January 25, 2021
Dear Students, Faculty, and Staff:
Navigating the challenges of COVID‑19 together as a Cougar community
has taught us much about the resiliency of the human spirit. We have sacrificed
individually and collectively while simultaneously adapting to a redefined world,
a world requiring new pathways to pursue our goals and hopes and dreams. Your
own courage and grit have humbled and inspired us.
Knowing these sacrifices makes today’s announcement even more special:
while details remain to be finalized, we are planning for a robust in‑person
student experience both inside and outside the classroom for fall 2021 and
beyond. While each of our campus locations around the state has its own constraints
and opportunities, we look forward to a return to in‑person activities as soon
as possible. Chancellors throughout the WSU system soon will communicate
campus-specific details about their fall schedule.
As we look optimistically toward the coming months, we also want to share
some additional important information:
The 2021 fall semester course schedules for all WSU campuses are expected
to be available online in early April.
We will celebrate the achievements of our students graduating at the end
of the 2021 spring semester with a system‑wide virtual commencement celebration
on May 8. Additional event details will be available in the coming weeks.
For the 2021 summer session, we are planning for both in‑person
and remote delivery. We are building a synchronous delivery schedule that will
allow us to shift quickly to remote instruction if in‑person delivery is
not possible.
Details about fall semester housing availability on the WSU Pullman
campus will be provided in a separate email this week. We anticipate additional
residence hall capacity for fall semester.
Our planning will continue to reflect state guidelines and the expertise of
health authorities. Protecting the health of our students, faculty, and staff will
continue to guide all of our decision-making in the coming months. If the pandemic
worsens, we will quickly adapt our plans and revert to remote delivery of most
coursework.
Our students’ learning, personal well‑being, and life success
remain our top priority. Faculty and staff continue to strive to deliver the
best possible remote experience, applying anew the technology and best practices
we’ve learned during the past 10 months. Our staff in the Division of
Student Affairs are similarly committed to providing a robust Coug Experience.
Now is also a good time to remind ourselves of how we can help eliminate
COVID‑19. Practice the 3 W’s each day: wear a mask, wash
your hands, and watch your distance. Please continue to refer to our
COVID‑19 website for updates about the University’s plans going
forward. We also urge you to get the coronavirus vaccine as soon as it is
available to you.
Thank you for your continued understanding, your patience, and all of
your efforts during this unprecedented challenge of our times. We eagerly
look forward to the day when we once again can be together in person as
a community.
Go Cougs!
Kirk Schulz
President
Elizabeth Chilton
Provost and Executive Vice President
Mary Jo Gonzales
Vice President of Student Affairs
