[Wsssc] FW: UPDATES regarding reopening and vaccines

[Joe Holliday]

WSSSC: FYI, below. This situation is evolving. We will keep you posted as best we can. Joe

From: Carli Schiffner <cschiffner at sbctc.edu>
Sent: Wednesday, June 30, 2021 10:02 AM
To: INSTCOMM at LISTSERV.CENTRALIA.EDU
Cc: Shannon Bell <sbell at sbctc.edu>; Ana Ybarra <aybarra at sbctc.edu>; Bill Moore <bmoore at sbctc.edu>; Darby Kaikkonen <dkaikkonen at sbctc.edu>; Denise H. Costello <dcostello at sbctc.edu>; Jamilyn Penn <jpenn at sbctc.edu>; Joe Holliday <jholliday at sbctc.edu>; Kristi Wellington Baker <kwellingtonbaker at sbctc.edu>; Marie Bruin <mbruin at sbctc.edu>; Monica Olsson <molsson at sbctc.edu>; Scott Copeland <scopeland at sbctc.edu>; William Durden <wdurden at sbctc.edu>
Subject: UPDATES regarding reopening and vaccines
Importance: High

Dear IC Colleagues,

I hope this finds you well and enjoying some air conditioning!

There are a couple of items I want to make sure are on your radar.

Update #1: Reopening Guidelines

In the past 48 hours, we have learned that the reopening guidelines are looking a bit different from what we anticipated (given our work with the Governor's staff) and what the Governor's staff recommended to the Governor.  Translation: the Governor wants vaccine information to be collected for all institutions of higher education (IHEs)-whether the schools are mandating vaccines or not.

There are three areas of guidance that we are trying to align/reconcile in an attempt to minimize conflicting data sources/guidance:
*Department of Health (DOH) guidance
*LNI guidance
*Higher Education proclamation (from October)

With the state "reopening" tomorrow (which is really about distancing), we were under the impression that the Higher Education proclamation would be rescinded AND that the DOH and LNI guidance documents would be aligned.

That is not the case as of 8am this morning.

So, we are working to best understand the way forward for IHEs.

The Higher Education proclamation from October has been modified to reflect the following:


a.     There are two kinds of campuses: vaccinated campuses* and non-vaccinated campuses.

b.     Vaccinated campuses have no distancing requirements, and only require masking for  those not vaccinated.

c.     Non-vaccinated campuses have to abide by the 3 foot distancing requirement; requires masking for all non-vaccinated faculty, staff, and students; and daily cleaning requirements continue (per CDC).

*Definition of vaccinated campus is an IHE has a fully vaccinated campus and is exempt from this proclamation when it meets the following requirements:

The IHE implements a policy requiring all of its students, employees, faculty, and volunteers to provide documented proof  that they have been fully vaccinated against COVID-19 before allowing them to participate in or attend in person any IHE course, operations, or activity or enter in person any IHE-owned or -controlled housing, facility, or location, subject to the following:

The IHE must provide medical exemptions as required by law and may provide religious and philosophical exemptions. The IHE must require every individual who claims an exemption to the vaccination requirement to wear a face covering in accordance with the Secretary of Health's face covering order when indoors and participating in or attending in person any IHE course, operations, or activity or physically present in any IHE-owned or -controlled housing unit.


We are seeking clarity on the following in the Higher Education proclamation revised draft:

- Will LNI requirements be consistent with what we are doing for higher education proclamation requirements (2/3 of our students work-therefore the guidance from these sources should line up)?
-Suggested way about collecting vaccine info for those who want to avoid wearing a mask.
-Regarding self-attestation-will students be able to do this as evidence of vaccination?
-Elimination of the enforcement provisions related to mask wearing.
-Removal of clauses that are outdated due to the vaccine being implanted (the proclamation was written back in October).

We were able to confirm the following:


*       The practice of daily health attestations-will continue post June 30.


*       The revised proclamation does include a clause that students are required to wear masks in faculty offices if requested. Does not apply to classroom. The proclamation is silent on other 1-1 interactions.


*       It is required to collect vaccine information for those on campus; not taking/teaching online.


*       Contact tracing still needs to be done.

How do we track this?
Grant and his IT team are working on a solution in Peoplesoft and Legacy for colleges to be able to easily indicate vaccine status for students and employees. Apparently there is a vaccination module in Peoplesoft-that is not turned on in any of the colleges that have transitioned to Peoplesoft-so Grant is confirming this option. Not sure on turn around time on this.
We do not have to store evidence (just a check box is fine per the AGs office),  but there are still some questions about this as it relates to HIPPA/FERPA, etc.

Update #2: Vaccine Incentive Program

The Governor also issued vaccination incentive program earlier this month. He has set aside federal discretionary funds for public college/university vaccination incentive grants, including $340,000 for community and technical colleges, to encourage vaccinations among college students.

Each community and technical college will receive $10,000 to award student scholarships through a random drawing in July.  The awards are to be $1,000 - $5,000 each which means two to ten awards per college.

Colleges may use their Spring quarter enrollment records to identify eligible students and establish the pool from which to draw potential vaccination scholarship awardees.  Awardees must show proof of COVID vaccination in order to receive the scholarship.  Awardees must be identified by July 30, but funds can be dispersed into the 2021-22 academic year.

Because the purpose of these grants is to provide an incentive to get vaccinated, colleges will need to message to all eligible students about the vaccination scholarship opportunity and when the drawings will take place, so that they have time to get at least one shot in case their name is drawn.

WACTC, WSSSC, BAC, and PIO colleagues received this information (and technical guidance) this week. The education division assistant attorneys general have collaborated on legal advice for colleges and universities so that there is common advice provided across institutions.

SOOOOOO, this is what we know at 8am as of this morning-there is still a possibility of things to change-will send you updates as they become known. This is in a state of constant flux. I am sorry I don't have something more firm to share with you-but wanted you to know what may be on the horizon.

I am on vacation this week, but happy to take a call from you on my cell if you have urgent questions/needs. My cell is 509.683.2963.

Take care!

Fondly,
Carli


[Compass]Carli Schiffner, Ph.D.
Deputy Executive Director of Education
Washington State Board for Community and Technical Colleges
cschiffner at sbctc.edu<mailto:cschiffner at sbctc.edu> * o: 360-704-4353  * c: 509-683-2963
sbctc.edu<https://www.sbctc.edu/> * Twitter: @SBCTCWashington<https://twitter.com/SBCTCWashington> * Facebook: @WASBCTC<https://www.facebook.com/wasbctc/>

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