Dear Faculty, Staff and Students:

On March 23, 2020, Governor Jay Inslee issued Executive Order 20-25, “Stay Home – Stay Healthy,” to slow the spread of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).

The order has two key parts: (1) it commands Washington residents to stay home, effective immediately, unless conducting certain activities; and (2) it commands non-essential businesses to close starting at midnight, Wednesday, March 25, 2020. Below is guidance on the order’s impact on the university’s faculty, staff and students.

Importantly, the order, as the university interprets it, will prevent students currently residing on campus from moving out by April 4 as previously directed. For students who have already left the residence halls but have not collected all their belongings, the university will continue to store their belongings until a later date. Dean of Students James Willette will provide additional communication to students.

The Order’s Stay-at-Home Provision

• Stay at home with limited exceptions: Under the order’s Stay-at-Home Provision, all people in Washington State shall immediately, cease leaving their home or place of residence through April 6, 2020, except for the following reasons:
  
  (1) to conduct or participate in essential activities and/or
  (2) for employment in essential business services.
  
  
• What is a “home” for students on campus? For students still living on campus, the university interprets the order’s definition of “home” to mean a student’s residence hall.
• Permitted reasons to leave home: The order explains that people in Washington may leave their homes (including residence halls) only to: (1) obtain necessary supplies and services including food; (2) engage in activities essential for health and safety, such as seeking health services or supplies; (3) care for or transport friends or family members for essential health and safety activities; (4) engage in outdoor exercise (but only if appropriate social distancing practices are used); or (5) travel to employment in essential business services.
• Prohibited activities: Leaving a home or residence to access internet, use a computer, or study in an open space is not considered an essential activity. Thus, students will no longer be able to leave their residence halls or homes to access the Lemieux Library or other campus buildings to study. The university will continue to work with students to provide support and equipment to enable distance learning.
  • As stated above, the order will prevent students currently residing on campus from moving out by April 4 as previously directed. Dean of Students James Willette will provide additional communication to students.
  • The order also specifically prohibits all public and private gatherings or multi-person activities for social, spiritual, or recreational purposes, regardless of the number of people involved. 

The Order’s Essential Business Provisions

• Seattle University is an essential business under the order as a university providing distance learning.
  • Nonessential businesses are to close until April 8, 2020.
    
    
• The university has already directed all employees to work from home if their physical presence on campus is not critical. The order allows the university’s employees working from home to continue to do so, and those working from home should continue working from home until further notice. The university’s previous directive regarding supplemental leave is still in effect for other employees.
  
  The order’s list of essential workers who may leave their homes to support employment in essential businesses is consistent with the university’s designation of workers whose physical presence on campus is critical or essential:
  • “Workers supporting...colleges and universities for purposes of distance learning.” This would cover faculty on campus as well as any staff assisting in providing distance learning
  • “Workers to ensure continuity of building functions.” This would cover the university’s essential/critical staff from Facilities and also from Housing and Residence Life.
  • Security staff to maintain building access control and physical security measures.” This would cover the Department of Public Safety.
  • “Support required for continuity of services, including janitorial/cleaning personnel.” This would further cover the university’s essential/critical staff from Facilities and also from Housing and Residence Life.
  • “Health care providers and caregivers.” This would cover staff of the Student Health Center and Counseling and Psychological Services.
• All workers whose presence on campus is critical or essential must continue to practice social distancing and sanitation measures that Seattle University has implemented under guidance of the Washington State Department of Health and King County Public Health.
• Divisional leaders will provide employees whose continued physical presence on campus is critical with a document prior to close of business on Wednesday, March 25, 2020, explaining that the employee’s continued physical presence on campus is critical and is exempt from the order.