PULLMAN, Wash. — Washington State University updated its plans Thursday for students attending the school in the fall of 2020.
The university announced on its website it will only offer online learning in the fall. All undergraduate courses at WSU Pullman will be done remotely with extremely limited exceptions for in-person instruction. Other WSU campuses will announce their plans at a later date.
During a townhall meet on June 24, the university said it did not intend to bring students back on campus in the fall. The school outlined an instruction model they are calling Hyflex, that will combine in-person and distance learning for the fall semester.
Vice president of student life Mary Jo Gonzales said during the meeting, “The most important message we need you to hear today is that fall 2020 will be different. It will not be what you are used to.”
Gonzales went on to urge students to comply with the rules set to keep students safe, like wearing masks, keeping six feet apart, and limiting travel off campus.
As for large parties, Gonzales was abundantly clear they simply aren’t safe and everyone needs to fall in line.
“You are going to have to make a choice Cougars, that’s faculty, staff and students,” Gonzales urged. “If you’re not going to follow the rules and do what you are asked to do or do what is expected of you, you should consider other arrangements for your education in the fall.”
The university said back in June it would prohibit any in-person group activities of more than 50 people during fall semester, which includes classrooms, events and meetings. Face-to-face classes with enrollment larger than 50 students will likely be taught as a distance course, or offer in-person classes in sections (e.g., one-third of the class taught on Monday, one-third on Wednesday, one-third on Friday).
The school will be prepared to return to all in-person learning whenever it might be safe to do so.
For more on WSU’s coronavirus response plan, you can watch the town hall here or visit their COVID-19 website.