Nov. 3, 2020
Letter from the President
Dear CWU Community,
I commend you for your response to the challenges presented by the COVID-19 pandemic. Thank you for practicing social distancing, wearing face coverings, washing hands frequently, and other measures that combat the spread of the virus. While we have kept the rates of infection at manageable levels, we must remain vigilant and proactive.
Winter Quarter Plans: As you recall, we accelerated the fall quarter to allow for a more extended break over the holiday period and to take advantage of increased access to testing. I am taking the following additional actions:
Exit Testing: We will offer voluntary exit testing for our students on November 12 and 13. The goal of this effort is to provide students with information that allows them to better protect their families and friends. Students can sign up online for testing. In the case of a positive test, we will follow our current protocols.
Return Testing: We will offer mandatory testing for all students when they return for the winter quarter. Students may choose to be tested at home but must provide us with the results upon their return. The test must be equivalent to the PCR tests used on campus (i.e. swab test) and should be no older than 72 hours. In the case of a positive test, we will follow our current protocols.
Instructional Modality: All instruction will be remote for the first two weeks of the winter quarter, which begins January 5. For the rest of the winter quarter, faculty will choose the appropriate modality for their classes. The ratio of in-person and online courses will likely remain the same as in the fall quarter. At the University Centers and Sites, we will continue to follow the lead of our partner institutions.
New Testing Protocols: We will also offer more robust prevalence testing protocols during the winter quarter. Our plan is to test a sample of the student population each week in a way that allows us to monitor—and respond to—any potential spread of the virus in the community.
More information will be forthcoming about the winter quarter. I urge you to visit our online resources like the COVID-19 website and FAQs for current information.
Sincerely,
James L. Gaudino
President