This fall, college is back at the University of West Georgia – and will be better than ever, UWG President Dr. Brendan Kelly announced Wednesday.

With more than 3,300 COVID-19 vaccines administered to students, faculty and staff and no cases reported since May, the University of West Georgia continues to prepare for an enhanced experience for the Fall 2021 semester.

“This fall, the University of West Georgia will offer students a more robust experience, including more in-person, on-campus classes; new, advanced learning technology in nearly every classroom on campus to remove the barriers of space and time in support of learning; and a marked increase in engagement opportunities with their fellow Wolves designed to build connectedness and community among all our stakeholders,” Kelly said.

Since moving to exclusively online instruction in mid-spring 2020, the university has continuously monitored the COVID-19 pandemic and has developed and implemented plans based on the latest information and guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the Georgia Department of Public Health and the University System of Georgia.

The university has provided nearly 3,300 COVID-19 vaccinations directly for students, faculty, staff and employees’ family members during the spring and summer semesters of 2021. Cases of COVID-19 among members of the university community remained relatively low for the entirety of the Spring 2021 semester, with zero positive cases reported by students or employees so far during the summer semester. 

As was shared in mid-May, fully vaccinated individuals at the university may engage in campus activities without wearing a mask or physically distancing themselves from others, in alignment with updated guidance from the CDC and USG, and vaccinations are offered to students, faculty, staff, and employees’ family members on campus this summer.

“This guidance will aid our efforts to foster a sense of belonging and connectedness among all our university stakeholders, a key objective of our strategic plan,” Kelly said. “I appreciate everyone’s commitment to staying healthy and protecting the health of others. I look forward to returning to an enhanced campus experience, which I hope students will find truly better than ever, in the fall.”

For more information about the university’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic, visit the Information on COVID-19 webpage.