This message was sent to all Montana Western Faculty, Staff, and students.

The University of Montana Western is committed to providing high-quality instruction and a safe environment for students, staff, faculty, and our community during the 2021-22 academic year. We are working closely with our county public health department and monitoring state and national health situations, including the omicron variant, and will adjust guidance for our campus accordingly.

Below are key points regarding the UMW 2022 Spring Semester:

Course Delivery  

• We do not anticipate changes to our face-to-face course schedule or mode of instruction. We fully anticipate the Spring Semester to be very similar to what you experienced in the Fall Semester. However, we will continue to monitor the COVID-19 situation and will follow guidance from the Beaverhead County Public Health Department as needed.

Masks  

• In light of the continuing pandemic, and at the recommendation of the Beaverhead County Public Health Department (BCPHD), we will continue to require individuals on our campus – vaccinated or not – to wear masks in all indoor classrooms, labs, and other indoor instructional settings where social distancing is not possible. Masks continue to be recommended when in any indoor publicly occupied spaces. 
• Students who need a mask can pick one up for free at the Bulldog Life Office in the basement of the SUB, or at offices in the Short Administration Building, including Business Services and the Registrar.
• Montana Western expects all faculty, students, and staff to be considerate and respectful to those wearing masks.
• This guideline may change in the future based on the current situation and recommendations from the BCPHD. Additional information will be provided throughout the semester regarding any changes to UMW’s COVID-19 guidelines.

Social Distancing  

• We encourage you to practice social distancing on campus and to please be mindful of others’ personal space.

Hygiene and Health Monitoring  

• At all times, good hygiene is important for our individual and community health. Students, faculty, and staff are strongly encouraged to wash their hands regularly and use hand sanitizer.
• Please cover coughs and sneezes.
• Please do not come to campus if you are sick, and contact your professor or supervisor to make arrangements for completing coursework or making work arrangement adjustments. 

Testing 

• Any individual experiencing cold or flu-like symptoms should stay home, avoid close interactions with others, and call their healthcare provider for guidance.
• COVID-19 testing is available through the providers listed below.

Local testing information: 

• Testing is completed by drive-through. Don’t get out of vehicle.  
• Please call the testing location BEFORE the testing time to let them know you are coming. 

COVID-19 Vaccinations  

• Faculty, staff, and students are not required to be vaccinated against COVID-19. However, the CDC has said that the COVID-19 vaccine is an important tool to stop the pandemic. Vaccination clinics will be available on campus for faculty, staff, and students during the spring semester. UMW strongly encourages all community members to consult with their healthcare provider about the efficacy of vaccinations.
• Upcoming campus clinic dates during the spring semester will be announced soon.

Quarantine and Isolation

• Beaverhead County Public Health will conduct contact tracing and determine the need for quarantine or isolation on an individual basis.
• Please see the helpful attachment for more information about quarantine and isolation guidelines and timeframes from the CDC and the state of Montana.

Mental Health Resources 

• During the fall semester, UMW added new online counseling and mental health resources for students, faculty, and staff in addition to in-person and online counseling sessions for students. We are here for you and please don’t hesitate to contact us!
• If you are a student at Montana Western and would like to make an online or in-person appointment, please contact:
  • Heidi Peterson at 406-683-7180, or email [email protected]
  • Morgan Bialas at 406-683-7181, or email [email protected]

Class Attendance and Absences  

• Individual faculty members set the attendance policies for their classes. For information about the attendance policy in a class, students should consult the course syllabus. In all cases, if a student will miss class for any reason, they should notify the instructor before the start of class. 

If you have any questions, please contact Dean of Students and UMW COVID-19 Coordinator, Nicole Hazelbaker: [email protected]or 406-683-7900.