Whitworth University says it plans to welcome students back to campus this fall and hold in-person classes.
The north Spokane school joins Gonzaga in making their fall plans public. Washington State and the University of Idaho are also leaning that way.
“The key to returning to somewhat normal life on campus is going to be our ability to test," said Whitworth President Beck Taylor. "We’ve heard a lot in our community and on the news about our testing capacity. Certainly by the end of the summer we’re hopeful that we’re able to test more frequently and more accurately and get results more quickly, to be able to contact trace and to be able to quickly isolate students."
He says the university will set aside some rooms in residence halls for that purpose.
Taylor says Whitworth will not increase tuition for the next year to reflect the increased costs of abiding by safety rules for the coronavirus. But he says, if the effects linger, the university will have to track expenses and perhaps adjust rates in the future.