Here’s how WWU plans to address community concerns over the spread of COVID off campus
Western Washington University is taking strong measures to ensure that students who return to campus don’t create a spike in COVID-19 cases similar to outbreaks seen at other colleges across the country.
WWU spokesman Paul Cocke said that there are few similarities between Western and large universities such as Washington State, Notre Dame and the University of North Carolina, which saw a swift rise in COVID-19 cases as in-person classes resumed last month.
“We are doing everything that we can to discourage large gatherings both on- and off-campus,” Cocke told The Bellingham Herald in an email.
University President Sabah Randhawa said in a statement on the university’s website that about 90% of classes will be online for the fall quarter starting Sept. 23.
Rigorous testing and prevention measures will be in place, he said.
Nevertheless, concerns about an influx of students were voiced Monday, Aug. 31, as Bellingham City Council members questioned Whatcom County Health Director Erika Lautenbach.
“We’re hearing a lot about colleges with parties off-campus as students come back,” Councilwoman Lisa Anderson said during the meeting. “And I’ve noticed about mid-August I see roaming groups of young adults. I won’t necessarily say that they’re students, (but) I’ve seen roaming groups of young adults partying on their porch.”
Anderson represents the council’s 5th Ward, covering the WWU campus and parts of the surrounding Sehome, York and South Hill neighborhoods.
Lautenbach told the council she has been in touch with officials at WWU, Whatcom Community College and Bellingham Technical College.
“There are statewide conversations as well,” Lautenbach said. “Especially the challenge of off-campus students who aren’t attending classes in person that don’t necessarily have a reason to be in Belllingham but are there because they have a lease or some other circumstances.”
Cocke told the Herald last week that the number of students living off-campus won’t be known until registration is complete.
About 1,800 students will be on campus daily and about 1,300 students will live in residence halls, Randhawa said.
Before the new coronavirus pandemic, WWU had some 15,000 students on campus and 4,000 in its dorms.
“In terms of off-campus student behavior, Western will hold students accountable, through its student conduct code, if they engage in behavior that endangers the public health and safety of our community, even off campus,” Cocke said.
He said that officials have seen “a significant decline in large parties,” with a reduction in noise complaints over the past several years.
Further, a WWU professor who’s a nationally recognized expert in social media marketing is working with the county Health Department to survey attitudes about the pandemic and develop a campaign to encourage social distancing, mask-wearing and other COVID-safe behaviors, Cocke said.
This story was originally published September 3, 2020 at 5:00 AM.
