NWIC Staff Return to Campus February 2022

The January 2022 remote–work period ends Friday, February 25, and the College will resumes a regular on-campus work schedule on Monday, February, 28.  The Emergency Management Team (EMT) is continuing to meet on a weekly basis to address any questions or emergent concerns, including monitoring any updates or announcements from the LIBC/Lummi Public Health Team related to the COVID-19 contingency plans, and it was determined that the College will stay with our original plan below and resume a regular on-campus work schedule Monday, February 28. 

This means that all scheduled employees are expected to work on campus using safe protocols; Lummi campus doors will be unlocked and open to the general public; designated essential staff and associated pay is ending, and other identified restrictions during the past 6 weeks (remote work period) will be adjusted accordingly.  If you have questions about your specific work schedule or approved accommodation, please contact your supervisor and/or HR.  

Please know that the College remains flexible with these types of work-related changes and transitions and its impact on individual or department work schedules, and so I ask for your patience on Monday or early next week to allow time for our staff and team members to make any necessary operational adjustments.  However, one expectation that will not change yet is to adhere to the requirements of masking up, social distancing and other health protocols to keep the campus safe.  Although Governor Inslee announced that the indoor mask mandate is ending on March 21, for example, and we recently learned one of the Tribes affiliated with one of our extended campus sites is ending theirs on March 1, the indoor mask requirement has not changed for the College, consistent with the LIBC/LPHT, unless otherwise indicated or announced.  Additionally, the vaccination policy, including a booster shot, remains a requirement for full vaccination, unless an exemption has been approved.

Thank you to all of the essential staff and the EMT for their hard work and dedication to help keep the students, employees, and community safe and healthy the past few weeks. 

Whether this is your first quarter with the College or one of many, I remain very grateful and inspired by all of your diligent efforts and outright determination to stay the course and most importantly, stay together, through this pandemic. Thank you for all you do to advance the mission of the College and empower our students to persist toward their educational goals.  Continue to stay strong, remain hopeful, and keep moving forward.