Working toward an in person WSU experience at WSU Everett

Dear Students, Faculty, and Staff:

Since the first case of COVID-19 was diagnosed in Everett, Wash., on Jan. 21, 2020, our lives have changed substantially. This pandemic has cost our community dearly, in terms of lives, health and well-being and economic stability.

Knowing the sacrifices we have all made makes today’s announcement special. While details remain to be finalized, Washington State University is planning to resume mostly in-person classes and student experiences system-wide for the 2021 fall semester.

The rollout of several vaccines gives us hope for increasing in-person education. Thanks to the efficacy of those vaccines, I am thrilled to join WSU leadership in preparing for a mostly in-person experience across the WSU system.

This is exciting news that comes with an important caveat: things are subject to change depending on the trajectory of the pandemic. WSU has and will continue to prioritize your safety within the everchanging context of the pandemic, our ability to test for the virus and limit its spread, and our country’s capacity to vaccinate our population.  Our response has been tailored to each campus. Across the WSU system. For example, in Everett we partnered with the Snohomish Health District on a testing station in the parking lot to address the high transmission rates of COVID-19 in our region.

As we look optimistically toward the coming months, please review additional information below that has been shared across WSU:

• 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 systemwide 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.
• Visitors to campus will continue to follow existing protocols around prior permission and day of attestation.

Our planning will continue to reflect state and local guidelines and the expertise of health experts. Protecting the health of our students, faculty and staff will continue to guide all our decision-making. If the pandemic worsens, we will quickly adapt our plans and revert to remote delivery of most coursework. That is why it continues to be important that everyone wear a mask, wash their hands, and maintain physical separation from those outside their household.

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.

We are excited to see you in person. We are excited for you to get into your classrooms and laboratories. We are excited for you to study and even just socialize together in the café between classes. Stay safe now so we ready ourselves for an in-person #EverCougs experience this fall.

Go Cougs!

Paul Pitre, Chancellor
Washington State University Everett