3 STAYING SAFE ON CAMPUS

Leila Williamson The Communicator

The first COVID-19 case to hit Washington was on January 20, 2020. It’s been a little over nine months now since the United states has been impacted by Covid-19 and the world is trying to come back to normal, a very new and different normal. Colleges around the country have been trying to find the right solution for their schools as a new academic year starts. At Spokane Falls Community College serious measures are being taken to ensure the safety and health of students and staff. At the Spokane campus, in-person classes are Leila Williamson | The Communicator following safety protocols such as wearing masks while on campus Washington State University, which Spokane Falls community college shares a section of campus with. and being six feet apart when in class. Listed under COVID FAQ on the school website, there is an outline of other cautions they are taking to keep students safe. How- challenges this fall surrounding ery instance. As to what they are However it is clear these ever, things are a little different COVID. Due to the size of the stu- doing to keep students safe here, decisions are important and that over at the Pullman campus. dent population, when classes first alongside in-person classes being each campus is doing everything

At the SFCC Pullman cam- started on the joint WSU/SFCC cancelled, he mentions there it can to take all the precautions pus, located within of Washington campus, there was a surge in the is information on how to stay necessary during this time. Forster State University’s campus, number of cases, even when there healthy during this time through- voices that these decisions, while stu dents “Our priorities are the were no in-person out every space they operate in at WSU. While classes for the not always easy, will help keep our school safe with the current have been complete- well-being of our stuclasses taking Pullman campus were completely online this semester, he hints at rise in cases. ly moved to online, meaning no in-person meetings. Brooklyn Brown who dents, employees, and communities” Patrick Forster place. The National Guard was called in to set up what the future may hold. “Should the public health context improve substantially by February, we will discuss internally and with WSU a partial or even full resumption of on ground services and instruction,” For more information about Washington State University, is a part of their own Forster said. “Our priorities are call 509-332-2706 faculty from the SFCC Pullman campus said testing sites to meet the demand of the well-being of our students, employees, and communities... or email Pullman@ this decision has affected their campus numbers. people needing to be tested. The SFCC Pullman Assistant Dean, we live with an extraordinary challenge; each of us has had sfcc.spokane.edu “...COVID-19 is affecting enrollment. Many students are not Patrick Forster, works with the SFCC and WSU administration to to sacrifice even as we meet the challenge with resilience and located at: interested in a fully online sched ule,” said Brown. - decide what is best for the campus. He explains that the Pullman creativity.” The decisions being made for 185 Veterans Way

While there were lower campus closely works with WSU each campus are entirely differ- Pullman, WA 99164numbers of enrollment, SFCC and follows their public health ent, depending on their surroundPullman still faced some different and safety guidelines in almost ev- ing environment.