COVID-19 Campus Update — Health and Safety Measures

Webster University Ghana has revised its COVID-19 protocols to take effect Monday, August 15, 2022. More details on the new direction can be found below:

General Campus COVID-19 Policies

• Wearing of face masks will continue to be optional ONLY in outdoor spaces and for only students, staff and faculty who have received their vaccines and have submitted proof of vaccination to the Offices of Student Affairs and HR.
• While we continue to review the situation at our campus, all are encouraged to continue the face mask policy while indoors in classrooms, the library, offices, the Gorlok Hub, Radio Webster studio and any other indoor spaces.
• Students, staff and faculty who do not have proof of vaccination should ALWAYS wear face masks while on campus.
• Policies on handwashing, use of hand sanitizers and temperature checks upon arrival will remain the same for all community members and guests.
• Classes continue to be instructed in a hybrid format through end of Fall 1 term with no more than 15 students in any given class.

Academic Affairs

The hybrid class model will continue through the end of Fall 1 term. Any further updates will be shared by the Office of Academic Affairs.

Student Life Activities

• All student life and SGA activities will have full capacity for students, with no limits.
• All student life trips will continue to be closed to non-Webster participants. This policy is subject to review for future terms.
• All student life forums, events and other activities will continue to operate in a hybrid model. For indoor in-person events, mask wearing is encouraged for all students.

Student Recreation Center (Gorlok Hub, Oates Forecourt and Radio Webster studio)

• Wearing of face masks in the Gorlok Hub and the Radio Webster studio will remain the same for all until the end of the Fall 1 term as these are indoor spaces.
• There will be a maximum limit of 15 to the number of students that can be accommodated in the Gorlok Hub. However, there will be mandatory mask wearing for all students, staff and faculty in the space, vaccinated or unvaccinated.

On-campus residences are off-limits to anyone not approved to live in the dormitories. Travellers arriving through Kotoka International Airport must check arrival guideline for updates. See updated information.

Webster Success Center coaches are available on campus and online full time for personalized academic support, including writing assistance and success tips for students as they become more comfortable with the hybrid model of teaching.

Counseling services continue to also be available as it is understandable that many students may feel anxious, if not distressed, during this period. Students may book free counseling sessions (Wellness30), available every other Friday, each month.

Emergency counseling services may be arranged through Student Affairs.

• The “No Guest” policy will continue until the end of the Fall 1 term. This policy is subject to review after the Fall 1 term. Residents can continue to host their guests on the compound of Oates and Denkyem Halls with all protocols observed.
• All guests will be required to wear a face mask and adhere to all other protocols before entry.

Members of the Webster Ghana community are advised to be guided by and abide by these control measures and be sure to check Webster emails for updates and latest developments daily.

National COVID-19 hotline phone numbers:

• 055 222 2004
• 055 222 2005
• 050 949 7700
• 055 843 9868

Ghana Health Service (GHS) website. Kindly check the website for daily updates on COVID-19 countrywide statistics.

St. Louis COVID-19 Taskforce updates.

CDC website or call: 800-232-4636

WHO website or call 021 774 643 or 244 34 2200

The Ghana Campus continues to follow strict COVID-19 prevention protocols, with the mandatory wearing of face masks by all, at all times on campus, unless in a private space alone, as well as social distancing. Classes continue to be instructed in a hybrid format throughout this academic year with no more than 15 students in any given class. All public spaces go through increased, specialized cleaning regularly and there are hand sanitization stations at several vantage points.

The Human Resources and Student Affairs departments have commenced efforts to ensure Webster Ghana community members can be vaccinated easily on campus. The Ghana Campus has hosted four COVID-19 vaccination clinics so far this academic year with the last being in December 2021. Moderna, Pfizer and AstraZeneca vaccines have been made available at these vaccination clinics. There are plans being made for additional on-campus vaccination opportunities during the Spring semester. All students, faculty and staff and strongly encouraged to get fully vaccinated as soon as possible.

Staff who have business travel within their roles must ensure they are fully vaccinated and provide records to the HR department.

All large school events remain hybrid for Spring. New students are, however, required to attend orientation in person and will receive full program details via email. Some new event protocols have been instituted and are to be strictly adhered to by all community members and campus guests. This includes submission of a vaccination card or showing of a negative COVID test result (valid within 48 hours) prior to admission into large events like Public Lecture and graduation.

For students who will be residing on campus in our residential facilities, housing remains at a reduced capacity for health precaution. Being vaccinated and presenting documentation as a proof is a requirement for staying in our housing. All students who plan to move in must also test and present a negative COVID-19 result at the start of each move-in period (semester). On-campus residences are off-limits to anyone not approved to live in the dormitories. Travellers arriving through Kotoka International Airport must check arrival guideline for updates.

Webster Success Center coaches are available on campus and online full time for personalized academic support, including writing assistance and success tips for students as they become more comfortable with the hybrid model of teaching.

Counseling services continue to also be available as it is understandable that many students may feel anxious, if not distressed, during this period. Students may book free counseling sessions (Wellness30), available every other Friday, each month.

Emergency counseling services may be arranged through Student Affairs.

Visitors are welcome to campus where there is enforcement of a strict “No Mask, No Entry” policy. All guests, including prospective students and parents who have booked a campus tour, will have to go through the required security procedures, which includes handwashing/hand sanitization and temperature checks. Anyone registering a body temperature above 38 degrees Celsius will not be permitted entry to the campus. Webster Ghana has officially partnered with Nyaho Medical Center and LEDing Lab for all COVID-19 testing.

Members of the Webster Ghana community are advised to be guided by and abide by these control measures and be sure to check Webster emails for updates and latest developments daily.

The start of the new academic year will see the establishment of a COVID vaccination status register for students, staff and faculty. All are encouraged to share if they have been fully vaccinated and to provide proof. Staff who travel abroad must get vaccinated and provide records.

There are efforts by HR and Student Affairs to provide vaccination on campus.

All large school events remain hybrid for Fall 1. New students are however required to attend orientation in person and will receive full program details via email. The goal is to resume in-person events in Fall 2 dependent on the national case status at the time.

For students who will be residing on campus in our residential facilities, housing remains at a reduced capacity. All students who plan to move in must test and present a negative COVID-19 result at the start of each move-in period (semester). On-campus residences are off-limits to anyone not approved to love in the dormitories.

Webster Success Center coaches are available on campus and online full time for personalized academic support, including writing assistance and success tips for students as they become more comfortable with the hybrid model of teaching.

Counseling services continue to also be available as it is understandable that many students may feel anxious, if not distressed, during this period. Students may book free counseling sessions (Wellness30), available every other Friday, each month. Emergency counseling services may be arranged through Student Affairs.

Visitors are welcome to campus where there is enforcement of a strict “No Mask, No Entry” policy. All guests, including prospective students and parents who have booked a campus tour, will have to go through the required security procedures, which includes handwashing/hand sanitization and temperature checks. Anyone registering a body temperature above 38 degrees Celsius will not be permitted entry to the campus. Webster Ghana has officially partnered with Nyaho Medical Center and LEDing Lab for all COVID-19 testing.

Members of the Webster Ghana community are advised to be guided by and abide by these control measures and be sure to check Webster emails for updates and latest developments daily.

As the new school year commences, and the fight against COVID persists, the Webster Ghana Campus COVID-19 Task Force continues to monitor the global COVID-19 pandemic happenings globally and locally. The team is staying attuned to direction from the CDC, WHO, Ministry of Education, Ministry of Health as well as general guidance from the main campus in St. Louis, in order to review and establish precautionary measures that will ensure the health and safety of all students, faculty and staff during the 2021-22 academic year.

Locally, there have been an uptick in the number of COVID cases and a number of new variants have sprung up over the summer period including a Delta strand. Worldwide, nations are pushing for citizens to seek vaccination and governments stress the important of adhering to basic health protocols daily. On July 25, President Nana Akufo-Addo offered the 26th national address on COVID 19, updating that over 1 million people in Ghana have received some part of the vaccine and plans to procure 17 million single doses of the Johnson and Johnson vaccine being underway.

Ghana Campus management encourages everyone to get vaccinated at the earliest possible opportunity, and the Human Resources department is working to facilitate an on-campus vaccination effort. Updates on this will be shared to the community in due time. Staff members who embark on international travel for work or otherwise must get vaccinated and submit vaccination records to the HR Department prior to return to office. Both the HR and Students Affairs departments will keep a vaccination status register. Students, faculty and staff are to share their vaccination status as well as proof of vaccination. An online portal will be available by the end of August to assist with this.

On our campus, there is strict mandate on wearing of a face mask at all times, handwashing and sanitizing at all main gate entry points, temperature checks and adherence to social distancing. If temperature is found to be above 38 degree Celsius, you will be denied entry and asked to seek medical attention. All Webster community members are encouraged to self-report any illness in-line with COVID symptoms and to follow the communicated COVID response flow chart for the safety of all. Persons who travelled abroad for summer break are required to show a negative COVID report at Kotoka International Airport. Foreign students coming to the Ghana Campus to study abroad, vaccination is required and proof of vaccination must be presented to Student Affairs.

Students who will be residing on campus in our residential facilities, housing remains at a reduced capacity. All students who plan to move in must test and present a negative COVID-19 result at the start of each move-in period (semester). On-campus residences are off-limits to anyone not approved to love in the dormitories.

For the Fall 1 term, classes remain in a hybrid format where half of the teaching-and-learning is done in-person on campus and the other half effected online via WorldClassroom. New students who this style of education may be newer to will have the support of Academic Affairs and the Success Center to ensure they are successful in being able to liaise with faculty and classmates while completing coursework.

Over the past several months there has been an alarming spike in the number of confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Ghana, though deaths remain comparatively low. Webster University Ghana campus administration continues to revise, implement and communicate additional safety measures.

Since Campus Update 2, Webster Ghana has created a task force to manage all planning amidst COVID-19, especially as we prepare for campus reopening in August 2021. Below are updates to the previous bulletin (see Update #2) following the president’s latest address to the nation on July 27, 2020. Any measures or news not addressed remain unchanged.

The safety and wellness of all members of the Webster community remains our highest priority.

Control Measures Updates (July 20, 2020)

The transition to online education for undergraduate and graduate students started in March 2020 using World Classroom. This transition proved smooth and successful. Webster University has been a leader in online education since 1999 and ranks highly in this mode of instruction. The University has a formal relationship with Zoom Technologies to provide additional support for effective virtual education and events.

For Fall 2020 classes beginning mid-to-late August, the University is undertaking a hybrid or blended style of instruction, combining live video face-to-face class sessions and online teaching and learning. Once the president of Ghana lifts restrictions on universities, the goal will be to allow students in Accra to take some in-person classes. All classes on campus will have a maximum capacity of ten students. The University has restructured all academic spaces to abide by social distancing. Faculty will be required to wear face shields in addition to the masks required of all persons on the premises. All students have been equipped with additional necessary resources to ensure they can be successful with web-based education. Students should reach out to Academic Affairs with any teaching and learning challenges.

Over the summer of 2020, all university events were adapted for online learning.  Webster Ghana has hosted a number of successful and insightful student and public events, including Masterclasses and recruitment informational sessions. Our signature Public Lectures will recommence in the fall, and may be online, if anticipated attendance will exceed the allowed 200-person limit. Webster Ghana successfully introduced the premier edition of a four-week Summer Virtual Learning program for college-bound high school students.

The May graduation for AY 2019-2020, which could not take place due to the pandemic, is now slated for Saturday, Nov. 21, 2021 at 10 a.m. We will provide updates and details on graduation plans in the next few months.

Webster Success Center coaches remain available virtually for individualized academic support including writing assistance and success tips for students to become more comfortable with online classes. Students who have registered for internship placement have undertaken virtual summer internships, and such assignments will continue through the Fall semester. The Success Center also encourages students to take advantage of counseling services via phone call or online through Zoom or Skype. Understandably, many students may feel anxious or distressed during this period, and we encourage using the available mental health services. Book appointments through the Student Affairs office.

Our campus officially remains closed, and staff within various departments are working a hybrid (office and home) schedule. Visitors with appointments are welcome to campus where there is enforcement of a strict no-mask, no-entry policy. No walk-ins will be allowed at this time. Vendors must submit the necessary information to receive financial payments possible. All guests, including prospective students and parents who have booked a tour, will have to go through security at the gate which requires hand-washing and a temperature check. Anyone registering a body temperature above 38 degrees Celsius will not be allowed entry. Webster has partnered with Nyaho Medical Center for any necessary COVID-19 testing for all staff, faculty and students.

Members of the Webster Ghana community are advised to be guided by and abide by these control measures and be sure to check emails from the University each day.

We are grateful to students, faculty, staff and business partners for your continued commitment to Webster University Ghana through these trying and unparalleled times. We will get through this together as a unified Webster Ghana community! University management will continue to share updates as necessary.

The national COVID-19 hotline phone numbers are 055 222 2004, 055 222 2005, 050 949 7700 and 055 843 9868. The Ghana Health Service can be reached online via Ghana Health Service.

As the world continues to face the severe impact of a global health pandemic and following reports of rising numbers confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Ghana, Webster University Ghana campus administration continues to revise, implement and communicate additional safety measures with its publics.

The below are updates as at March 23, 2020. Any measures, news not addressed below from the previous bulletin (see Update #1), remain unchanged.

The safety and wellness of all members of the Webster community remains our highest priority.

Control Measures Updates (March 23, 2020)

• All in-person classes were suspended and a transition to online education started Thursday, March 19th. This transition was smooth and successful and all classes — undergraduate and graduate — are being taught online now using World Classroom. Webster University has been a leader in online education since 1999 and ranks highly in this mode of instruction.
• Online instruction will continue until the end of the spring semester, 2020. Students have been equipped with additional necessary resources to ensure they can be successful with web-based education and should reach out to Academic Affairs with any teaching and learning challenges.
• In-line with all Spring events being re-scheduled to ensure there are no large gatherings, graduation is postponed and will no longer take place on Saturday, May 16. The 2020 commencement ceremony is tentatively scheduled for Saturday, August 8 (to be reconfirmed pending developments on COVID-19). We will provide updates and details on graduation plans in the next few weeks as we monitor these developments.
• Our Success Center coaches are also available virtually for individualized academic support including writing assistance and success tips for students taking classes online for the first time. The Success Center welcomes students to take advantage of counseling services — via phone call or online through Skype. The entire campus is closed, and most staff within various departments continue to offer full-time service remotely. It is understandable that many students may feel anxious, if not distressed, during this period and, therefore, such mental health services are encouraged for your use. Appointments may be booked through the Student Affairs office.

The national COVID-19 hotline phone numbers are 055 222 2004, 055 222 2005, 050 949 7700 and 055 843 9868 and the Ghana Health Service can be reached online via Ghana Health Service.

Members of the Webster Ghana community are advised to be guided by these control measures and be sure to check emails frequently each day.

Much gratitude is expressed to every student, faculty, staff and business partners for your continued commitment to Webster University Ghana through these difficult and unprecedented times. We will get through this together as a unified Webster Ghana community!

University management will continue to share updates as necessary.

Following new confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Ghana, and President Nana Akufo Addo’s March 15 address to the nation, Webster University Ghana campus administration has implemented additional safety measures detailed below to protect all within our university community. The President’s directive is that all universities in Ghana be closed until further notice.

All students, faculty and staff are to take heed and act accordingly. As always, the safety and wellness of all members of our community is our highest priority.

Current Control Measures

• All classes are suspended through Thursday, March 19, upon which there will be a transition to online instruction with Thursday as the first trial day. The full transition will begin on Monday, March 23, should there be any challenges on Thursday.
• Online instruction assuming a full start date of March 23 will run for a period of two weeks through April 3. Faculty will be present on Tuesday and Wednesday to begin the preparation process for online instruction.
• The Student Affairs office will send out correspondence on upcoming meetings — either virtually or in small groups — to address any questions from Tuesday to Wednesday.
• The campus, including our Admissions Welcome Center, is closed to outside visitors. Administration staff are available to answer questions and to respond prospective students and parents inquiries via email, phone and Skype calls during regular weekday business hours of 8:30 a.m.-5 p.m. Applications are still being accepted towards May, August and October intakes and our Admissions Counselors are happy to assist.
• All are encouraged to continue hand washing and using the 70% alcohol-based sanitizers provided around visible points on campus. Social distancing (roughly two-meter distance from others) is highly recommended as well as refraining from handshaking. Webster University’s COVID-19 (Coronavirus) Resources, Safety and FAQ page https://www.webster.edu/covid19/ also provides useful information.
• Dormitory residents who feel comfortable to may remain on campus and are asked to follow CDC and WHO steps as well as RA housing tips communicated judiciously.
• All Webster Ghana events including The Annual Students Spring Conference and Public Lectures are hereby postponed. New dates will be announced in due time.
• Students, faculty and staff should self-quarantine for 2 weeks if they have been to any of the countries with a significant number of cases (the Ghanaian government has indicated 200 and above) in the past week. Up to date reporting on confirmed cases of the novel coronavirus can be viewed at channelnewsasia.com

There are no confirmed cases of COVID-19 anywhere in the global Webster University system currently. If you present with symptoms and are not feeling well, please follow the CDC recommendations.

The national COVID-19 hotline phone numbers are 055 222 2004, 055 222 2005, 050 949 7700 and 055 843 9868 and the Ghana Health Service can be reached online via ghanahealthservice.org

Members of the Webster Ghana community are advised to be guided by these control measures and be sure to check emails frequently each day.

Though these are challenging times, with everyone’s conscious efforts, we will get through this together. University management will continue to share updates as necessary.