COVID Mitigation Strategies for Computer Science Classrooms & Labs 

These strategies complement the CS lab policies.

For both labs and classrooms, if a student is experiencing the following common symptoms of COVID (and they cannot be attributed to another health condition), they should be excused and leave the lab or classroom: 

  • Cough, Shortness of breath, or difficulty breathing 
  • Fever, Chills, Muscle pain, or Sore throat 
  • New loss of taste or smell 
  • Nausea, vomiting, or diarrhea 

From the guidance from the university, Computer Science is implementing the following mitigation strategies for COVID: Masking, Room Ventilation, Hand Hygiene. 

Masking (Before April 11th, 2022)

  • Masks must be worn properly the entire time in labs and classrooms 
  • Spare disposable masks will be provided 
  • If a student is unmasked, they will be offered a mask, and asked to put it on 
  • Students who refuse to put on a mask will be asked to leave 
  • If a student is unwilling to put on a mask or leave the room, TAs and instructors have the authority to cancel class or lab 
  • If an unmasked student is unwilling to put on a mask, leave the room, and/or is engaged in threatening or otherwise belligerent behavior, the TA or instructor will inform campus security at 360-650-3911

Masking (After April 11th, 2022)

  • The above policy will be optional
  • No one person can request/require any other person to wear or not wear a mask

Room Ventilation

  • CF ventilation has been improved and fine-tuned by WWU’s Environmental Health and Safety team (detailed information can be found here) specifically for COVID mitigation 
  • Air goes through two stages of filtering, pre + final, where final is MERV-13 (pics below).  Pre-stage filters increase final-stage filtering effectiveness by 20%. 
  • Airflow has been increased; room occupancy (CO2 load) curves adjusted. 
  • It is not necessary or advisable to open a window or use personal air purifiers. 
  • The CF building is less than 20 years old, with properly working HVAC system. 

Hand Hygiene 

  • Students should wash hands with soap before coming to lab or class 
  • Students are asked to use hand sanitizer upon entering a room which will be provided near the entrances of all labs and classrooms 
  • Students are asked to use sanitizing wipes (provided near the entrance of instructional and research labs) on all keyboards, mice, and other surfaces that they touched when done using a shared space