Hanno: Wheaton College intends to have campus life return in fall

WHEATON COLLEGE in Norton intends to have campus life return in the fall, with restrictions in place for health and safety, according to college President Dennis M. Hanno in a letter to the community Tuesday. / COURTESY WHEATON COLLEGE
WHEATON COLLEGE in Norton intends to have campus life return in the fall, with restrictions in place for health and safety, college President Dennis M. Hanno said in a letter to the school community on Tuesday. / COURTESY WHEATON COLLEGE

NORTON – Wheaton College intends to have campus life at the private college return for the upcoming fall semester, Wheaton President Dennis M. Hanno wrote to the school community on Tuesday.

Wheaton, along with several other local colleges, had to transition to remote learning due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Hanno said that after “significant discussion” among faculty and school leadership, Wheaton has “affirmed [its] intention” to deliver a fall semester on campus, with precautions in place in order to ensure safety and health at the school.

Hanno said Wheaton will allow campus to return to normal life when guidance from public-health experts enables the college to make sure the campus is healthy and safe. The college, Hanno said, is developing precautions and protocols that need to be in place “to ensure a safe reopening,” and Wheaton will offer further details on those protocols over the next few weeks and months.

“We expect that when we do return, there will be changes in the way we operate and in what might be expected of each of us in our daily routines,” Hanno said. “As you know, our campus is spacious for a school our size, we are not in a densely populated, urban community and we offer small class sizes – all significant advantages for protecting the health and safety of our community.”

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As of Tuesday, there have been 58,302 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Massachusetts, including 3,270 in Bristol County, according to data from the commonwealth.

Hanno still hopes to begin classes on the scheduled date of Sept. 1. However, Hanno said it may not be possible to start right on Sept. 1 given some restrictions may still be implemented at that time and there may still be more work done on campus to prepare for students to return. Wheaton will provide updates on when the school plans to open, giving students at least two months’ notice before any semester start date, Hanno said.

Wheaton is also offering students financial assistance. Hanno said the school is currently allocating $1 million in federal and institutional money to provide students who were impacted by the pandemic some financial support. Wheaton also expects to have a fund “of equal size” in the fall for all students who have “needs beyond those normally expected because of the challenges of this situation.”

James Bessette is the PBN special projects editor, and also covers the nonprofit and education sectors. You may reach him at Bessette@PBN.com. You may also follow him on Twitter at @James_Bessette.

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