Stockton/Stockton is getting its campuses ready for students’s return amid COVID-19 pandemic.
GALLOWAY TOWNSHIP – As Stockton University prepares to welcome back staff, faculty and students, steps are also being taken to make clear that COVID-19 is definitely not welcome on campus.
Plans that began developing in May are now being implemented to meet state guidelines and provide a safe campus for students, faculty, staff and visitors.
More than 30,000 canisters of wipes will be available to place in every office, meeting room and classroom. Posted signs request, “Wipe Down Surfaces Before & After Class & Meetings.”
About $100,000 in clear acrylic barriers have been ordered and are being installed in offices. Each office will also get boxes of disposable masks for visitors who may arrive unprepared.
Facilities staff has been building and placing 600 hand sanitizing stations.
And then there are the signs. The signs of COVID-19 awareness will be a constant reminder that everyone has a role in keeping the campus safe and healthy.
“Face Cover Required” signs are at the entrance to the Campus Center and throughout campus.
“Stay 6 Feet Away” reminders are posted in lounges and open seating areas.
“Please Wait Here” say big reddish orange disks on the carpet in the Admissions Office.
Some 2,000 signs were ordered, and more will likely be needed, said Project Manager, Interior & Facilities Management Cyndi Gove.
“It really has been a huge undertaking,” Gove said.
Gove said they are working with each department to meet differing needs. An outside company will provide additional deep cleanings. Departments are encouraging students to make appointments and interact online to help maintain distancing requirements.
Campus partners also have protocols, with distancing markers and masks in place at Dunkin Donuts and the bookstore.
More picnic tables will be placed outside for dining and student tabling will be also held outside.
Events may still be held, but will require smaller in-person attendance, and possibly advance registration. The C-D Atrium is being converted into a large classroom and desks are being removed from smaller classrooms to maintain six-foot distancing.
The campus will look different this fall. But Gove said the safety procedures will ensure that Stockton can still offer a welcoming and supportive environment.
“I think what has impressed me the most is the resourcefulness of employees in overcoming obstacles,” Gove said.
