Fall quarter update: Health and safety measures
July 16, 2020
Details on how health services are expected to function during the upcoming fall quarter were given at the July 15 Wildcat Wednesday meeting held online by CWU’s orientation team.
Student Health Services will have the ability to test for influenza, COVID-19 and other conditions that may run parallel to or mimic COVID-19 symptoms, according to Director of Student Health Services Carylin Holsey. They will also be able to do case tracking and tracing, as well as isolation and quarantine if needed.
“We have worked to make sure that this reopening is both robust and enjoyable for your student,” Holsey said. “And we want to make sure that you have the confidence in us to continue to work out these processes and programs to have a safe reopening.”
Safety measures will include the requirement of cloth face coverings in all public spaces on university property. This requirement goes for faculty, staff, students and community members visiting the university.
“If you find an individual that is in violation of that requirement, then we would ask that you report their names to university administration, and then university administration will put a student through our conduct process regarding being in violation of those requirements,” Dean of Student Success Gregory Heinselman said.
Under the current conditions, students will not be tested for COVID-19 unless they display two or more symptoms of the disease. Students will be asked to perform a self-health check-in daily before coming to campus, and are asked to report any symptoms they have during this check-in. This check-in will take the form of answering a series of questions through the student’s MyCWU account online.
“If you plan to come to campus, there will be a few short questions for you to answer and you’ll understand based on the symptoms that you check or don’t check whether it’s safe for you to come to campus. Included in that will be the temperature check daily,” Holsey said.
If students experience two or three symptoms, they are encouraged to report themselves to medical staff on campus.
Two face coverings, a sheet of COVID-19 symptoms and a thermometer will be provided to students in a self-care kit when they arrive in the fall. Students who cannot wear cloth face coverings can wear face shields as a replacement, which they will be provided.
“You will be required to wear face coverings when you’re out and about on campus,” Heinselman said. “If you don’t, there will be ramifications, and we will be speaking with you about our student conduct code that enforces our ability to ask you to wear face coverings on campus.”
Heinselman said it is encouraged for students and anyone visiting students to limit how often they travel between communities. Students who have visitors are encouraged to apply all safety protocols during their visits.
“We would like to restrict travel as much as possible to Ellensburg and from Ellensburg,” Heinselman said.
Over 320 questions were asked in the hour long meeting, with many questions, such as how the university would handle potential outbreaks or whether a COVID-19 vaccine will be required when made available, were unanswered during that time.
Lisa Matthews • Jul 17, 2020 at 7:53 am
From the questions that were answered and the policies that the school has put in place it sounded like the university is more worried about students bringing the virus with them from elsewhere instead of getting it via the current problem physically surrounding campus.
I can’t help but think that if Kittitas County and the City of Ellensburg don’t get it together, get their COVID case counts under control, and start actively making local businesses and residents comply with the Governor’s face mask mandate and follow CDC best practice guidelines we’ll have multiple outbreaks on campus within the first two weeks of term that will necessitate CWU going back to full shutdown mode. It is almost unavoidable, as students will have to go into town for goods and services that are not available on campus or by mail and, if current conditions do not change, will be exposed and infected.
One would think President Gaudino would be demanding that local leaders elicit compliance to protect his student body, faculty, staff, and the university’s bottom line. And he should have the leverage to do so considering that, with all other major revenue-generating events having been cancelled, his increased campus population may be the biggest economic boost the area sees this year.