Small classes. Masks. Limits on visitors as Western plans for students’ return in fall
Western Washington University plans to bring students back to Bellingham for the fall quarter but classes and campus life will look different because of safety measures to prevent the spread of COVID-19.
If current plans continue, classes will be held in person — for the first time in months — starting Sept. 23, pending Gov. Jay Inslee’s phased approach to reopening Washington state.
Western shifted classes online beginning March 11 to ensure social distancing to curb illness caused by the new coronavirus.
For the fall quarter, classes will be a combination of online and in-person, WWU President Sabah Randhawa wrote Tuesday, May 12.
The university has about 16,100 students and 2,463 employees, according to spokesperson Paul Cocke.
“Of course, how well we continue to adhere to safe social distancing and other best practices to reduce virus transmission, between now and the start of fall quarter, will have a large impact on how quickly and thoroughly we can reopen,” Randhawa said.
Social distancing proposals for fall include:
▪ Moving large classes online.
▪ Moving small and medium-sized classes to larger lecture halls.
▪ Spreading classes across days and times and staggering when they end to reduce class size.
Randhawa said there also could be additional measures, such as:
▪ An indefinite ban on gatherings above a certain number of people.
▪ Limits on campus visitors. Limits on leaving campus.
▪ Safe-occupancy living quarters in university residences, although it was unclear on Tuesday what this entailed.
▪ Use of face coverings and other protective equipment.
▪ Frequent deep cleaning of facilities.
Randhawa said plans are being made in collaboration with health officials.
The Whatcom County Health Department believes there are enough tests so that students can be tested prior to classes starting, if needed, and throughout the school year, Randhawa said.
Western also is setting up quarantine and isolation sites for students who are exposed to the new coronavirus or test positive.
Employees and students who live off-campus and are exposed, or test positive, will be required to stay home until a health care provider clears them to return.
