UW sets example for tackling virus

It is working at UW-La Crosse and can work elsewhere too. The UW System has, so far, been able to return almost exclusively to in-person learning after a year of mainly virtual classrooms. Interim UW System President Tommy Thompson set a lofty goal back in February of having at least 75% of classes at UW schools teaching students in classrooms, rather than on computers. Now, a few weeks into the school year, the system has surpassed that goal. 85% of classes throughout the UW System are being taught in person, despite the threat of the Delta variant of the Coronavirus. UW-La Crosse leads the way among Wisconsin’s public universities, teaching 94% of its classes in person. How is that possible? Vaccinations and other safety precautions, like mask-wearing and quarantines for those showing symptoms. Thompson set a goal of getting at least 70% of students on each campus vaccinated. UWL was the first to reach that mark, and the number has continued to climb since. What the UW System is doing is working, allowing students to learn in person. The rest of the community could follow their lead, and we could more quickly see things get back to normal.