University enters Step 3 of Recovery Plan; limited number of employees on campus and more details on fall preparations

Marquette is now in Step 3 of its five-step Recovery Plan. The Step 3 document is now available on the university’s COVID-19 website.

Highlights from the 31-page document include:

• A new section on “Planning and Recovery Strategies”
• Health and safety changes related to:
  • Updated expectations for purchasing PPE and supplies
  • Restrictions around face shields
  • Updated CDC symptoms list and first look at testing and contract tracing
• The “Cleaning and Disinfection” section was expanded to now be “Facilities Preparation, Cleaning & Disinfection” – adding seven pages to the guidelines (including information about building circulation and space use)
• A new Academic Planning section with specific information regarding classroom scheduling, classroom capacities, logistics of in-person classes, etc.

The Marquette community is invited to a virtual COVID-19 Town Hall tomorrow afternoon, July 14, at 3:30 p.m. During the town hall, the Step 3 guidelines will be discussed in detail. Learn more about the event and register via Eventbrite today.

The university’s goal remains to have campus operational for students to return in late August. A personalized, on-campus academic and co-curricular experience is foundational to the transformative Catholic, Jesuit education to which Marquette has been dedicated for 140 years. The best way for us to provide a distinctive experience for our students is together, in community.

Marquette will continue to follow local orders and ordinances of Milwaukee, Milwaukee County and Wisconsin. Marquette’s plans will also follow recommendations from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Milwaukee Health Department.

Marquette’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic is focused on three core objectives:

1. Mitigating the spread of COVID-19 in our campus and broader communities
2. A commitment to our Catholic, Jesuit mission and to continued academic and research excellence
3. Mitigating the effects of the global pandemic on our Marquette community and minimizing its financial impacts on our university

The protocols in this plan are for Step 3 of the Recovery Planning process and may be altered in future steps of the phased return to campus. Our knowledge and understanding of the COVID-19 virus continue to evolve, and our policies and plans will be updated as more information becomes available.