The Fall 2020 semester was unlike any that the UW campus has seen, but we can’t say the same about the Spring 2021 semester … because it will look quite similar to the fall. Yes, most students are back on campus, with classes starting on Monday, Jan. 25. (Normally classes would have started this week, but in an effort to slow the spread of COVID-19, spring classes started a week later and spring break was cut from the calendar.) Classes remain a combination of in-person, hybrid, and virtual. The main difference between this semester and last fall is an updated COVID-19 health and safety program called Safer Badgers. Free testing has been greatly expanded on campus — upon return to campus, all undergrads must receive two negative tests before moving about campus. After that, they are required to test twice weekly throughout the semester. The university developed a smartphone app, which includes the “Badger Badge” — a virtual access pass confirming a negative COVID-19 diagnosis. This badge is the key to getting into any campus workplaces or buildings. Learn more about the Safer Badgers program.