyone in the community to take individual responsibility for protecting themselves and others," said Thompson.

Key features of the reentry plan are:

• A 15-week academic schedule with classes began on September 8 and ends with a final exam period that concludes on December 15.
• Across all majors, many lecture-based courses are being delivered through an interactive, virtual learning model for students living on or off campus.
• Classes such as labs and studios, are being delivered in person with measures in place that include a combination of personal protective equipment, physical distancing, and cleaning protocols. Using the virtual learning approach for lecture-based courses creates the space that is required to de-densify the labs and studios to achieve public health guidelines.
• A select group of courses is being delivered in a hybrid model that includes both virtual and in-person learning, when this approach is best suited to achieving learning goals.  
• Students who needed or preferred to remain off campus were given the option of completing the entire semester via virtual learning.

Returning to labs, studios and living quarters required de-densifying spaces to reduce overall occupancy. The reentry also requires health monitoring, testing, use of personal protective equipment including face coverings, physical distancing, strict attention to personal hygiene procedures, contact tracing, and intensive and frequent cleaning of spaces.

“We are focusing heavily on the concept of social solidarity where we are all united in taking individual and collective actions to care for ourselves, each other and our broader community,” said Thompson.

Move-in dates were expanded and staggered to avoid crowding and allow for physical distancing. In-person co-curricular activities have been modified. Wentworth has been collaborating with student leaders to develop innovative engagement opportunities for student clubs, organizations, and events. Overall, dozens of staff and faculty members are working on several teams at Wentworth, guided by medical, public health, and emergency management expertise, to implement best practices for returning to campus.

Thompson noted that plans for the semester are subject to change to respond to evolving federal, state, and city regulations, and as conditions around the pandemic fluctuate.

Read about how the Wentworth community has been helping during the COVID-19 pandemic.