MADISON, Wis.—University of Wisconsin System President Tommy Thompson today issued this statement:
“Today’s announcement by UW-River Falls Chancellor Connie Foster to suspend in-person classes for two weeks while imposing shelter-in-place within its campus community will curtail the COVID-19 case increases we have identified on the campus. Moving to online course delivery for a two-week period while sheltering in place can be an effective tactic, as we have seen elsewhere. We appreciate the collaborative efforts of the Pierce County Public Health Department.
“Our rapid antigen tests are successfully identifying pockets of infection at a few campuses, and we will continue to take immediate and aggressive steps where this is the case.
“We continue to ask students at all of our universities to be vigilant to combat this virus – wear a mask, watch your distance, wash your hands.”
The University of Wisconsin System serves approximately 170,000 students. Awarding nearly 37,000 degrees annually, the UW System is Wisconsin’s talent pipeline, putting graduates in position to increase their earning power, contribute to their communities, and make Wisconsin a better place to live. Nearly 90 percent of in-state UW System graduates stay in Wisconsin five years after earning a degree. The UW System provides a 23:1 return on state investment. UW System universities also contribute to the richness of Wisconsin’s culture and economy with groundbreaking research, new companies and patents, and boundless creative intellectual energy.