Fall shifting to remote Cougar experience

July 23, 2020

To our Cougar community on the WSU Pullman campus:

We write today with disappointing news. Our fall 2020 semester at WSU Pullman will not be what we hoped, wanted, or planned.

Given the alarming rise in the number of COVID‑19 cases regionally and nationally, all undergraduate courses at WSU Pullman will be delivered at a distance and will be completed remotely, with extremely limited exceptions for in‑person instruction. Information regarding WSU Pullman graduate coursework and instructional delivery methods will be announced by August 1.

We are coordinating closely as a WSU system in finalizing plans for the fall. Our other campuses will announce their plans shortly.

We make this decision with the health and safety of our students, faculty, and staff foremost in our minds, and that principle will continue to guide us going forward.

We know this news has major consequences for our students and their loved ones. We understand the myriad of emotions that this decision will cause… sadness, frustration, disappointment, anger, and for others, a sense of relief.

To our first‑year Cougs, who have lost any semblance of a traditional senior year of high school and their first university experience; transfer students, who were eager to continue their education as Cougs; and our returning Cougs, who have worked hard to keep their community and peer relationships intact after a disrupted spring semester; we hear and see you.

Our faculty and staff will continue to work to provide a high‑quality Coug experience for our students while following current recommendations for protecting the health and safety of our community.

Nationally, institutions of higher education are making similar decisions. In the state of Washington and other locations where our students reside, there recently have been significant increases in the number of COVID‑19 infections and related deaths. In response to the growing number of cases in our state, Governor Jay Inslee tightened Phase III reopening guidelines on July 16.

We have seen what happens when this viral disease spreads unchecked. There is loss of human life. Inequitable health care systems have caused a disparate impact for Black, Latinx, lower‑income, and rural communities. Some of our communities would not have sufficient local health care capacity, including the City of Pullman and Whitman County, should there be a widespread COVID‑19 outbreak. There is potential for significant known and unknown long‑term health consequences for people of all ages.

Students, if you can stay at your permanent residence during this current phase of the COVID‑19 outbreak, please continue progressing toward your degree from home.

Our University-owned apartments will open as planned. University-owned residence halls will open August 15, but only for those students who have a demonstrated institutional need and are approved to live on campus. Please review the fall housing information and the Q&A below and take the appropriate action for your situation.

Food service will be available with limited offerings, and we will adhere to occupancy guidelines in dining halls. Recreation and other community-building centers and activities will remain operational with limited in‑person services. Most opportunities in student life will be available for virtual engagement. Cougar Health Services will continue to provide medical and mental health care for WSU Pullman students.

We remain committed to working together through this uncharted territory in a way that keeps all of us as safe and healthy as possible. Thank you for your support.

Best regards,

Kirk Schulz
President

Elizabeth Chilton
Provost and Executive Vice President

Mary Jo Gonzales
Vice President of Student Affairs

I live in an area or state where there is a high rate of COVID‑19 community transmission. What should I do?

If you live in the state of Washington and are from a county with a high rate of community transmission or live in another state with a high rate of community transmission, please remain at your current residence and complete fall 2020 courses remotely.

A high community transmission rate is defined as a positive test rate higher than 10 per 100,000 residents, or higher than a 10% test positivity rate, over a 7‑day rolling average. Please review the Washington State Department of Health COVID‑19 Data Dashboard and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention State and Territorial Health Department website for additional information about areas with high community transmission. You may also review sites such as Johns Hopkins University and Medicine Coronavirus Resource Center and Georgia Tech’s Event Risk Assessment Planning Tool.

If you were planning to live on campus and do not meet the demonstrated institutional need criteria outlined below for living on campus, you must cancel or defer your residence hall contract to the spring semester. If you: 1) meet the demonstrated institutional need criteria outlined below, 2) are approved for living on campus in a University-owned residence hall, and 3) are coming from an area with a high rate of community transmission, you will be asked to quarantine in a designated University residential facility for 14 days prior to moving into your residence hall room.

For those of you planning to live off campus, it is essential that you and your loved ones consider and prepare for the health care capacity in the City of Pullman and Whitman County in case of a widespread outbreak. If you are planning to return to Pullman and are coming from an area with a high rate of community transmission, you should be prepared to quarantine at your off‑campus residence for 14 days. You may not be allowed to use the University’s recreational or other facilities, including community spaces, until proof of quarantine has been provided. More information will be shared with WSU Pullman students prior to the start of the semester.

I am staying home. What are my options to complete my coursework?

If you are a WSU Pullman undergraduate student, you will be able to take all your courses remotely, with very few exceptions, such as highly specialized labs and some studio courses. While it will be rare, you will know by August 1 whether a class will be offered only face‑to‑face, and you can then plan accordingly or adjust your class schedule.

If you are interested in enrolling on another WSU campus, intercampus enrollment and other information can be found online. You should also discuss options with your academic advisor.

When can I expect information about how my courses will be delivered?

You will be able to confirm the status of your courses by August 1. Undergraduate courses at WSU Pullman will be delivered online and will be completed remotely. Very few exceptions for face‑to‑face instruction will be available; these will be courses that cannot be taught in a virtual format. Most classes will involve both synchronous and asynchronous work. Faculty will receive information about how to apply for exemptions to remote instruction on Friday, July 24. Those changes will be incorporated by August 1.

Will pass/fail and late withdrawal options be offered to students?

The University will be able to offer a more seamless learning environment throughout the fall 2020 semester. With clear expectations and course requirements in place, the normal campus policies concerning grade and withdrawal dates will apply.

How will I take exams?

Your professor will communicate their plans for exams or other learning assessments. Each faculty member will work with our Academic Outreach and Innovation team to ensure the highest quality learning and assessment techniques based on the subject matter and learning goals of the course. For some classes, we will use proctoring software.

Will the change in course delivery impact my financial aid?

Online course delivery is approved by the Department of Education through December 2020. If you are receiving federal student loans and Pell grants, you will retain eligibility.

If you are not changing to a different WSU campus, your scholarship and tuition waiver awards should not be affected. For students choosing to enroll at a different WSU campus, your scholarship and tuition waivers will be managed on a student-by-student basis depending on the award. If you are receiving private scholarships, or scholarships awarded outside of WSU, you should contact the funder(s) to ensure your continued eligibility.

If you choose to defer enrollment and will return to WSU Pullman within one year, your recruitment awards will be reinstated (University Achievement Award, Distinguished University Achievement Award, Cougar Award, Western Undergraduate Exchange, and Regents Scholarship).

If you are concerned about financial aid and have questions, please email financialaid@wsu.edu or call 509‑335‑9711 to speak to a counselor.

Will the change in course delivery affect my job as a student employee or availability of other student employment opportunities?

If you have been awarded work study, either federal or state, as part of your student financial aid package, you will still have access to those work study funds. If you will not be living in Pullman and are able to work remotely, you should contact your employer to see if that option is still available. Some student employment positions may require living in Pullman.

Please check HandShake regularly for available student employment positions.

What does this mean for the First-year Live In Requirement (FLIR)?

For the fall 2020 semester, WSU has expanded the FLIR definition of University-approved housing to include your permanent residence. If you would like to live anywhere other than your permanent address or do not meet the demonstrated institutional need criteria below, you must have a FLIR exemption approval on file. You will not be allowed to live in a fraternity or sorority house in fall 2020 as a first‑year student.

I want to stay at home. I completed a contract and addendum for a residence hall room. What do I do now?

You may choose to either cancel or defer your housing contract by August 7, 2020.

If you would like to defer your WSU residence hall room until spring, your security deposit and any initial payments will be retained and applied toward spring 2021. You will not be charged for the fall 2020 semester. If we are unable to repopulate our residence halls for the spring 2021 semester, your security deposit and any initial payments will be refunded.

You also may cancel by August 7, and your security deposit and any initial payments will be refunded with no penalties applied. If you cancel, you may not have access to a residence hall room for spring 2021 if we are able to repopulate our residence halls at that time.

I read about the demonstrated institutional need criteria to live in a University-owned residence hall. How do I know if I am eligible?

We know some students call WSU their home. The University has substantially decreased the number of students who can live in our residence halls. We will do our best to provide housing for those students who meet one or more of the following criteria; however, eligibility under the criteria does not guarantee on‑campus housing, and changing circumstances may require additional restrictions:

• A student with a financial situation that requires living on campus (e.g., private scholarship with requirements to live on campus, eligible for need-based grants, receiving federal or state need-based aid)
• A first-generation college student that needs transition assistance
• A student who is participating in an institutional, state, or federal program emphasizing or requiring on‑campus resources and support
• A student who has a housing situation that is not secure, in jeopardy, or unsafe
• A student who has in‑person, on‑campus employment that requires them to be at WSU Pullman
• A student who is a former foster youth
• A student who is a veteran or a ROTC cadet
• A student who has an ADA accommodation through the WSU Access Center
• A student whose permanent address does not have adequate infrastructure to learn online (e.g., does not have access to reliable home internet)
• A student who is international or requires extensive travel to return home safely
• A student who is enrolled in a course that requires face‑to‑face interaction. You will be notified of course delivery decisions by August 1
• A student who has an extraordinary circumstance that requires them to be physically present at WSU Pullman. Students in this category will be asked to describe the specific circumstances.

If you meet one or more of the above demonstrated institutional needs criteria to live in a University-owned residence hall, log on to the online housing application. Once you confirm you meet the demonstrated institutional need criteria, you will receive information about your fall 2020 housing assignment and you will be given information about signing up for a move‑in time. Please note, University dining options will be limited at the start of the semester.

If you are approved to live in University-owned residence halls, you must comply with public health measures such as wearing a face mask, observing physical distancing requirements, completing a daily self‑attestation, and adhering to common space use limitations.

What about my University-owned apartment?

University-owned single student apartments will open as planned on August 1. University-owned family and graduate student apartments will open as planned per your individual license. All residents must comply with public health measures such as wearing a face mask, observing physical distancing requirements, completing a daily self‑attestation, and adhering to common space use limitations.

For students who have signed a contract to live in University-owned single student apartments, we have extended the cancellation deadline to August 7, 2020. You can review our single student apartment cancellation policy online.

For students who have signed a contract to live in University-owned family and graduate apartments, you may cancel up to two weeks in advance of your contract start date without penalty. You can review our family and graduate apartment cancellation policy online. You may also defer your deposit and initial payments to be considered for a future apartment.

If you would like to change your apartment contract, please log in to your housing contract or email us at housing.apartments@wsu.edu.

What about my off-campus apartment contract or contract with a fraternity or sorority house?

WSU does not have authority to make decisions for private landlords, including fraternity and sorority housing corporations.

If you have signed a lease with an off‑campus landlord or property management company, please contact them directly to explore your options.

If you have signed up to live in your fraternity or sorority chapter facility, please work directly with your chapter’s housing corporation to explore your options.