WPU Announces it will Open for Fall Classes, Sports

Penn Hall on the campus of William Penn University celebrated 100 years of serving the students during Homecoming 2017.

Oskaloosa–William Penn University President John Ottosson and Director of Athletics Nik Rule have announced that the University will be opening up for classes in the fall and that fall sports will go on as scheduled.

In an announcement released last weekend, President Ottosson stated, “We are so excited to be able to tell you we are opening this fall; we will be playing sports, and we cannot wait to have our students back on campus. We are going to open up and we are going to do it safely.”

The Athletics Department has created a COVID-19 Task Force under the department’s Sports Safety Committee that continues to look into new processes and protocols that will need to be in place during the current pandemic. The Task Force continues to monitor the situation closely and will implement necessary changes to create the safest environment possible for student-athletes, staff members, and fans.

“Our staff is looking at all ways to continue to provide that uncommon experience and do it in a safe manner with all reasonable safety precautions to ensure we are returning to sport and competition responsibly,” Rule said. “Throughout the summer we are meeting regularly to see what adjustments we need to make, and will implement those necessary changes for athletic activities.”

The Heart of America Athletic Conference also has a 17-member task force which features a representative from every school. The guiding principle of this group is to develop a plan that not only allows a safe return to competition, but also honors the autonomy and flexibility of each institution in a way that is mutually beneficial to all parties. The Heart has committed to returning to play on-time.