Watch Aug. 21 Smart Restart Update from chancellor, campus leaders

Chancellor Rebecca Blank and a group of top UW–Madison leaders held a Smart Restart update for the campus community Friday, covering a wide variety of topics and questions submitted by email.

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Updates on plans for in-person instruction

Chancellor Blank and Provost Karl Scholz address what campus has learned since the start of the pandemic, why they feel UW–Madison can avoid reopening issues that have affected other colleges, and how the university would consider shifting its operations, if needed.

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Planning for fall

Chancellor Rebecca Blank provides updates on UW–Madison’s Smart Restart initiative and what is being done to plan for a safe reopening of campus, especially in light of shifts to remote instruction by some universities.

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Instruction during the pandemic

Provost Karl Scholz discusses academics, including enrollments, the number of courses being offered in person, and resources and safety protections in place for instructors this fall.

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UW-Madison’s Research Reboot

Vice Chancellor for Research and Graduate Education Steve Ackerman answers frequently asked questions about UW–Madison’s research enterprise and how it has adapted to the pandemic.

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Health protocols and employment issues

Vice Chancellor for Finance and Administration Laurent Heller addresses employee communication, the importance of face coverings and PPE, and how employment issues and accommodations related to COVID will be handled.

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Facilities, cleaning and transportation

Interim Associate Vice Chancellor Alan Fish covers cleaning protocols, bus service and parking flexibilities as part of the Smart Restart initiative.

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What we will expect from students, and what we hope to offer them

Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs Lori Reesor discusses expectations for students around public health, the Badger Pledge, and support available for students in addition to a new campus events policy.

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Public health protocols

University Health Services Executive Director Jake Baggott explains protocols for campus testing, how contact tracing will work, quarantine/isolation spaces, and how instructors will be notified that a student has tested positive.

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Campus COVID-19 testing

Professor Emeritus Norman Drinkwater explains the three-part campus testing strategy, including on-campus testing, University Housing testing and campus surveillance testing.