In-person learning planned for fall
ĪēŅ¹¾ē³” will offer fully in-person learning this fall! Scheduling will be adjusted for regular classroom capacities and laboratories will move back to their normal capacities.

Interested in applying to attend ĪēŅ¹¾ē³”? The application is open through the summer!
Apply:
Degree programs: tricities.wsu.edu/degree-offerings
Chat with admissions: tricities.wsu.edu/admissions/contact-connect

In line with updated state guidance, theĀ WSU system has announcedĀ the implementation ofĀ relaxed protocolsĀ for accessing and returning to campus.

Face-to-face interaction with our students and each other is the foundation of our effectiveness as an educational institution.Ā Working in community on the ĪēŅ¹¾ē³” campus provides the best means of supporting our students and each other in the important work we do.

We are, thus, very excited about what this new guidance means for our campus and we look forward to seeing many of you in-person very soon! Itā€™s been a long-time coming, but we are starting to see light at the end of the tunnel, as evidenced by the new guidelines, below.

Fully in-person classes planned for fall
ĪēŅ¹¾ē³” will offer fully in-person learning this fall. Scheduling will be adjusted for regular classroom capacities and laboratories will move back to their normal capacities.

Admissions applications accepted through summer months
ĪēŅ¹¾ē³” will accept applications for admission for fall 2021 through the summer. Classes begin on Aug. 23. To apply to attend ĪēŅ¹¾ē³”, visit .

Vaccine requirements
All WSU locations require that individuals receive the COVID-19 vaccine to access a university location, however, exemptions will be granted for medical and non-medical reasons. More information will be shared on the exemption process for all employees and for non-WSU Pullman students prior to the start of the fall semester.

Mask requirements
WSU employees who declare themselves fully vaccinatedĀ viaĀ Ā are not requiredĀ toĀ wear masks and socially-distance at WSU locations. Those who are not fully vaccinated must continue to wear masks andĀ socially-distance while on a campus or worksite. Providing falsified information regarding vaccination status is grounds for disciplinary action, up to and including termination from employment.

Students, contractors, vendors and visitors must be prepared to show proof of vaccinationĀ to aĀ relevantĀ unitĀ or departmentĀ leadĀ when entering a WSU building.Ā Employees who are not unitĀ or departmentĀ leads should let the unitĀ or departmentĀ lead know of their concern aboutĀ someone’sĀ vaccination status,Ā rather than approaching theĀ individual,Ā themselves.Ā Those unable or unwilling toĀ provide proof of vaccination to the unitĀ or departmentĀ leadĀ areĀ required to wear a mask andĀ socially-distance or leave university property.

Campus tours resume
The ĪēŅ¹¾ē³” Office of Admission is now scheduling on-campus tours for prospective students and their families. The tours will initially be held mostly outside before slowly transitioning to building interiors as campus facilities are prepared. To schedule a campus tour, visit tricities.wsu.edu/visit.

SOAR (Student Orientation, Advising and Registration) to offer in-person experiences
ĪēŅ¹¾ē³” is planning for in-person experiences as part of SOAR that will take place in July. For more information, contact Ian Jamieson atĀ ian.jamieson@wsu.edu.

Attestation no longer required
Students, employees and visitors who access aĀ WSUĀ location no longer have to attest to their current health status via the official WSU attestation process.

Campus check-in to be used for contact tracing
While attestation is no longer required, ĪēŅ¹¾ē³” willĀ continue toĀ utilize a campus check-in process for allĀ employees andĀ visitorsĀ at the Floyd and CIC entranceĀ kiosks.Ā However,Ā thisĀ processĀ willĀ beĀ movingĀ to an online check-in processĀ that departments and individualsĀ can use when visitors come to campus.Ā To meet the state requirements for contact tracingĀ come fall,Ā faculty willĀ beĀ asked andĀ expected to take attendance in their classes.Ā More details will be sharedĀ as they are finalized.

Return to in-person work dates
ĪēŅ¹¾ē³” director-level supervisors and above are expected to start working fromĀ campus or their respective WSU locationĀ no later than July 12.

All otherĀ ĪēŅ¹¾ē³”Ā employees (except faculty) are expected to work from campusĀ or their respective WSU locationĀ no later than Aug.Ā 2.

ĪēŅ¹¾ē³” faculty should plan to start working from campusĀ or their respective WSU locationĀ beginning on their contracted start date for fall.

Those whoĀ have a medical conditionĀ impactingĀ theirĀ ability to report to in-person workĀ shouldĀ contactĀ theirĀ supervisor andĀ Ģż²¹³ŁĢżHRS.disabilityservices@wsu.eduĀ or 509-335-4521.

Employees should provideĀ notice when planning to return to help alleviate stress on facilities and IT staff
Those who have not yet returned to workĀ on campusĀ shouldĀ provide advanced notice to facilities and/or IT if they requireĀ help inĀ setting upĀ equipment in their work area. Those who are able to move their items back to their office, themselves,Ā are encouraged to do so.Ā This will help reduce demands on the facilities and IT teams as they try to manage the return toĀ campusĀ needs for all campus members as we get closer to fall.

Return to work plans for units/departments no longer required to be submitted
WSU units and departments are no longer required to submit official return to work plans toĀ ĪēŅ¹¾ē³”Ā Environmental Health and Safety.Ā A ĪēŅ¹¾ē³” campus-wide return toĀ campusĀ plan willĀ remainĀ in effect. It is currently being updated byĀ ³§³¦“Ē³Ł³ŁĢż°Õ“Ē³¾°ł±š²ŌĀ with latest guidance and will be postedĀ to the ĪēŅ¹¾ē³” COVID-19 websiteĀ upon completion:Ā .

Return to work training no longer required
Employees are no longer required to completeĀ the HRSĀ return to workplace training. Rather, they can visitĀ theĀ Ā for a complete account of current guidance.

Events
All on-campus events should be entered intoĀ 25Live for scheduling resources.

Where to findĀ latestĀ up-to-date information
ĪēŅ¹¾ē³” will continue to maintain its COVID-19 web page atĀ . WSU individuals can also access updated information on the WSU system COVID-19 website atĀ .

By Maegan Murray, ĪēŅ¹¾ē³”

RICHLAND, Wash. – With safety being of utmost importance, Washington State University Tri-Cities plans to offer many more in-person courses for the fall 2021 semester.

All in-person classes, activities and support services will adhere to health department guidelines for wearing masks, social distancing and sanitizing protocols. For students who are unable to attend in-person because of COVID-19, virtual learning will remain an option for all courses.

ā€œWith the distribution of the COVID-19 vaccine, and with strict safety protocols and measures, we feel we can safely offer in-person learning experiences for our students,ā€ ĪēŅ¹¾ē³” Chancellor Sandra Haynes said. ā€œĪēŅ¹¾ē³” is known for its exceptional hands-on and career-connected learning opportunities. We look forward to resuming many of these activities, while still maintaining virtual options for students that need them.ā€

Course plans

ĪēŅ¹¾ē³” classes with 24 or fewer students enrolled will be scheduled as in-person or mostly in-person – meeting requirements for COVID-19 room capacity/social distancing.

Classes that have more than 24 students, but without currently planned lab/discussion sections, will feature some in-person and some online components. Faculty members will communicate with students registered in these courses for what the course components will look like – both in-person and online.

For courses with enrollment that exceeds 24, but is less than 40 and there is a room available, fully in-person delivery may be possible.

For classes with more than 40 students enrolled and with regularly-scheduled labs or recitation sections, the lecture component of the class will be taught remotely (virtually) and the lab/recitation sections will be scheduled in-person.

For all courses, the delivery method will be noted on the fall 2021 schedule beginning in early April. An announcement will be made once the fall schedule is updated and posted.

SAT and ACT scores no longer required for admission, scholarship application

ĪēŅ¹¾ē³” will no longer require SAT and ACT standardized test scores as an admissions or scholarship requirement, per recent approval by the WSU Board of Regents.

As part of her presentation to the WSU Board of Regents, Provost Elizabeth Chilton shared data from the university showing that GPA is a better predictor of success at WSU than standardized test scores. Both six-year graduation and first-year retention rates are higher for students with a high school GPA above 3.5 than for a student that scores above 1,200 on the SAT.

To apply to ĪēŅ¹¾ē³”, visit .

 

Media contacts:

Maegan Murray, ĪēŅ¹¾ē³” director of marketing and communication, 619-403-3617 (cell), maegan_murray@wsu.edu