In-person classes for fall to end after Thanksgiving break; students will complete rest of the quarter remotely

Dear Campus Community, 

Having recently received a recommendation from Western’s COVID-19 Planning Group, and informed by discussions with faculty leadership, we write to communicate that all WWU classes will be moved to remote/online modality after the Thanksgiving break this coming fall.  This means that instruction during the last week of classes (November 30-December 4), and exams during Finals Week (December 7-11), will be delivered/administered remotely.  Faculty have already been informed of this decision so that course syllabi and class planning will include this modality shift. As part of this decision, Fall Commencement will be a virtual celebration.  

Many universities across the country have implemented some version of this health-and-safety strategy, and we believe that our approach will mitigate the risk of students recongregating after Thanksgiving trips and possibly causing a significant COVID-19 outbreak. 

Sincerely,
Brent Carbajal, Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs 
Melynda Huskey, Vice President for Enrollment and Student Services