NORTHWEST East Oregonian A2 Saturday, September 25, 2021 Eastern Oregon welcomes students back to campus In June, the school announced that it would require all students and employees to be fully vacci- nated against COVID-19. Seydel said response to that mandate was, overall, fairly positive. “Everybody was expecting something like that to come, especially when we were seeing requirements other institutions,” he said. “Ours was unique in that we were requiring the vaccination, or an exemption, contingent upon FDA full approval of the vaccine. That kicked in late last month, and now people have until Oct. 22 to complete either getting their vaccina- tions or having an exemption on file.” Seydel said students made it clear they wanted to get the on-campus, in-person expe- rience. “Everybody wants to get to that place where we can have a safe, healthy, active campus environment,” he said. “Because really what we’re here for is the students.” By ANDREW CUTLER The Observer LA GRANDE — After spending more than a year dealing with in-person and hybrid learning schedules, officials with Eastern Oregon University are excited at the prospect of life resuming a more normal look on campus in 2021-22. Classes are set to begin on campus Monday, Sept. 27. The school started its 93rd academic year on Sept. 20 with the annual Convocation, while students started moving back into residence halls on Sept. 22. “This fall we are planning to be 100% in-person, in the classroom,” said Tim Seydel, Eastern’s vice president for university advancement. “Students in the classes, being taught directly in-person with faculty? You bet.” Despite the seemingly return to normal appearance of things on campus, it doesn’t mean Eastern isn’t taking the continuing pandemic seri- ously. “We’re following all the state and federal guidance. The big things that people would notice on campus is that we are continuing to wear face masks inside and in classes,” he said. “Students would be required to wear a face mask in class, and then outside where physical distancing is not really possible.” EOU offers a ‘bridge’ for students Alex Wittwer/EO Media Group Incoming freshman to Eastern Oregon University, La Grande, line up for gear during the university’s annual Week of Wel- come event Thursday, Sept. 23, 2021. that decision, but we follow state and federal guidelines,” Seydel said. “So the exemp- tions we’re currently allowing are medical and nonmedical exemptions, including reli- gious exemptions. Those have to meet federal standards.” Seydel students seek- ing exemptions go through Student Affairs and employee cases are handled by the school’s Human Resources department. “With nonmedical exemp- tions, there’s an education module they need to take part in and gather some more information from them,” he said. “And then they either have an exemption on file or they’re vaccinated.” Seydel said there’s plenty of ongoing conversations on campus about the potential impact Gov. Kate Brown’s vaccination mandate might have on the university. Brown announced in August that Handling exemptions Seydel said handling vaccine exemptions is not new for the university. For years, schools have been required to have vaccine exemptions for students as it relates to other vaccines. Eastern has been following that same process for COVID exemptions. “The university makes Forecast for Pendleton Area | Go to AccuWeather.com TODAY SUNDAY MONDAY TUESDAY WEDNESDAY Mostly sunny Clouds and sun Rain and drizzle in the p.m. Cooler with clouds and sun Sunny to partly cloudy and cool 86° 55° 80° 52° PENDLETON TEMPERATURE FORECAST 73° 48° 64° 49° 63° 42° health care workers and educators, support staff and volunteers needed to be fully vaccinated by Oct. 18 or six weeks after full FDA approval, whichever is later. “A lot of people assume that means you must be vacci- nated,” he said. “And it’s really you either need to be vacci- nated or have an exemption on file. And if you go through the exemption process and you’re denied there are some guide- lines.” Fall enrollment Early projections on fall enrollment have the school flat or possibly down 1%, numbers, Seydel said, the school is pleased with. “We’re feeling pretty good about that given all the things we’re working with and deal- ing with,” he said. Seydel said Eastern Oregon received money from the state’s Strong Start Program to help provide support services for students who experienced gaps in their education during 2020 and 2021 due to the pandemic. “You didn’t have that regu- lar contact with students at the high school level (during distance learning). So those students struggled,” he said. “And then of course they struggled with getting simple things, like did they have a LA GRANDE — Eastern Oregon university is now offering a new, free class to incoming freshmen at Eastern Oregon University as a way to help students from abroad get acclimated to university life. Summer Bridge, which is financed by the university, allows students to earn up to two credits over the course of less than two weeks before classes begin at the univer- sity. Students get together in a small group — the cohort in the inaugural class numbered just 23 students — and do team building exercises and activities. The program was something that the university had wanted to get rolling for the past few years. “The summer bridge program was created so that we could give students a kind of a kick start into the year,” said Kathleen Brown, student success coordinator at Eastern Oregon University. “They actually can get two credits during this week and a half, and then they can get an additional credit during the fall term, and all of that will be paid for. And also we pay to house them and feed them.” The Summer Bridge program is modelled after other universities’ simi- lar programs — a way for freshmen to test the waters before they jump into the full campus experience. It also comes only a week ahead of laptop that could actually work? Did they have decent internet access where they could do their classes at home? What was the environment like?” Seydel also said some students struggled with parents who lost jobs, forcing the student to find work or help the annual Week of Welcome event at the university. “We know that it’s benefi- cial to already have that expe- rience before day one so that you can acclimate a little bit quicker,” Brown said. Likewise, Brown said that the program isn’t just a one-and-done deal; the university plans on working closely with the students throughout their time at the university, starting with that first day experience. “One of the things that we’re doing is not just having two weeks of academics,” Brown said. “We’re going to actually follow them through- out the entire year. So me as the student success coordi- nator for the school will tag team with the faculty that are already developing relation- ships with them right now, which we know is so import- ant. Part of that acclimation process is adapting to new peer groups and finding new friends — often a challenge for international students. “We also have some multi- cultural students that are coming in from Palau and different places like that that we also need to acclimate because they’re from their international reality. And so this allows us to do that with them,” Brown said. — Alex Wittwer, EO Media Group care for siblings. “So they’re going to go to college, how do we help them when they get here and provide support services for them,” he said. “We’re starting in on that right now. It’s been exciting to help keep students engaged and recreate those pathways to college.” HERMISTON TEMPERATURE FORECAST 88° 57° 82° 52° 75° 52° 68° 47° 67° 42° OREGON FORECAST ALMANAC Shown is today’s weather. Temperatures are today’s highs and tonight’s lows. PENDLETON through 3 p.m. yest. HIGH LOW TEMP. Seattle Olympia 68/53 80/54 85/50 Longview Kennewick Walla Walla 85/61 Lewiston 80/54 88/59 Astoria 63/52 Pullman Yakima 83/54 77/48 86/57 Portland Hermiston 83/55 The Dalles 88/57 Salem Corvallis 74/48 Yesterday Normals Records La Grande 84/47 PRECIPITATION John Day Eugene Bend 81/50 86/50 86/50 Ontario 85/47 Caldwell Burns 81° 44° 78° 46° 91° (2011) 26° (2000) 24 hours ending 3 p.m. Month to date Normal month to date Year to date Last year to date Normal year to date Albany 80/52 0.00" 0.16" 0.25" 2.09" 1.73" 5.56" WINDS (in mph) 83/47 86/38 0.00" 0.30" 0.42" 4.67" 8.80" 9.07" through 3 p.m. yest. HIGH LOW TEMP. Pendleton 82/47 82/53 24 hours ending 3 p.m. Month to date Normal month to date Year to date Last year to date Normal year to date HERMISTON Enterprise 86/55 88/55 82° 43° 76° 48° 95° (1899) 21° (1926) PRECIPITATION Moses Lake 78/50 Aberdeen 79/56 82/59 Tacoma Yesterday Normals Records Spokane Wenatchee 75/54 Today Medford 90/51 Sun. SW 6-12 W 6-12 Boardman Pendleton WSW 7-14 W 6-12 SUN AND MOON Klamath Falls 84/39 Forecasts and graphics provided by AccuWeather, Inc. ©2021 Sunrise today Sunset tonight Moonrise today Moonset today 6:46 a.m. 6:47 p.m. 9:04 p.m. 11:37 a.m. Last New First Full Sep 28 Oct 6 Oct 12 Oct 20 NATIONAL EXTREMES Yesterday’s National Extremes: (for the 48 contiguous states) High 100° in Ukiah, Calif. Low 22° in Bodie State Park, Calif. NATIONAL WEATHER TODAY School board reschedules meeting when attendee refuses to wear mask By JEREMY BURNHAM Walla Walla Union-Bulletin WALLA WALLA — Police were called to the most recent Walla Walla School Board meeting when a man refused to wear a mask and disrupted the proceedings. The Tuesday, Sept. 21, meeting was eventually halted and will resume in a virtual format at 5:30 p.m. Sept. 28. Before the meeting started, attendees were reminded that masks were required. One man, who was not named, refused to comply. According to a statement from the school district, he was offered accommoda- tion via watching the meet- ing online, but the man still refused to leave. Police were called, and the man left with a Walla Walla police officer and the meet- ing began. But he came back, and district officials decided to stop the meeting and move to a virtual continuation later. According to district staff, the man claimed an exemption from the mask requirement. “With a lack of clarity regarding the overlapping Washington state public health orders and governor’s proclamations, officials from WWPS and WWPD agreed to deescalate the situation by continuing the meeting virtu- ally at another time, with proper public notification,” the district’s statement said. Gov. Jay Inslee’s Proclama- tion 20-25.15 regarding masks states, “I further prohibit any MORE INFORMATION To read Gov. Jay Inslee’s most recent proclamation on masking in public, visit ubne.ws/inslee20-2515. governmental, commercial, or nonprofit entity or private party from allowing any indi- vidual to enter or remain in any indoor space under their control unless the individual is in compliance with the Secre- tary of Health’s face cover- ing order and any subsequent amendments.” This particular proclama- tion has no medical exemp- tions for mask wearing in public meetings. The district’s statement said that after consulting with an attorney, it was determined district staff are only required to provide a “reasonable accommodation,” such as a virtual option, for those who state they cannot wear a mask. Videos posted on Facebook show many in attendance were not pleased with the board’s decision to postpone the meet- ing. One video was shot by Keith Swanson, the presi- dent of the union representing Walla Walla teachers. “I got to the meeting at 5:29 when the meeting was to start at 5:30,” Swanson said. “I saw (Superintendent) Wade (Smith) and (board President) Derek (Sarley) were in the hallway, and they were call- ing the police at that time.” In Swanson’s video, a woman can be heard objecting that the meeting was ending before she was able to speak. The public comment period was up first on the agenda, but the meeting was halted before that portion was over. She said she had four children and had opinions she wanted to share. “Thanks a lot,” she is heard saying while turning toward the man disrupting the meet- ing. Others came to the man’s defense and said if the woman is angry she didn’t get to speak, she should blame the board. Sarley told the U-B that all but two people scheduled to speak were able to before the meeting was ended. He said the other two, including the woman heard in the video, will be given the opportunity during the Sept. 28 virtual meeting. Superintendent Smith provided the U-B with a docu- ment from the Washington State School Directors Asso- ciation that offers guidance on how to handle such a situation. The document acknowl- edges Proclamation 20-25.15 requires masks to be worn in meetings and lists some recommended steps to take if someone refuses. One such recommendation is the meeting be adjourned to another place or time. 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