Friday, December 10, 2021

Stephen Davis, director of campus security, provides tips on staying safe and protecting your property during the winter break.

Whether you are planning to travel or to remain on campus during winter break, please pay attention to personal and property safety.

 

Campus security is available the entire holiday, 24/7. Reach out for assistance at any time by calling 509-527-5777. Safety escorts are available to your residence by foot and/or vehicle. Call campus security any time to ensure we are available to attend to your security needs.

 

If a medical emergency happens on campus during the break, campus security will respond and we will contact local EMS for assistance. During the break, the Glover Alston Center (GAC) will have food assistance for students who remain on campus. The GAC can be accessed via swipe card from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., and assistance for access can be requested from campus security.

 

On-campus security tips:

• If you leave campus during the school holidays, store your bicycle inside your residence hall.
• If you leave your vehicle on campus, remove all valuables from it.
• Place any valuables that you can’t take with you out of view in your room, apartment, and/or home. For safety, we suggest that you unplug all appliances before you leave.
• Park your vehicle in a well-lit location and leave your keys and contact information with a trusted friend.
• If you stay on campus during the break period, be vigilant and alert to any suspicious individuals around the residence halls, bike racks and/or parking lot areas.
• If immediate assistance is needed, contact campus security or the WWPD to report a crime or suspicious activity. 

If you live off-campus and are leaving for vacation:

• Lock your doors and windows securely.
• Make your house and/or apartment look occupied. If possible have a friend or neighbor pick up your mail or newspaper. Place your television, interior or exterior lighting on a timer. Leave your blinds, shades and curtains in their normal positions. Do not have packages delivered during your holiday or vacation period.
• Leave your contact information with a trusted friend who can get in touch in case of an emergency or suspicious activity in the area.

Additionally, weather forecasts for the weekend include substantial snow and wind in the Cascade and Blue mountains at pass levels. If you are preparing for winter travel, make sure that you check road and pass conditions before you leave and that you are prepared for potentially hazardous conditions.

Properly Wearing Your Mask Protects Everyone

Since returning from Thanksgiving Break, we have had six students confirmed to have COVID-19. We are, for the first time this fall, seeing COVID-19 spread between people on campus. And so, while we are all tired of thinking about COVID-19 and having so many aspects of our daily life impacted by this pandemic, it is more important than ever that we continue protecting ourselves, our loved ones and our communities.

 

Properly wearing a face mask is an essential step to preventing the transmission of the coronavirus. Your mask should:

• Fully cover your nose and mouth.
• Be tight against your cheeks and chin.
• Have no gaps on the sides.

Masks must be worn properly at all times in all public spaces. This includes the library, athletic facilities, Reid, residence hall lounges, classrooms and anywhere else that you are around a person who is not your roommate or in your household.

Adjust your study techniques to best fit the expectations and content of each course you are taking. For each of your exams, practice like you are expected to perform. If you know that you will be presented with problems that require you to select the correct equation, without the benefit of your notes, and then work the problem, be sure you are practicing that same way. If you know you will be writing out essays or short responses, practice that way. Your notes and various resources are good ways to check your work after the fact and ultimately determine areas where you need some more focused study.

What better way to celebrate the gifts that Whitman members have collected for local families than to join the Career and Community Engagement Center, Blue Mountain Heart to Heart and Lincoln High School this Saturday, Dec. 11, from 10 a.m. to noon in Reid Coffeehouse Basement to wrap them! We will be wrapping gifts, listening to holiday tunes, and drinking hot chocolate. Come kick off your reading days with some community engagement! 

In accordance with Washington state Labor & Industries employer requirements, we are notifying the campus community that in the past 24 hours, a person with Whitman access was confirmed positive for COVID-19. This person is now in isolation for 10 days in accordance with our campus and CDC guidelines. Though the likelihood of transmission is low due to our campus COVID-19 protocols, it is possible that others may have been exposed to COVID-19. There is nothing you need to do at this time aside from following our campus COVID-19 protocols. Anyone identified through the contact tracing process as a close contact (within 6 ft. for at least 15 minutes over 24 hours) will be personally notified. 

TODAY

SATURDAY

SUNDAY

Have an event you'd like to share with campus? Submit the information to the Events Calendar.

“Whitman Today” is produced by the Office of Communications and is emailed Monday through Friday to Whitman College staff, faculty and students. All times are listed in Pacific Daylight Time. 

 

Submissions are welcome! If you have a professional or personal accomplishment to celebrate, an event to publicize or other content to share with the Whitman community, email whitmantoday@whitman.edu. Submissions should be 125 words or less. The deadline for submissions is noon for the following day's newsletter, though submissions may be held for a later date according to space and editorial needs. By submitting to Whitman Today you also authorize use on Whitman's social media unless otherwise specified.

 

Previous issues of Whitman Today are archived on our website.