COVID-19 Weekly Update graphic. Aubrie Rice // Publicity Center
By Stella Harvey
In a campus advisory from Western President Sabah Randhawa on May 12, Western announced that fall quarter 2020 will be a mixture of in-person and remote classes, in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. To accommodate the proposed changes to fall quarter, the first phase of class registration, which was scheduled to begin on May 19, will be pushed back to sometime in June. The Registrar’s Office will post a new registration schedule when more information is available.
The decision to hold at least some in-person classes during fall quarter was made after consulting community health experts, university committees and faculty and staff at Western. Western will continue to monitor the COVID-19 pandemic and be ready for further recommendations from Washington Gov. Jay Inslee, according to the campus advisory.
A planning committee created by Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs Brent Carbajal has recommended moving large lecture sections and smaller in-person seminars online, while moving small and medium-sized classes to larger lecture halls to increase the distance between students. The committee also recommended spreading classes across days and times, and staggering class end times to ensure safe social distancing.
Classes that are able to meet in-person will also be available online so vulnerable students will also have access to all courses without endangering their health by coming to campus. Faculty will also have the option to teach their courses online, according to the campus advisory.
Western is devoting resources and training over the summer to help faculty improve their online instruction. The Whatcom County Health Department said, if necessary, they will have the capacity to test students for COVID-19 at the Student Health Center before students begin in-person classes in September, according to the campus advisory.
For more information and updates, visit Western’s COVID-19 website.