Western Kentucky University students experience first day back

BOWLING GREEN, Ky. (WBKO) - The tops are back on the hill, but things look a little different this year.

“We want to make sure that every student is taking care of themselves and the community by wearing a mask, staying six feet apart and not gathering in large numbers,” said Western Kentucky University President Tim Caboni.

The university is requiring all students to have masks, whether they are in a common area, in the classroom, or outside when social distancing cannot be maintained.

President Caboni has said breaking the rules could mean suspension from campus.

Some students say the return to campus is not what they expected.

“Not with the COVID going around, but it’s still amazing. D1 school, you know?” freshman student Jalen Lawrence says.

For the freshman, he feels the changes are not too bad, saying, “I usually stay to myself kind of. It doesn’t make a difference to me, to be honest.”

The students 13 news talked with said, so far, masks and restrictions have not been an issue, and one student says the environment is even livelier than he expected.

“It’s a lot more outgoing and social than I thought and it’s a lot more complicated with professors, you know?” says student William Rucker.

The classes are the biggest change WKU is seeing. Some are in-person, some are hybrid, and some are completely online.

“It’s great. I’ve taken online through western before and the faculty is very good at making online work,” says graduate student Andrea Morgan who is in the Speech-language Pathology program.

The graduate student expected her classes to be in person, but she, like the rest, is making the best of her situation.

For more information on WKU’s back to school plans in regard to COVID-19, visit wku.edu/healthyonthehill/.

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