To WVC students,

Good morning and welcome back to WVC for the beginning of spring quarter. Although the campus is closed until May 4, the college is still here for you.

Over spring break, instructors and other college staff have worked relentlessly to move classes, services and more online. We recognize that now more than ever, You need and deserve our attention and support. 

Your instructors have been nimble in their response to these challenges. They have moved coursework online to ensure that you would still be able to take their classes, and they have been creative in ensuring that these classes remain engaging and fulfilling.

It is their goal and the goal of all of us here at the college, to make your experience at WVC rewarding and to ensure that your educational goals are not compromised, regardless of the circumstances.

As you rejoin us online this quarter, there are a few resources you may want to have on hand.

Online resources and IT Help

We have compiled a wide variety of online tools and resources to help you be successful and navigate college online. You can view all of them at wvc.edu/Online, but I’d like to highlight these:  

• Student Resources. This list of resources is your directory for all of the services you may need in your first week back. It includes contact information for financial aid, IT help desk, education planning, counseling, student access services and more. 
• Virtual Assistance. Using Zoom videoconferencing, we are able to offer virtual assistance. Virtual assistance lets you meet face-to-face with someone who can help answer your questions. Currently, this service is offered for five departments with more coming soon. Learn more at wvc.edu/VA.
• IT Help. The WVC IT department has set up a list of student IT resources and FAQs. You can also reach out to them with questions about equipment, requests for assistance or more at HelpDesk@wvc.edu. 

 Counseling and other services

This pandemic has changed day-to-day life as we know it. It’s normal to feel overwhelmed or frustrated by what’s going on, but you should know that there’s always someone available to talk to. The counseling department also offers emergency services for students facing food insecurity or financial crisis. If you need help, reach out.

• Meet with a counselor. Counselors are available via email, phone and zoom appointments. Please call 509-682-6850to schedule an appointment or email the counselors: bsanchez@wvc.edu for Bertha Sanchez or rpoortinga@wvc.edu for Ryan Poortinga.
• Get help with food. Are you struggling with food insecurities? Starting April 15, every Wednesday from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. and Thursday from noon to 3 p.m., our WVC Knights Kupboard will provide curbside prepackaged boxes containing food and hygiene items for students. In Omak, please contact one of the counselors to learn more: bsanchez@wvc.edu or rpoortinga@wvc.edu.
• Facing a financial crisis? There may be resources available for you. Contact one of the counselors to learn more: bsanchez@wvc.edu or rpoortinga@wvc.edu.
• In an emergency. If you are having a mental health emergency or need immediate assistance, contact 911. If you would like to speak with someone, call the local community crisis hotline at 509-662-7105.

Stay informed, ask questions

As we learn more and the way we do things changes, we will post our most up-to-date information at wvc.edu/PublicHealth. We also encourage you to send questions about how the college is responding to the pandemic to PublicHealth@wvc.edu.

As we move forward into spring quarter, know that you are not alone in navigating this new normal. Your instructors and everyone else on campus are also adjusting to this new way of working and learning. But I am confident that, with patience and time, we will all succeed and even thrive this quarter.

Warmly,

Jim