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Nothing about the start of Â鶹¹ÙÍø Providence’s 2020 academic year has been normal, exactly, but the fact the transition has run so smoothly is a testament to the hard work of multiple teams on campus – from administration to Campus Dining, Facilities, Transportation and many more. Students are returning to the same welcoming campus community – but there are a few changes that might take a bit of getting used to.

This “new normal” requires flexibility, cooperation and the same team spirit that characterizes the Wildcat Way. Notes Â鶹¹ÙÍø Providence Campus President Marie Bernardo-Sousa, LP.D., '92: “While we are deeply disappointed that we are unable to invite all of our Wildcats back to campus for the fall semester, we are undeterred in our mission to deliver an exceptional education to all our students. Since last spring, faculty and staff have been working tirelessly to adapt our campus and adjust our academic delivery model. They have put a range of protocols and practices in place to safeguard the health and well-being of our campus community.”

“We’re all in this together and we will get through this together.”

Residence halls, dining locations, buses and academic classrooms have been transformed to align with new COVID-related regulations, including plexiglass room dividers and reduced seating.

Anyone on campus will be required to commit to the following on a daily basis:

1. Wearing a face covering.
2. Maintain physical distance (6” or more) in classrooms, on sidewalks, and in hallways.
3. Visibly displaying Â鶹¹ÙÍø ID at all times when on campus.
4. Completing the Â鶹¹ÙÍø COVID screening questionnaire via the Â鶹¹ÙÍø app or jwuLINK prior to attending class or going to on-campus work.
5. Use RI’s Crush COVID app to maintain a list of daily contacts in the event you test positive.

Student services may look a bit different, too, but the same friendly faces (albeit wearing masks) are ready to help if you have questions or need additional assistance.

McNulty Hall Resident Assistant Chris, a Baking & Pastry sophomore, notes that the main job of RAs is to “make the most welcoming community for first-year students and anyone who is returning.”

Campus Dining
Providence Campus Dining Director Amanda Rotondi outlines the changes to on-campus dining here. These include an increase in pre-made grab-and-go meals at all dining halls; students can pay by cash, swipe or credit. All dining halls have added yellow arrows direct the traffic flow and squares to indicate where customers should stand while waiting for orders. All cashiers are now behind plexiglass.

“The processes that have been put in place because of COVID are very similar to Â鶹¹ÙÍø’s Gold Standard for food safety,” notes Rotondi. “It has been an easier transition to this ‘new normal’ for dining because we already have standards that are set so high.”

Watch the Campus Facilities crew whipping up plexiglass dividers for use on campus:

Wildcat Wheels
Many of the above protocols also apply to anyone using Wildcat Wheels: Mask up, show your ID, and make sure you’ve got that daily green health-check mark from the Â鶹¹ÙÍø App. Drivers sit behind plexiglass dividers; disinfecting wipes are available upon entering the bus. Notes Denise Neirinckx, Â鶹¹ÙÍø Providence’s director of transportation, “Everyone at Wildcat Wheels wants to ensure your safe travels throughout the day, and cannot wait to see you on the buses!”

Watch her give a rundown of the transportation changes in the video below:

For Bernardo-Sousa, it all comes down to community: “We’re all in this together and we will get through this together. I look forward to seeing many of you on campus this fall!”