The University Board of Trustees held a special meeting on June 23, 2020, at 7 am to discuss living situations for the students.
Over the last year, the university has received over 400 requests from students asking to live in a dorm room with a friend or sibling.
“This request is coming from a large number of students. The double occupancy is not a health risk but a suggestion to accommodate these requests,” said acting President Neil Theobald. “The requests the last few days have been many. We have had siblings, and friends, who have asked to live with each other.”
With the COVID-19 pandemic going on, some of the Board members were hesitant to allow this to pass.
One of the Board members raised concerns about the university liability. In asking the Board if the students would sign a waiver to remove the burden off of the university, in the case that a student in a double room gets COVID-19, and the students sue the university.
“The university has lots of insurance, and we have general liability; that would cover our duty of care. We also have defenses available in the case of a lawsuit. We have good coverage in this case,” said the Board of Trustees lawyer Tara Evans.
In a follow-up, Vice President of Student Affairs Kim Chestnut stated that students would sign a form that says that the students acknowledge the risk of a double room and that there are protocols in place if a breakout were to happen in the dorms, with the double rooms.
VP Chestnut had lots of comments and answers to the other Board member’s questions, she was on the student’s side is saying that adding the double rooms does not go against the CDC or Wyoming health orders.
“Nationally, many of the university are doing double rooms. Wyoming is wanting to be more thorough and encourages as much safety as we can in the sense of having fewer doubles and more cleaning operations,” said Vise President of Student Affairs Kim Chestnut.
In a follow-up question to the occupancy overflow, the university is experiencing, Board Member Brad Bonner asked VP Chestnut, what the university is doing to accommodate the students who can’t live in the dorms due to the overflow?
VP Chesnut explained that the university is allowing students to make special requests to live off-campus with family or in the university apartments so that the students can still attend the university and have a good college experience.
After much discussion, the motion did pass, and they will begin pairing students with a roommate and move forward in the opening process.
“I think this is a fantastic idea. I believe this will help our students mental health a lot.” said Board Member David Fall, “I don’t think this causes any more issues with safety because we have good protocols in place. Not only that, but this is also a great addition to the plan because, in my mind, it is better for our students.”
