Coming together for our students

Dear WSU Faculty and Staff:

I want to congratulate everyone on the successful completion of our fourth full week of online instruction across the WSU system. It has been amazing to learn about the ways you have continued to be flexible and creative in engaging with our students and colleagues through Zoom and other online tools while also practicing appropriate physical distancing when in public.

I also appreciate that you continue to ask questions about what things will look like in the coming months. Right now, we are actively planning for in‑person classes for the fall semester at all of our campuses. As we plan, we will continue to make decisions that reflect best practices as recommended by the public health community.

University leaders also are in constant discussions with Governor Inslee and other elected officials about ways to safely reopen our businesses, schools, and public services in Washington. While it is important that we continue to #StayHomeStaySafe, wear masks when in public, and avoid group gatherings, finding ways to continue fulfilling our land‑grant mission of teaching, research, and service has never been more important than it is now.

Thank you, too, for engaging with our students, your colleagues, and university leadership through social media, our virtual town hall meetings, and email and phone conversations. This situation calls for #WSUTogether, and you are doing a fantastic job of demonstrating Cougar grit and determination. We will continue to keep you updated on a regular basis about our plans going forward, and I encourage you to refer to our COVID‑19 website to stay current on all of the latest WSU‑related information.

Again, I am proud of your resiliency during this difficult time. Your dedication to ensuring our students get the very best educational experience possible during this uncertain time is remarkable—and uplifting.

Thank you for all you do for WSU.

Go Cougs!

Kirk Schulz, President
Washington State University