[Wsssc] FW: COVID-19 Update for May 29, 2020

Joe Holliday jholliday at sbctc.edu
Mon Jun 1 13:17:04 PDT 2020 

WSSSC: SBCTC Covid-19 response update from John Boesenberg, below.

From: John Boesenberg
Sent: Saturday, May 30, 2020 10:41 AM
To: Amit Singh (amit.singh at edcc.edu<mailto:amit.singh at edcc.edu>) <amit.singh at edcc.edu<mailto:amit.singh at edcc.edu>>; Amy Morrison (amy.morrison at lwtech.edu<mailto:amy.morrison at lwtech.edu>) <amy.morrison at lwtech.edu<mailto:amy.morrison at lwtech.edu>>; Arlen Harris <aharris at sbctc.edu<mailto:aharris at sbctc.edu>>; Beth Gordon <bgordon at sbctc.edu<mailto:bgordon at sbctc.edu>>; Bob Mohrbacher - Centralia (bob.mohrbacher at centralia.edu<mailto:bob.mohrbacher at centralia.edu>) <bob.mohrbacher at centralia.edu<mailto:bob.mohrbacher at centralia.edu>>; Carli Schiffner <cschiffner at sbctc.edu<mailto:cschiffner at sbctc.edu>>; Chad Hickox (chad.hickox at wwcc.edu<mailto:chad.hickox at wwcc.edu>) <chad.hickox at wwcc.edu<mailto:chad.hickox at wwcc.edu>>; Chemene Crawford (Chemene.Crawford at seattlecolleges.edu<mailto:Chemene.Crawford at seattlecolleges.edu>) <Chemene.Crawford at seattlecolleges.edu<mailto:Chemene.Crawford at seattlecolleges.edu>>; Cherie Berthon <cberthon at sbctc.edu<mailto:cberthon at sbctc.edu>>; Cheryl Roberts <cheryl.roberts at shoreline.edu<mailto:cheryl.roberts at shoreline.edu>>; Chris Bailey (cbailey at lowercolumbia.edu<mailto:cbailey at lowercolumbia.edu>) <cbailey at lowercolumbia.edu<mailto:cbailey at lowercolumbia.edu>>; Christine Johnson (christine.johnson at ccs.spokane.edu<mailto:christine.johnson at ccs.spokane.edu>) <christine.johnson at ccs.spokane.edu<mailto:christine.johnson at ccs.spokane.edu>>; Daria Willis (dwillis at everettcc.edu<mailto:dwillis at everettcc.edu>) <dwillis at everettcc.edu<mailto:dwillis at everettcc.edu>>; Darrell Cain - Pierce Puyallup (dcain at pierce.ctc.edu<mailto:dcain at pierce.ctc.edu>) <dcain at pierce.ctc.edu<mailto:dcain at pierce.ctc.edu>>; Eric Murray (emurray at cascadia.edu<mailto:emurray at cascadia.edu>) <emurray at cascadia.edu<mailto:emurray at cascadia.edu>>; Grant Rodeheaver <grodeheaver at sbctc.edu<mailto:grodeheaver at sbctc.edu>>; Ivan Harrell (iharrell at tacomacc.edu<mailto:iharrell at tacomacc.edu>) <iharrell at tacomacc.edu<mailto:iharrell at tacomacc.edu>>; Jan Yoshiwara <jyoshiwara at sbctc.edu<mailto:jyoshiwara at sbctc.edu>>; Jim Minkler (jim.minkler at ghc.edu<mailto:jim.minkler at ghc.edu>) <jim.minkler at ghc.edu<mailto:jim.minkler at ghc.edu>>; Jim Richardson (jrichardson at wvc.edu<mailto:jrichardson at wvc.edu>) <Jrichardson at wvc.edu<mailto:Jrichardson at wvc.edu>>; John Boesenberg <jboesenberg at sbctc.edu<mailto:jboesenberg at sbctc.edu>>; John Mosby (jmosby at highline.edu<mailto:jmosby at highline.edu>) <jmosby at highline.edu<mailto:jmosby at highline.edu>>; Joyce Loveday (joyce.loveday at cptc.edu<mailto:joyce.loveday at cptc.edu>) <joyce.loveday at cptc.edu<mailto:joyce.loveday at cptc.edu>>; Julie Walter <jwalter at sbctc.edu<mailto:jwalter at sbctc.edu>>; Julie White - Pierce College Fort Steilacoom (juwhite at pierce.ctc.edu<mailto:juwhite at pierce.ctc.edu>) <juwhite at pierce.ctc.edu<mailto:juwhite at pierce.ctc.edu>>; Kathi Hiyane-Brown (khiyane-brown at whatcom.edu<mailto:khiyane-brown at whatcom.edu>) <khiyane-brown at whatcom.edu<mailto:khiyane-brown at whatcom.edu>>; Kevin Brockbank (Kevin.brockbank at scc.spokane.edu<mailto:Kevin.brockbank at scc.spokane.edu>) <Kevin.brockbank at scc.spokane.edu<mailto:Kevin.brockbank at scc.spokane.edu>>; Kevin McCarthy (kmccarthy at rtc.edu<mailto:kmccarthy at rtc.edu>) <kmccarthy at rtc.edu<mailto:kmccarthy at rtc.edu>>; Kim Perry - Bellingham Tech (kperry at btc.edu<mailto:kperry at btc.edu>) <kperry at btc.edu<mailto:kperry at btc.edu>>; Kim Tanaka <ktanaka at sbctc.edu<mailto:ktanaka at sbctc.edu>>; Kimberlee Messina (Kimberlee.Messina at sfcc.spokane.edu<mailto:Kimberlee.Messina at sfcc.spokane.edu>) <Kimberlee.Messina at sfcc.spokane.edu<mailto:Kimberlee.Messina at sfcc.spokane.edu>>; Kristen Jones (kristen.jones at bellevuecolleg.edu<mailto:kristen.jones at bellevuecolleg.edu>) <kristen.jones at bellevuecollege.edu<mailto:kristen.jones at bellevuecollege.edu>>; Kurt Buttleman (kurt.buttleman at seattlecolleges.edu<mailto:kurt.buttleman at seattlecolleges.edu>) <Kurt.Buttleman at seattlecolleges.edu<mailto:Kurt.Buttleman at seattlecolleges.edu>>; Laura McDowell <lmcdowell at sbctc.edu<mailto:lmcdowell at sbctc.edu>>; Lin Zhou - Bates <lzhou at batestech.edu<mailto:lzhou at batestech.edu>>; Linda Kaminski <lkaminski at yvcc.edu<mailto:lkaminski at yvcc.edu>>; Luke Robins (lrobins at pencol.edu<mailto:lrobins at pencol.edu>) <lrobins at pencol.edu<mailto:lrobins at pencol.edu>>; Marty Cavalluzzi - Olympic <mcavalluzzi at olympic.edu<mailto:mcavalluzzi at olympic.edu>>; Michele Johnson <mjohnson at pierce.ctc.edu<mailto:mjohnson at pierce.ctc.edu>>; Rebekah Woods (rwoods at columbiabasin.edu<mailto:rwoods at columbiabasin.edu>) <rwoods at columbiabasin.edu<mailto:rwoods at columbiabasin.edu>>; Rosie Rimando-Chareunsap - South Seattle (Rosie.Rimando at seattlecolleges.edu<mailto:Rosie.Rimando at seattlecolleges.edu>) <Rosie.Rimando at seattlecolleges.edu<mailto:Rosie.Rimando at seattlecolleges.edu>>; Sandra Fowler-Hill (sfowler-hill at clark.edu<mailto:sfowler-hill at clark.edu>) <sfowler-hill at clark.edu<mailto:sfowler-hill at clark.edu>>; Sheila Edwards Lange - Seattle Central (Sheila.EdwardsLange at seattlecolleges.edu<mailto:Sheila.EdwardsLange at seattlecolleges.edu>) <Sheila.EdwardsLange at seattlecolleges.edu<mailto:Sheila.EdwardsLange at seattlecolleges.edu>>; Shouan Pan (shouan.pan at seattlecolleges.edu<mailto:shouan.pan at seattlecolleges.edu>) <shouan.pan at seattlecolleges.edu<mailto:shouan.pan at seattlecolleges.edu>>; Suzanne Johnson (sjohnson at greenriver.edu<mailto:sjohnson at greenriver.edu>) <sjohnson at greenriver.edu<mailto:sjohnson at greenriver.edu>>; Terry Leas (terryl at bigbend.edu<mailto:terryl at bigbend.edu>) <terryl at bigbend.edu<mailto:terryl at bigbend.edu>>; Tim Stokes (tstokes at spscc.edu<mailto:tstokes at spscc.edu>) <tstokes at spscc.edu<mailto:tstokes at spscc.edu>>; Tom Keegan (thomas.keegan at skagit.edu<mailto:thomas.keegan at skagit.edu>) <thomas.keegan at skagit.edu<mailto:thomas.keegan at skagit.edu>>; Wayne Doty <wdoty at sbctc.edu<mailto:wdoty at sbctc.edu>>
Subject: COVID-19 Update for May 29, 2020

These updates are sent on Wednesdays and Fridays, to better align with the WACTC calls on those days.  If you have questions, however, please feel free to call John Boesenberg or any other State Board staff member who could best respond.

The information listed below has come-up since the last message was sent.  It will be shared with the WACTC Commissions.  Additional information/details may be accessed through our Google Drive at https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1PnHhItWpvNhUhhxrCq5LSzxjenmVS5nw

*       General Information

  *   Governor Inslee announced on Friday, May 29th the expansion of Safe Start <https://www.governor.wa.gov/sites/default/files/Safe%20Start%20-%20Washington%20Phased%20Reopening_FINAL.pdf> - Washington's Phased Reopening plan. The expansion comes as the current Stay Home, Stay Healthy<https://www.governor.wa.gov/sites/default/files/proclamations/20-25.3%20-%20COVID-19%20Stay%20Home%20Stay%20Healthy%20-%20Reopening%20%28tmp%29.pdf> order ends midnight Sunday. The expansion moves Washington through the phased reopening on a county-by-county basis. With this new approach, counties will have more flexibility to demonstrate they can safely allow additional economic activity based on targeted metrics.

?  As of yesterday, 26 counties have been approved<https://www.doh.wa.gov/Newsroom/Articles/ID/1211/Two-additional-counties-approved-to-move-to-Phase-2-of-Gov-Jay-Inslees-Safe-Start-plan> to move to Phase 2. Counties in Phase 2 must be in that phase for a minimum of three weeks before becoming eligible for Phase 3 variance. The earliest any county could move to Phase 3 would be June 3<https://www.governor.wa.gov/sites/default/files/COVID19Phase2CountiesPhase3EligibilityDate.pdf>.

?  In this new approach, counties will now have more flexibility and the ability to apply to the secretary of health to demonstrate they can safely allow additional economic activity based on metrics and a holistic review of their COVID-19 activity and ability to respond.



  *   Governor Inslee also announced new safety and health requirements for businesses operating in Washington's "Safe Start" plan. The announcement brings together general requirements for all business operations, including essential businesses operating outside of industry-specific guidance, and includes new requirements for facial coverings.
     *   Beginning June 8, all employees will be required to wear a cloth facial covering, except when working alone in an office, vehicle, or at a job site, or when the job has no in-person interaction. Employers must provide cloth facial coverings to employees, unless their exposure dictates a higher level of protection under the Department of Labor and Industries' safety and health rules and guidance. Refer to Coronavirus Facial Covering and Mask Requirements<https://www.lni.wa.gov/agency/_docs/wacoronavirushazardconsiderationsemployers.pdf> for additional details. Employees may choose to wear their own facial coverings at work, provided it meets the minimum requirements.
?  Employers must also post signage at their place of business strongly encouraging customers to wear cloth facial coverings. Businesses are encouraged to require customers to wear cloth facial coverings, in order to protect employees from exposure to COVID-19 in the workplace.



  *   Many colleges have questions about protocols to follow if/when they are notified that a student or an employee has the virus.  Challenge Seattle <https://www.challengeseattle.com/>  is working with the Boston Consulting Group to issue guidance for higher education on the options institutions have in various scenarios.  This will take the form of a decision tree.
     *   One option may include a hybrid instruction format. Many colleges are planning to offer instruction in the fall through an in-class/remote hybrid format that will minimize disruption should they need to continue the course solely on-line.



  *   LWTech is moving forward with contact tracing training for college campuses.  Essentially, the training will have two parts:
     *   The first part will be provided on-line, with no cost.
     *   The second part will be instructor led, with focus on how to set up the program and teams at a college.  It will include a resource guide, practice statements and examples of potentially difficult situations.  Colleges may use their CARES Act institution funding to pay the cost.  This training should be available early June.  The live session will be recorded for later viewing.
     *   Efforts to partner with the Department of Health will continue.


*      Operating and Capital Budget
o   State Board and OSPI staff met this week to discuss spring quarter running start reimbursement.  At this time school districts are reimbursing colleges using a projected FTE enrollment rate rather than actuals.  OSPI will pull enrollment data from its system and colleges will be asked by the State Board to provide their April enrollment numbers.  While it is not clear how a true-up process will occur, this is a positive step in that direction.


*      Employment

  *   Total claims for unemployment benefits decrease from the previous week. During the week of May 17-23, there were 48,445 initial regular unemployment claims, down 65% from the prior week and 1,497,591 total claims for all unemployment benefit categories filed by Washingtonians, according to the Employment Security Department (ESD). ESD believes the decrease was in large part due to significant fraud prevention measures that were put in place over the past two weeks. ESD paid out over $494.5 million for 424,995 individual claims.
?  Since the week ending March 7 when COVID-19 job losses began a total of 1,996,257 initial claims have been filed during the pandemic (1,252,608 regular unemployment insurance, 397,845 PUA and 345,804 PEUC). A total of 1,130,519 distinct individuals have filed for unemployment benefits; ESD has paid out nearly $4.7 billion in benefits; 807,071 individuals who have filed an initial claim have been paid



Below is a twelve-week summary of statewide initial claims filed since the start of the COVID-19 crisis:
[12 week summary initial regular claims line chart May 17-23][Statewide total claims line chart May 17-23]


     *   James Weaver, the WATech director and State CIO, provided information on Friday morning on its efforts to combat Unemployment Benefit fraud. The Employment Security Department (ESD) has seen a dramatic increase in "imposter fraud," where criminals use stolen personal information to apply for unemployment benefits fraudulently. There are no indications of a data breach involving the state government network, including SecureAccess Washington (SAW), ESD, or other state agencies. SAW provides a single sign-on portal for external users to access government services, including ESD unemployment benefits. Bad actors acquired large amounts of personal information from past data breaches that have occurred nationally and that information is being used for identity theft to claim benefits. Many states across the country are being impacted. WaTech's efforts:

        *   Block malicious traffic based on threat intelligence and geolocation.
        *   Increase alerting and visibility to numerous other threat patterns.
        *   Expand monitoring for proactive troubleshooting.
        *   WaTech is constantly monitoring the state government network to guard against attacks and is proactively taking steps to safeguard state systems.



In addition, ESD is taking a number of steps to address the fraud, including:

        *   Taking additional steps to validate all claims as authentic.
        *   Hiring more fraud investigators and staff to answer questions on the fraud hotline.
        *   Making changes to its system that will require some customers to verify or provide certain information. These changes impact both new and existing customers, and in some cases could delay payment while ESD collects or verifies this additional information.
        *   You can read more about imposter fraud and report it at esd.wa.gov/fraud<https://gcc02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.esd.wa.gov%2Ffraud%3Futm_medium%3Demail%26utm_source%3Dgovdelivery&data=02%7C01%7C%7Cbc51be9689244e6d5f3508d803e082af%7C11d0e217264e400a8ba057dcc127d72d%7C1%7C0%7C637263610083575626&sdata=%2Bs0%2BP7bXMHt1bV1S3d2pRUYakLCB9UI4zGNOipryOtQ%3D&reserved=0>.



WaTech will continue monitoring the situation and communicate any developments.

*       Instruction/Student Services
o   Safety protocols for higher education movement into phase 2 have been approved by DOH and L&I.  The next and last step of the approval process is the Governor's approval.  The Governor's staff is supportive, so it is anticipated that they will be approved soon and the announcement may made through a press conference.
?  A press conference announcement would draw attention to the value of higher education and its role in the economy.  It could also demonstrate to the public the safety measures institutions are taking now and for a fall re-opening.
?  Once these phase 2 protocols are approved, colleges in counties still in phase 1 will have to continue to adhere to the phase 1 protocols.
?  Colleges continue to be advised to provide their safety plans to the local public health office.  The plans do not require local approval. Although, due to workload, the local public health office may not be responsive, college continue to be advised to try make that connection.
?  Presidents expressed hope that the phase 2 protocols will be an approved soon as time is running out for students hoping to graduate at the end of spring quarter. Within some labs, especially in allied health programs, it is difficult if not impossible to maintain 6ft. social distancing while learning/practicing required skills.
?  Colleges operating in different counties will have to adhere to the protocols for the county the instruction is taking place.

o   KOMO News ran a story on Thursday on how schools are struggling to keep out-of-class students connected during COVID-19 crisis. The article features efforts by both K-12 and higher education to help students progress during this difficult period.  Jan Yoshiwara is quoted and Pierce College efforts to extend WIFI access to students is included.


o   Friday's edition of Inside Higher Ed included an article on the trend of more students considering delaying enrollment in college and the impact on educational outcomes? See the article at Inside Higher Ed - Delaying Enrollment Impacts<https://www.insidehighered.com/news/2020/05/29/gap-years-and-delayed-enrollment-may-be-concern-during-pandemic?utm_source=Inside+Higher+Ed&utm_campaign=e2f5f333f8-DNU_2019_COPY_02&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_1fcbc04421-e2f5f333f8-197830289&mc_cid=e2f5f333f8&mc_eid=67b38cef7e>.


o   Inside Higher Ed also ran a short article on Governors' efforts to identify steps for reopening campuses. The National Association of Governors stated that  governors should create a public health framework for colleges and universities to follow in order to reopen campuses. In a memo<http://www.nga.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/State-Higher-Ed-reopening-final.pdf>, the National Governors Association recommended a number of steps including following the lead of Democratic Connecticut governor Ned Lamont's reopening advisory group, which laid out a framework<http://portal.ct.gov/-/media/Office-of-the-Governor/News/20200506-Recommendations-to-Governor-Lamont-for-a-phased-reopening-of-colleges-and-universities.pdf?la=en> recommending steps for colleges to take, including doing testing and contact tracing. "Reopening higher education institutions will be a critically important and high-profile step for governors who are working to get their state economies back on track. This process will involve complex legal questions for which governors should provide clear guidance," the association's memo said.


*       Issues being worked


o   Summer Running Start - Essentially, there is agreement on policies however, there continues to be discussion on funding.  State Board staff continues to work with OSPI to identify a funding source - potentially the Governor's or OSPI's K-12 CARES Act funding.

*      Upcoming Event Cancellations/Changes (Newly Added/Updates in RED)

     *   Workforce Connections Forum, scheduled for May 18-19th, has been rescheduled to August 25-26th.
     *   Spring CEDD Corrections Education Deans and Directors quarterly meeting is moved to a virtual meeting on Zoom  It starts at 9:00 AM  to 4:00 PM on May 19, 2020 and 9:00 AM - Noon on May 20, 2020.
     *   Rendezvous 2020, July 27-29 - Cancelled
     *   Information Technology Commission has shifted from May 14-15 at Clark to May 14 via Zoom.
     *   The WACTC Summer retreat will be entirely held through Zoom on July 27-28.

John Boesenberg, Deputy Executive Director
Business Operations
360-704-4303; jboesenberg at sbctc.edu<mailto:jboesenberg at sbctc.edu>

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