Gov. Inslee announces plan for reopening college campuses in the fall
Gov. Jay Inslee announced a plan Wednesday to allow for college campuses to reopen in the fall.
Depending on the spread of the virus, the governor’s proclamation said universities, colleges, technical schools and apprenticeship programs will be able to resume in-person classes starting Aug. 1 as long as they follow certain requirements.
He said at a virtual press conference that the return will look different.
“We want to make sure you’re protected while you get an education,” Inslee said.
Plans will be specific for each campus, and he said there will be flexibility as conditions of the pandemic change.
Schools will need to think about measures such as limiting capacity for food services, restricting cash payments, and marking floors to facilitate social distancing, the governor said.
There might also be staggered schedules for some areas of campuses, and visitors to campus might be limited.
Some of the requirements outlined in the proclamation are that:
- Schools will need to have protocols for students and personnel to “self-certify” that they haven’t had any symptoms since their last time on campus.
- They’ll also need to require anyone who has symptoms to stay home, and have places for people who live on campus to isolate if they need to.
- Campuses will have to follow public health and workplace safety requirements and laws.
- High-touch areas will need to be routinely sanitized.
- Food services will need to maintain social distancing, limit capacity, and require customers to wear face coverings, except when they’re eating.
The requirements apply regardless of the phase a county is in under the state’s Safe Start plan. State and local health authorities might decide schools in a county in phase 1 or modified phase 1 need to do more.
The presidents of the University of Washington, Pacific Lutheran University, and Whatcom Community College joined Inslee at the press conference. They were part of a Higher Education Re-opening Workgroup that came up with guidance for reopening campuses.
“Although we are talking about bringing students back for at least limited face-to-face instruction, it’s not like all of our students left,” UW President Ana Mari Cauce said.
About 2,000 students have remained on campus, and “we’ve learned quite a bit from that,” Cauce said.
The school has removed some furniture from lounges, for instance, and arranged what’s left into small groups.
Dining facilities will have reduced seating, there will be an emphasis on grab-and-go food, and online pre-ordering will be available.
“Every one of our situations is unique, and each of our plans for returning to campus are going to vary,” she said.
“Safety will come first,” she added.
Asked by a reporter about athletic events and other gatherings that would bring visitors to campus, Cauce said what that will look like depends on how the pandemic evolves.
“In terms of athletics, we have been working very closely with other Pac-12 schools,” she said. “... Again, the idea is it’s got to be safety first.”
She said she thinks the chances of an August home opener with a full Husky Stadium are small.
Maybe they’ll play just within the conference, she said. Maybe there won’t be spectators. Or maybe they won’t play.
Answering a reporter’s question about residence halls and fraternities, Cauce said, “We’re looking very closely at density across all our housing units.”
There might be an honor code that students take, she said, regarding safety measures in response to the pandemic.
Pacific Lutheran University president Allan Belton said his school is maximizing the number of double and single rooms on campus, and setting aside rooms for quarantine.
They’re also eliminating a rule that requires some students to live in university housing unless they live with family within 25 miles of the campus.
Whatcom Community College president Kathi Hiyane-Brown noted that higher education is important for economic recovery.
Thousands of laid off workers will need retraining, and employers need a skilled workforce to rebuild, she said.
The governor also spoke at the press conference about news that travelers from Washington would need to quarantine for 14 days upon arriving in New York, New Jersey and Connecticut.
Inslee said Washington was mistakenly added to the list of states subject to the quarantine, and that he expected it to be corrected shortly.
In response to a reporter’s question, Inslee said a similar visitor quarantine measure is not under serious consideration in Washington at the moment.
This story was originally published June 24, 2020 at 3:10 PM with the headline "Gov. Inslee announces plan for reopening college campuses in the fall."
