January 7, 2022
Dear WSU Pullman community,
I am delighted to welcome you back to campus for a snowy start
to the semester. If you are traveling back to Pullman, please make
sure to allow for extra time and preparation for safe travel.
Please note that
classes on the WSU Pullman campus are canceled for Monday, Jan. 10 and Tuesday, Jan. 11
to allow students ample time to return to Pullman.
Students, if you have additional unavoidable delays and need
to miss a class, please reach out to your instructor to let them
know in advance and to make plans to make up any missed work.
Faculty, please be flexible with attendance policies considering
the current severe weather across the state.
As we gear up to resume our in‑person classes and experiences,
there are a few things we can all do to help keep our Cougar
family safe, especially in light of the Omicron COVID‑19 variant.
- Stay home if you’re not feeling well.
In addition to COVID, we are seeing increased cold and flu cases.
If you test positive for COVID or are a close contact of someone
who has tested positive, please follow these guidelines. For
non‑COVID illnesses, please stay home until your symptoms
start to resolve, and diligently wear a mask until you are fully
recovered. Supervisors and instructors—please practice
understanding and offer flexibility for students
and employees who are ill.
- Get your booster.
The most effective way to
fight this pandemic is by getting vaccinated and
boosted. Eligible faculty and staff may find booster
appointments online, and students may schedule with
Cougar Health Services. Students: if you have
already received your booster, please upload proof
of vaccination to your Patient Portal.
- Wear a high‑quality mask.
Masks are required in all indoor spaces on the WSU Pullman campus.
Given the high transmission rate of the Omicron variant, this
requirement now includes instructors, even if physical distance
can be maintained. Cloth masks, face shields, and neck gaiters
have been shown to be less effective against Omicron. KN95, KF94,
surgical masks, or their equivalents are recommended. We are making
these more robust masks available in administrative offices across
campus.
- Report positive COVID‑19 cases to WSU
Environmental Health and Safety.
WSU is carefully
monitoring the prevalence of COVID at all of our
locations. If you test positive for COVID‑19,
please call 509‑335‑9564 or 509‑335‑5251 or report
your positive diagnosis to a supervisor or
campus/college COVID coordinator.
I hope you all were able to watch the town hall
yesterday to glean more detailed information about
WSU’s COVID‑19 response, including critical
information about classroom instruction, faculty
modified duties, and our current public health
landscape. We are in the process of updating the
operations and course delivery FAQs for the spring
semester and will share those soon.
I’m looking forward to another successful
semester, and my first semester as the WSU Pullman
Chancellor. Thank you for all you do to keep our
community safe and healthy!
Go Cougs!
Elizabeth
Elizabeth S. Chilton
Provost and Executive Vice President
WSU Pullman Chancellor
Washington State University
