New vaccine mandate for higher ed employees

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Employees will have until Oct. 18 to be fully vaccinated or submit an exemption for medical or religious reasons. The requirement is a condition of employment. Regardless, WSU employees MUST enter their declaration of vaccination or file for an exemption on  by Aug. 23. Those who asked for exemptions must either become fully vaccinated or file a medical or religious exemption by Oct. 18.

Note that employees are required to be fully vaccinated by Oct. 18, which means that they must be two weeks past their final dose of the vaccine. To meet this requirement, the Moderna vaccine regimen must be started by Sept. 6, the Pfizer regimen by Sept. 13, and the Johnson & Johnson vaccine no later than Oct. 4.

Instructions for submitting a declaration or an exemption as a WSU employee:

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2. Select “Requests” from the welcome page and then “Create Request”
3. In the “Request Type” window, type “COVID” and press “enter”
4. Select “COVID-19 Employee Vaccination Declaration” and click “OK”
5. Read the declaration statement and select the statement appropriate to you
6. Click “Submit”

The vaccination mandate for state employees does not apply to students. For student requirements, visit tricities.wsu.edu/covid-19/guidelines.

Indoor mask mandate

In addition to vaccine requirements,  a statewide mask mandate that will include vaccinated individuals in indoor settings.

Effective Monday, Aug. 23, all individuals over the age of 5 must wear a mask while in indoor settings that may be accessed by the public, including restaurants, grocery stores, malls and public-facing offices, regardless of vaccination status. The mandate also applies to schools (including colleges and universities).

There will be limited exceptions when masks aren’t required, such as office spaces not easily accessible to the public where individuals are vaccinated, and when working alone indoors or in a vehicle with no public face-to-face interaction.

For latest WSU COVID-19 information, visit:

WSU system COVID-19 website | 
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WSU employees, students and visitors who provide proof of full vaccination will be allowed to forgo face masks and social distancing on all University locations.

The new policy, effective Thursday, follows the latest guidance from Gov. Jay Inslee, the Department of Labor and Industries and the .

The complete guidance is available on the university’s .

People are considered fully vaccinated two weeks after receiving their last shot in a vaccine series. To find a nearby location where vaccines are available, visit the state’s .

Employees will still have to declare their health status through the  prior to visiting a WSU worksite or campus, though the policy will be re-evaluated in the weeks ahead.

Information about the process for employees to declare their vaccination status, including , is available. Those who work in certain WSU departments or business units, such as childcare and health care services, must continue to wear facial coverings and distance, regardless of vaccination status.

Providing falsified information regarding vaccination status is grounds for disciplinary action, up to and including termination from employment.

Employees who decline to provide proof of vaccination will still be required to wear a face covering and maintain appropriate social distance from others at a WSU location. Those not wearing masks may still have to provide proof of vaccination prior to entering WSU facilities such as the Student Recreation Center, dining facilities and libraries.

There are several forms of valid proof:

• A CDC vaccination card (which includes name of person vaccinated, type of vaccine provided, and date last dose administered)
• A photo of a CDC vaccination card as a separate document or a photo of the attendee’s vaccine card stored on a phone or electronic device
• Documentation of vaccination from a health care provider or state immunization information system record
• A hard copy or electronically signed self-attestation from the employee

Students

In-classroom instructors as well as area leads are allowed to verify the vaccination status of unmasked students entering their area or facility. Only supervisors, area leads, in-classroom instructors, or their designees are responsible for oversight of WSU facilities and may verify vaccination status. Students not wearing a mask may also have to provide proof of vaccination prior to entering the Student Recreation Center, dining halls and other university facilities.

Several forms of verification are acceptable:

• A CDC vaccination card (which includes name of person vaccinated, type of vaccine provided, and date last dose administered)
• A photo of a CDC vaccination card as a separate document or a photo of the attendee’s vaccine card stored on a phone or electronic device
• Documentation of vaccination from a health care provider or state immunization information system record

Students whose vaccination status is unverified will be required to wear a face covering and maintain social distancing.

Students who provide false or misleading information regarding their vaccination status will be referred for action under the standards of conduct for students. Anyone who is not an in-classroom faculty member or area lead who is concerned about someone not wearing a mask or social distancing is asked to contact a supervisor.

Contractors, vendors and visitors

Area leads or their designees are also permitted to verify the vaccination status of contractors, vendors or visitors entering a WSU facility.

Vendors, visitors and contractors must provide valid verification as listed above or don a face mask and maintain appropriate social distancing. Providing false information is grounds for removal from WSU. Only supervisors and area leads or their designees responsible for oversight of WSU facilities may verify vaccination status.

No WSU employee, including supervisors, are permitted to ask for reasons why a student, employee or visitor is or is not vaccinated.

More information on the  is available on its website.

By Maegan Murray, ���سԹ�

RICHLAND, Wash. – Lamb Weston donated 20,000 disposable masks for student and employee use at Washington State University Tri-Cities for when in-person learning resumes on campus this fall.

The masks will be utilized by students, faculty and staff to ensure a safe return to operations for in-person learning experiences and services on campus.

“We are incredibly grateful to Lamb Weston for their generous gift, especially during this uncertain time where face coverings are so important in keeping our students and general campus community safe,” said Jaime Heppler, ���سԹ� executive director for advancement and community engagement. “Resources are tight amid COVID-19, so this gift goes a long way in ensuring a safe start to the semester.”

The requirement to wear face coverings will be one of a variety of safety parameters at ���سԹ� this fall, in addition to required social distancing, sanitization practices and a hybrid course delivery that blends in-person and online learning experiences based on what is safe.

“In a situation like we’re in now, community is more important than ever,” said Shelby Stoolman, communication and external relations with Lamb Weston. “We are thrilled to have the opportunity to provide masks to WSU’s campus in the Tri-Cities – a very important community for our Lamb Weston family.”

Heppler said Lamb Weston is no stranger to supporting resources through ���سԹ� to ensure student success. Lamb Weston is also a sponsor of the ���سԹ� Cougar Cupboard, which provides fresh and pre-packaged food and toiletry items for students and their families.

“I am honored to work for such a generous company that allows me to be a representative for our outreach,” said Deb Dihel, vice president of innovation at Lamb Weston, who helped work with Lamb Weston’s procurement team to secure the donation for ���سԹ�.

“Lamb Weston has been a great partner in supporting our students, who will go on to work as professionals at companies like Lamb Weston,” Heppler said. “These are the kinds of partnerships that truly make a difference. This support allows our students to attend classes that help to secure a better future for themselves and their families.”