Last week, WVC announced the decision to require vaccines for all students attending in-person classes this fall. 

The community response to this decision was mixed. Many were grateful for the move to protect community health. Others were concerned about the availability of exemptions or the ability to continue their education without a vaccine. 

I hope to put some of these concerns to rest and explain how this decision was made - not just here at WVC, but across the state. 

Behind the decision

On July 12, the higher education proclamation put in place by Governor Jay Inslee went into effect. This revised proclamation updated previous guidance, and effectively gave community colleges like WVC two choices: require vaccination and lift some of the COVID-19 precautions on campus, or do not require vaccination, and continue to enforce strict masking, social distancing, symptom tracking and other protocols. 

Regardless of the choice to require vaccination or not, the Governor’s Office is requiring all colleges and universities to ask vaccinated students to supply their vaccination information if they take in-person or hybrid classes. This is a legal requirement under the governor’s proclamation, but it will not affect your ability to work and learn on campus. 

The decision was not made lightly. The safety of our students and employees is our top priority. Ultimately, we chose the option that prioritizes health, safety, equity and education on our campuses. 

Requiring vaccines not only keeps our campus communities safe, but it also allows us to open up more fully and operate more normally than if we did not require vaccines. To make access to vaccines easy and convenient, WVC is hosting free vaccine clinics on both campuses this month. Students and the public can receive the vaccine free of charge with no appointment. Learn more at wvc.edu/PublicHealth.

Options for students

First, it is important to note that while WVC continues to strongly encourage everyone to get vaccinated, we respect all our students and their personal health decisions. For those seeking exemptions, while there are extra precautions that must be followed, there are clear options for them to continue their education at WVC. 

Students may seek medical, religious or philosophical exemptions for vaccination. The exemptions are explicitly outlined in the governor’s proclamation, and we feel it is important to offer exemptions because we do not want to limit access to a college education.

Students attending only online classes are not required to get vaccinated. These students can access all the tools they need to succeed virtually using WVC’s online resources. This fall, classes are being offered in online, hybrid and face-face formats.

Next steps

I’m eager to welcome students back to WVC this fall - their patience and resilience have paid off, and we can now gather as a campus once more. 

Starting Aug. 16, a documentation form will be available for all students to document their vaccination status and any applicable exemptions. More instructions will be announced to students in the coming week. 

Currently, WVC is continuing to require masks for everyone on our campuses due to the prevalence of the Delta variant. Our most up-to-date health requirements can be found at wvc.edu/PublicHealth.

Finally, our campuses are reopening fully in September, with all offices resuming normal business hours. Students will be welcomed back at virtual (Sept. 15-17) and in-person (Sept. 18) new student orientations. Learn more at wvc.edu/Orientation.

Every fall I look forward to seeing our campus spring back to life for the start of the academic year, but this year more than ever I am excited to see students, employees and the community return to WVC.

 

Dr. Jim Richardson
WVC President