COVID-19 Weekly Update graphic. Aubrie Rice // Publicity Center
Updated as of: March 27, 2020 at 11:47 a.m.
By Stella Harvey
Western announced spring quarter tuition would not change in response to the loss of one week and classes being moved online in a larger social distancing effort to limit the spread of the COVID-19 virus.
According to the March 26 campus advisory from Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs Brent Carbajal and Vice President for Enrollment and Student Services Melynda Huskey, Western is will not lower tuition because the cost to run classes online will increase expenses. Costs include compensating faculty for their work in adjusting their classes for an entirely online quarter, providing existing services and investing in new technology, according to the advisory.
Washington State Governor Jay Inslee signed a Stay Home, Stay Healthy order on March 24, which requires everyone in the state to stay home to limit the spread of the COVID-19 virus. The order is set to last two weeks, and prohibits all social and spiritual gatherings, and closes all non-essential businesses.
In his address, Governor Inslee said it is still safe to go outside, as long as social distancing guidelines are followed, and people remain six feet apart. In response to the order, a campus advisory from Huskey sent on March 24 said that Western will not enter into suspended operations, and Western and student employees should continue to work from home and stay in regular contact with their supervisors.
Last week, Western outlined what online classes will look like in a campus advisory from Carbajal and Faculty Senate President Jeff Young. According to the advisory from March 20, Western will not charge the fees associated with online classes during the spring quarter for courses that were scheduled to meet in person.
According to the March 20 advisories, it will be up to each individual professor how they structure and operate their classes online. Many classes will be taught during their originally scheduled times over Zoom or canvas, while others might have a more heavy focus on online discussion boards and assignments. According to the advisory, professors will begin to inform their students of their plans for the quarter next week, the original first week of the quarter.
The COVID-19 virus has continued to spread in Whatcom County, with 86 confirmed cases, 4 deaths and 336 negative tests as of March 27 at 11:45 a.m., according to the Whatcom County Health Department. In Washington State, there are 3,207 confirmed cases and 147 deaths according to the Washington State Health Department.
COVID-19 is a new respiratory virus that was first located in Wuhan, China and has spread throughout the world, officially labeled a pandemic by the World Health Organization on March 11. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the virus spreads through person-to-person contact, and there are currently no treatments available. Many people who come in contact with the virus will recover on their own, but some people are at higher risk of developing further complications, including older people, pregnant women and those with serious chronic medical conditions, according to the CDC. The mortality rate of COVID-19 remains unclear in the rapidly changing course of events.