Although academic operations currently are continuing uninterrupted, the Provost’s Office is urging faculty and instructors to begin reviewing options and alternatives in the event of future disruptions related to the spread of COVID-19.
In a message sent Tuesday by interim Provost Bryan Slinker and Dave Cillay, vice president of Academic Outreach and Innovation, faculty and instructors were asked to review the Tool Kit for Extended Campus Closure. The site has guidance on recording lectures as well as strategies for continuing instruction if not all students and instructors can meet face-to-face as usual.
The pair also advised faculty and instructors to consider recording lectures in the event conditions change quickly and a large number of students are unable to attend class. Resources for those unfamiliar with video capture technology are either available through colleges or Academic Outreach and Innovation.
The university supports students who choose to self-quarantine if they suspect they may have been exposed to the virus. Faculty and instructors are asked to accommodate these students as needed. WSU will not require proof that a student has consulted a medical professional about possible exposure to COVID-19.
With a limited number of confirmed cases in the Pacific Northwest, there is no reason to disrupt normal university operations, the pair wrote. However, WSU has taken a number of precautionary steps, including having an executive policy group conduct a daily review of developments, and an Emergency Task Force develop and implement contingency plans for maintenance of all functions within the system.
The latest updates from WSU can be found on its COVID-19 website.
