On April 2, Chancellor of WSU Vancouver Mel Netzhammer, hosted an online Campus Conversation to answer questions surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic. Students, staff, and faculty were able view the meeting live and ask questions through Zoom’s chat feature. Common questions and their answers from the event are provided below.
Chancellor Netzhammer, Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs Renny Christopher, Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs and Enrollment Domanic Thomas, Vice Chancellor for Finance and Operations Lynn Valenter, Public Safety’s Lieutenant Dave Stephenson and campus Director of Human Resources Julia Getchell provided answers to questions. Sherri Bennett, chief of staff to the chancellor, facilitated additional audience questions.
The chancellor began the livestream by introducing WSU Vancouver’s mission and values, explaining the goal was to continue with social distancing recommendations. Netzhammer said that WSU Vancouver would support members of the community by facilitating operations of the Cougar Food Pantry, maintaining certain members of the campus workforce, sending out care packages and answering questions on a timely basis.
“Our whole community and leadership team are really keeping at the forefront as we begin to address something that really has no end in sight at the moment,” Netzhammer said.
Q: Is there a specific fund to support our students to which we can donate?
A: There is a donation fund set up for students, as well as how more information will be provided through an, “FYI VanCougs” newsletter on April 6. Administration is still in the process for decisions geared toward releasing those funds.
“To date, we are approaching $10,000 in that fund. Much of that has come from members of our own community,” Netzhammer said. “Yesterday, we learned that The Community Foundation is going to donate $85,000 to that fund to support our students. That will go to the food pantry, the care packages being provided, technology fees, to help with transition to online and other kinds of emergency funds.”
Q: Will students have access to parking refunds?
A: Parking refunds will be available if students mail-in their permits to Parking Services.
“If you mail in your parking permit, we will prorate your refund for the rest of the semester. We use the post mark date, but if you mail in your refund over the next few days, we will use the April 1 date,” Netzhammer said.
Q: How will summer semester be addressed?
A: Netzhammer explained that as of now, no official decisions have been made and that all campuses have been discussing the implications for summer classes.
“If I had to guess, I would say that we really need to be prepared to have summer sessions in the same formats as what we were doing for the remainder of this academic year. I think it is highly unlikely that we will be able to have a traditional face-to-face summer session as early as May 11,” Netzhammer said.
Q: What happens if a COVID-19 case is reported on campus?
A: Lieutenant Dave Stephenson said WSU Vancouver will make an announcement to the community, but will abide by confidentiality laws to limit personal information released about a person who may contract the virus. He also said that the Clark County Department of Health will address the individual and the people they have come into contact with accordingly. Additionally, Stehpenson explained that COVID-19 tests are rare in Clark County and should be reserved for those displaying the worst symptoms.
“Still the best option [is] social distancing, stay home,’ Stephenson said. “Nobody at WSU Vancouver has contracted a confirmed case of COVID-19.”
Q: Is there a pass/fail grading option for this semester?
A: According to Renny Christopher, more details can be found at the registrar website. She explained that this option is only for the 2020 spring semester and is for students who are struggling with employment, health issues and childcare, among other predicaments. Students have until June 1 to utilize this option, and are encouraged to contact an adviser for credit information.
“This temporary measure has a grade that is ‘PP,’ which will be assigned to anybody who receives a C minus, D plus, or a D. So that will be a passing grade as the letter grades are,” Christopher said.
Q: Will BaCe and other equity initiatives continue during this transition?
A: Christopher said yes, that the Building a Community of Equity Professional Development program workshops are regularly hosting virtual meetings called Wellness Wednesdays, a workshop surrounding micro-affirmations. She also said the Support and Empowerment for Employees of Color is planning to continue providing a virtual lunchtime series.
“Everyone needs to feel a sense of belonging. We need to continue to promote our inclusive campus community even though it’s become a virtual community now,” Christopher said. “The Wellness Wednesdays will be continuing every Wednesday, there will be a BaCE activity. Again, you can sign-up on the BaCE website.”
Q: How will fall recruitment be handled? The overall enrollment process? What about ROAR orientation?
A: Domanic Thomas explained that many popular campus events will no longer take place. Student affairs is determining how to address ROAR orientation alternatives and have been keeping up with prospective transfer and high school students interested in attending WSU Vancouver.
“We have been communicating via text, and having Zoom hangouts and maintaining contact with prospective students, reminding them of this community and what we do for students when they are here,” Thomas said.
Q: What does WSU Vancouver’s budget look like?
A: Lynn Valenter explained that as of right now, WSU Vancouver is currently stable with a budget that is largely tuition-based. The biggest factors impacted on campus are the auxiliaries, such as childcare or food service, but that WSU Vancouver’s revenue will remain constant with adequate enrollment numbers. She said that the university is currently in a good place and will continue to supply employee paychecks.
“The answer is, we need to be cautious, as I think all of us personally are. This is not a time to ‘go big or go home.’ We are all doing what we need to do to get by, and to serve our mission,” Valenter said.
Q: How will the hiring freeze on April 1 function?
A: Julia Getchell explained that the hiring freeze will apply to all potential-hires after April 1, except for critical employees attributed to system operations. More information about the hiring freeze can be found on the human resources’ website. Faculty, staff or students with work study are grant-funded and graduate teaching or research assistants are not subject to the hiring freeze, but others with only partial-funding must go to Chancellor Netzhammer for job approval.
“If there are requirements in process and an offer of employment has been made on or before April 1, those can proceed. For all other requirements in process, [the] chancellor will have to approve those,” Getchell said.
Q: How can we trust administration after keeping the Library open against advice until ordered to close?
A: The chancellor addressed this by explaining WSU Vancouver reduced other services to abide by recommended social distancing, but kept the Library open for students who required internet access and computer resources. He explained the administration was considering access to the Library even before Governor Inslee’s stay-home order.
“I do not think we have broken trust with people on campus. I think there are people who disagree with some of the decisions that we have made, and I respect that. I appreciate that. I want people to disagree with the decisions we make, where it makes sense, because that is how we learn. That is how we grow. That is how we understand the implications of the decisions we are making. That is hugely important for us going through this together,” Netzhammer said.
A video recording of the Campus Conversation can be watched here. For any further questions, WSU Vancouver has published an FAQ page, answering more specific inquiries related to COVID-19.
Olivia is a senior studying English at WSU Vancouver.