Welcome back, Cougs! Here’s what you need to know today.

To all our Cougar students, faculty, and staff: welcome back!

           Washington State University Everett is excited to offer in-person learning this Fall Semester, which begins on Aug. 23. Week of Welcome is a week-long series that combines academic and social programming to help new and returning students kick off the new academic year.

           I know you have big plans for your future and earning your bachelor’s degree is more important than ever to that future. We are here with you as you earn the academic credentials and gain the professional experience you need to launch that future.

           As you prepare to join us on campus, here are five important action items to take care of before the first day of classes:

Vaccinations

            Washington State University can offer in-person classes in large part because of the widespread, cost-free availability and proven efficacy of COVID-19 vaccines, which WSU is requiring for all students, faculty, and staff. Exemptions can be requested for medical and non-medical reasons. For those without exemptions, we each have an obligation to serve the public good and promote the health and safety of the communities it serves by getting vaccinated.

           WSU Everett will host a public Back-to-School COVID-19 Vaccine Clinic with Pfizer and Johnson & Johnson on the first day of classes, Aug. 23. A second-dose clinic will take place on campus on Sept. 13. Appointments are recommended, but not required. Pre-registration can be found at these links for Aug. 23 and Sept. 13. Those ages 12-17 must be accompanied by an adult parent/guardian.

           WSU Everett students may now access the Cougar Health Services Patient Portal to submit proof of vaccination or file an exemption. This process must be completed by Sept. 10. This means that by Sept. 10 students must have either provided proof of COVID-19 vaccination or filed an exemption. After any of the three currently approved vaccines receive full FDA approval, personal/philosophical exemptions will no longer be accepted. Students will have 45 days following the approval date to provide proof of vaccination (or initiation of vaccination) or file a medical or religious exemption. Upon FDA approval, the updated process for filing a new medical or religious exemption will be provided. Questions about the vaccine portal, vaccines or exemptions may be directed to cougarhealth@wsu.edu.

UPDATE: Federal regulators granted full approval to the Pfizer-BioNTech coronavirus vaccine on Monday, Aug. 23. Students now have until Oct. 18 to show proof of COVID-19 vaccination (or that they have initiated vaccination), or file a medical or religious exemption in the Cougar Health Services Patient Portal.

           Employee declarations of vaccination status are due in Workday by Aug. 23. All WSU employees are required to be fully vaccinated by Oct. 18. No personal or philosophical exemption will be allowed.

Masking

           According to the Aug. 10 order by the Snohomish Health District and Aug. 18 announcement by Governor Jay Inslee, all persons five years and older must wear a mask indoors, regardless of vaccination status. Snohomish County’s order took effect Thursday, Aug. 12, and the mandate applies to all WSU facilities in Snohomish County. The Washington state order takes effect Aug. 23 and has the same effect: All members of our Cougar community will be required to wear a mask on campus while these masking directives are in place.

Campus Safety Alerts

            Please register for Rave Emergency Alerts. These text/email alerts cover emergency situations at Everett Community College (EvCC). WSU Everett is located on the EvCC campus, so these alerts apply to WSU Everett. Click ‘Register’ in the upper-right quadrant. An online identification from WSU or EvCC is not required.

Parking

           Parking permits are now available to purchase. The permits are good from now through December. Everyone driving to campus should have either a fall parking pass or an individual day pass, purchased from the parking kiosk between WSU Everett and EvCC’s AMTEC building. Visit everett.wsu.edu/parking-permits for your guide to purchasing your parking permit.

Patience

            We are in this together. Let me say that again: we are in this together. Guidance from the Centers for Disease Control, the state of Washington, and Snohomish County will change as we continue to operate within this pandemic. Please exercise patience generously as we apply those changes to our academic operations.

Go Cougs!

Dr. Paul Pitre, Chancellor
WSU Everett & Everett University Center

#WSUTogether