Coronavirus Update

Dear members of the Whitman community,

Even though we are strongly discouraging spring break travel, if you do plan to leave campus during the break, please be as diligent about your health as possible. Even if the risk associated with coronavirus is low for you personally, we have a responsibility to those in our community – both on campus and off – to do everything we can to prevent the spread of coronavirus.

Monitor travel recommendations

We recommend you closely monitor travel recommendations from the CDC as they change daily.  If you are planning to travel to countries on  a Level 3 or Level 2 travel warning, you must stay home for 14 days and monitor your symptoms before you return to campus. This is based on CDC recommendations. If you have traveled to any of these countries, please contact the Dean of Students Office and our professors and do not come to campus until you have been symptom-free for 14 days. 

Travel Alert Planning Form

If you plan to travel during the break and have not already done so, fill out the  travel alert planning form. This information will be used for planning purposes in relation to coronavirus response and will only be accessible to a small number of staff on the coronavirus task force.

Be a SMART traveler

Anyone traveling internationally over spring break should register for the  Smart Traveler Enrollment Program. This free program allows you to register your trip in order to receive important information from the U.S. Embassy about safety conditions in your destination country and allows the embassy to contact you in an emergency.

Take necessary study materials

If you decide to leave campus, please take everything you would need to self-isolate or take classes remotely. The coronavirus situation is constantly changing and travel restrictions are a real possibility. There is also the possibility that the college will need to move to online instruction as the virus progresses. All students should be prepared for that possibility whether you plan to travel within the U.S. or abroad.

Avoid large gatherings

If you are traveling to cities that have reports of community transmission, avoid any unnecessary gatherings of large groups of people where germs could be shared. Avoid touching your face, cover your cough or sneeze, and clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces using household cleaning supplies or wipes. Wash your hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds.

Stay Informed

Above all, I hope you will familiarize yourself with the steps outlined by the  Centers for Disease Control and Prevention aimed at keeping you and your family safe. You can find other helpful links on our website as well as  previous communications and plans that were sent to campus. 

The coronavirus task force will continue to meet during the break and continue plans for a variety of possibilities that could happen during the break. We will continue to communicate with you via email throughout the break as circumstances change.

Stay safe,

Kazi Joshua
Vice President for Student Affairs/
Dean of Students