FAQs: Residence Life & Housing COVID-19 Response

Residence life & housing aims to help keep students safe during the year. With this in mind, we wanted to pass along some information that will help students and families as they plan for the semester.

Do I need to wear a mask on campus?

Whitworth continues to follow the guidance of the Spokane Regional Health District. The university is requiring all students and employees, regardless of vaccination status, to wear masks indoors where eight or more people are gathered together in one indoor space. Vaccine-exempted students will be required to mask while on campus by masking indoors at all times and outdoors when physical distancing is not possible.

Do I need to bring my own mask to campus or will Whitworth provide me with one?

Yes. Each student will be responsible for bringing their own mask to campus. They are available for purchase at the campus bookstore.

Do I need to bring my own room cleaning supplies for my room?

Yes. You should bring your own cleaning supplies for the cleaning of your room.

Do I need to bring cleaning supplies for the bathroom on my floor or in my pod?

If you live in Duvall or Boppell, students are asked to clean the bathrooms connected to their specific pods. Cleaning supplies will be provided in this case. If you live in another residence hall, custodial services will clean your community bathrooms.

Is storage available in the residence halls?

We tell students to plan on Whitworth as a second or third option for storage. We recommend using a storage unit here in town. Many can be found less than five minutes from campus.

What if I don't have a place to go if the residence halls were to close due to COVID-19? Would I still need to leave?

Only international students unable to return home or housing-insecure students who are classified as homeless are able to stay on campus. We encourage all students to have a contingency plan in place in case they need to leave campus quickly.