Battling super-spreaders

CHENEY – While education is their preferred first choice, Cheney and Eastern Washington University law enforcement are prepared to take sterner measures with students who continue to violate safety protocols spelled out by the state and/or Spokane County Health District to prevent the spread of COVID-19.

It's an effort, Cheney City Administrator Mark Schuller said, to avoid having happen to Cheney and EWU what occurred in Pullman when Washington State University students returned in August for fall semester. Even in going to an all-online instruction format similar to EWU's, Pullman and Whitman County saw an exponential rise in cases of COVID-19.

"They (WSU) said their biggest miss was the off-campus impact to the community with the return of off-campus students," Schuller said.

Annika Scharosch, EWU associate vice president for civil rights, complaints and risk management, agreed, noting that in a discussion with state and other university officials, WSU representatives made a point that the focus should also be about the communities institutions are in as much as students and staff.

"The person from WSU said you really need to focus on your town and gown relationship and focus on the city before things go awry," she said.

EWU and Cheney officials met, discussed options and produced two approaches - the first dealing with students living off-campus. In a statement released Sept. 16, both organizations - while not anticipating arrests, issuing citations or taking individuals to jail - said police officers "will intervene with more punitive actions to address violations" to enforce specific safety requirements.

Individuals violating face masks and social distancing requirements could be charged with a gross misdemeanor punishable by a fine of up to $5,000 and/or a year in jail. Violators of local or the state health officials orders requiring similar measures, or individuals who fail to disperse from a party or gathering per requirements could be charged with a misdemeanor punishable by a fine of up to $100 and/or 90 days in jail.

It's a stance similar to Pullman's, which went so far as to amend its nuisance code ordinance to allow for officers to cite "any person" rather than just the individuals at whose premise the gathering took place.

Schuller reiterated that officers' first approach would be to educate students on safety measures and their need, rather than issue citations. But the city is prepared to take sterner measures to prevent large student gatherings - referred to as coronavirus "super-spreaders" by health officials.

"I don't think you can take this serious enough," Schuller said. "Look, we want the students to return. The businesses certainly want them. But it worries us, these parties."

The second approach is solely EWU and what disciplinary measures the university might take. According to the statement, violations involving off-campus EWU students will be forwarded to the university's Office of Student Rights and Responsibilities, which could then take action in addition to criminal or civil process through the university's Student Conduct Code.

Many universities have seen the spread of COVID-19 on their campuses and in their communities because of student activities. Students returning to WSU in late August have been identified as the sources of a spread that made Pullman one of the fastest growing COVID-19 outbreak locations in the nation when adjusted for population, and elevated Whitman County's case rate to 1,254.7 cases per 100,000 residents over a two-week period between Aug. 22 – Sept. 2, according to data from the state Health Department.

Prior to students returning, Whitman County had a case rate of 71.8 per 100,000 between Aug. 2 – Aug. 18. The county had kept its case rate in single digits since the outbreak began in March to the May 26 – June 8 period when it jumped to 14 per 100,000.

In its ordinance, Pullman noted "approximately eighty to ninety percent of WSU undergraduates and graduate students returned" to the city for fall semester despite all instruction taking place online. Schuller said they asked EWU officials if they had any similar enrollment data, especially how many students would be returning to the city for instruction.

That data won't be known for sure until 10 days after school started, but early indicators are promising that enrollment will exceed the projected 8,500 university administrators used in getting the board of trustees to authorize budget and personnel cuts this summer.

"While we will still be down from last fall, we are trending toward not being down as much as feared back in June," EWU Director of Communications and Media Relations Dave Meany said in a Sept. 22 email. "This is all preliminary of course and until 10th day we're saying cautious."

Hard data for number of students living off campus isn't available. However, anecdotal data from looking at the number of cars in student-centered complexes such as The Grove, Eagle Point and apartments around Al Ogdon Way suggested to Schuller a situation similar to Pullman

"We talked to a couple apartment managers and they said they weren't struggling to fill vacancies," he added.

EWU junior Randal Kinswa said students were already unhappy with the university climate even before the outbreak of COVID-19 in March. Students have been feeling left out of university discussions about their future and that there is a lack of transparency and direction when it comes to relations, the co-managing editor of The Easterner said.

"One thing after another and it just builds up to frustration," Kinswa said. "Off-campus issues, I do believe there'll be push back by the student body."

Kinswa said students understand why the measures are instituted, and that what has happened with coronavirus spread and student gatherings in other states might not happen in Cheney as those were symptoms of those states' looser approaches to handling the virus, whereas Washington has implemented stricter measures. Still, they are hoping a new administration under interim President Dr. David May might be more open and communicative.

"The relationship is broken," Kinswa said. "Maybe that can change going in, I'm just not sure."

Scharosch said the university has been focused on health and safety almost exclusively since the start of the pandemic and particularly over the summer to address fall quarter. About 550 students will be living on campus in four dorms this quarter, and a number of measures are in place to ensure their safety, including issuing two masks per student on move in and requiring students to wear masks at all time except when alone in their rooms.

Masks will be available to all EWU students as well. EWU has consulted with Spokane Regional Health District officials on aspects of containing the virus, including walk-throughs of all buildings by SRHD staff.

In-person instruction is limited to labs, with those classes going through a five-step vetting process that includes review by health officials. If an outbreak should occur, Scharosch said the university has developed a containment process built on reporting, response, sanitation and quarantine, with a dorm being devoted solely for the latter.

Finally, an all-campus email was sent Sunday that provided students with health information, resources they could use and what they should expect in being held accountable for their actions. Scharosch said the latter even included a grid showing possible actions and associated outcomes.

"If this is what you're doing, this is what you can expect," she said.

John McCallum can be reached at [email protected].