Tuesday, January 18, 2022

Today is the first day of classes for Spring 2022! We believe strongly that the best education we can provide for Whitman students happens in person. That being said, safety and health are the highest priorities and, as we have done from the beginning, we let science guide our decisions when it comes to the safety of our community.

 

As you know, we have been working with our consulting epidemiologist for the duration of the pandemic and have been talking about new protocols from the moment we learned about the omicron variant. Our epidemiologist agrees that Whitman’s campus is one of the safest places a student could be, largely due to the fact that our classroom environment is designed with many layers of protection: a vaccinated and boosted population, N95 masks, HVAC systems providing high levels of air circulation and access to excused absences when symptomatic or in quarantine or isolation. In both the limited in-person classes of Spring 2021 and the fully in-person classes of Fall 2021, our contact tracing showed that there was no evidence of COVID-19 transmission occurring in any classroom setting. 

We know that omicron is more contagious than variants we dealt with last semester, which is why we added the extra layer of requiring N95 masks to improve the protectiveness of masks worn on campus. Our epidemiologist has cited a study from MIT demonstrating that wearing N95 masks instead of cloth masks allows a school to double the number of people in a classroom space while still having a lower risk of spreading COVID-19. While we do not plan to double the number of students in our spaces, the point is that these highly protective masks are an important new level of protection for this semester.

 

We’re so glad to have everyone back for in-person learning and hope you have a wonderful first day of classes!

Employment Opportunities

Whitman is currently hiring for the following positions. Please share these openings with anyone who might be interested!

• Administrative and Lockshop Assistant (Facilities Services)
• Admission CRM Database Analyst (Admission)
• Admission Event Coordinator (Admission)
• Assistant Baseball Coach (Athletics)
• Associate Dean of Health and Wellness/Director of Counseling Services (Health Center)
• Associate Director of Alumni Relations (Development and Alumni Relations)
• Carpenter/Maintenance Technician (Facilities Services)
• Custodian (Facilities Services)
• Database and Systems Analyst (Development and Alumni Relations)
• Development Officer (Development and Alumni Relations)
• Director of Equity and Compliance/Title IX Coordinator (Diversity and Inclusion)
• Director of Financial Aid (This search is being conducted by Spelman Johnson Search Firm)
• Director of Security (Security)
• Financial Aid Counselor (Financial Aid Services)
• Geology Technician (Geology)
• On-call Security Officer (Security)
• Printing and Mailing Manager (Communications)
  
• Registered Nurse (Welty Health Center)
• Rental Fleet and Landscape Assistant (Facilities Services)

I Am Not My Thoughts: Somatic Techniques for Anxiety and Depression

Feeling stuck in your head? Wanting to connect and feel grounded in your body? I Am Not My Thoughts: Somatic Techniques for Anxiety and Depression is a group counseling program for students to learn coping mechanisms that relax the nervous system, increase bodily and emotional awareness, and to creatively engage in a safe and non-judgmental space. Participants will improve their overall well-being and ability to manage stress through breathing exercises, body scans, self-touch, visualization and easeful movement explorations. No experience is required and open to all abilities. Takes place on Saturdays from 1-2:30 p.m. in the Dance Studio at 16 Boyer Ave. Please visit the link for registration and accommodation requests.

 

Safer Than Words: An Expressive Arts Therapy Group

The expressive arts are “embodied” experiences. They are helpful in identifying and repairing the body’s responses to stress, trauma, loss, and overwhelming emotions. In this group, students will move between visual art, music, dance/movement, drama, and expressive writing to honor their capacity for resilience and personal strength. The expressive arts are effective for individuals who represent a wide array of diversities and differences. You do not have to leap gracefully or paint masterfully to benefit from this approach to therapy. Anticipate a welcoming and non-judgmental space to express what cannot be said in words. Takes place on Saturdays from 3-4:30 p.m. in the Dance Studio at 16 Boyer Ave. Please visit the link for registration and accommodation requests. 

In accordance with Washington state Labor & Industries employer requirements, we are notifying the campus community that in the past 24 hours, five people with Whitman access were confirmed positive for COVID-19. These people are 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. 

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.