Housing

Our housing operations are committed to following all baseline guidance issued by the State of Washington and Public Health—Seattle & King County. In order to assure the safety and wellbeing of all members of the Northwest University community, these guidelines are not optional for students who choose to attend class in-person or reside on campus. Students who refuse to comply with health guidelines will be subject to disciplinary action, including the possibility of removal from campus or suspension from the University.

Density

In accordance with guidance issued by Public Health – Seattle & King County, residence halls will not exceed 50% total capacity. All standard rooms in Beatty, Crowder, Gray, Guy, and Perks Halls will be exclusively single-occupant rooms for the academic year. Student apartments will remain at regular capacity.

We have added housing options in the FIRS apartments and the Red Lion Hotel in Bellevue to assure that all students have safe and affordable housing on or near campus.

Red Lion Hotel

The cost to live in the hotel is the same rate as living in the residence halls.

The full meal plan will be served on-site at the Red Lion Hotel restaurant. Pioneer College Caterers will serve meals out of the hotel restaurant and students will be able to use their meal plan to dine at The Caf or at the Red Lion Hotel.

Resident Assistants will be assigned to the Red Lion Hotel and live on-site.

The buildings are secured by keycard access and there is on-site security through NU Security and the Red Lion Hotel.

Students who do not own a vehicle will be offered a bus pass or an allowance of mileage reimbursements to offer other Red Lion residents who carpool with that student. More information about the transportation plan will be sent directly to Red Lion residents from the housing office.

Guests and Visitors

For the time being, residents will not be permitted to bring guests into their room, residence area, or any other facility on campus.

A guest is defined as any person who does not also live in the room or is a member of that student’s household.

Once King County reaches at Phase 3, we hope to restore guest visitation in the residence areas. At that time, students must keep a log of their room guests including full name, cell phone number, date of visit, and verification that the guest did not possess symptoms of COVID-19. If the resident or their guest displays symptoms of COVID-19 within the next 14 days, the resident will provide their visitor log and information to Public Health—Seattle & King County and/or the Northwest University Wellness Center for the purposes of contact tracing.

Until we reach Phase 4 of Safe Start Washington, residents will not be permitted to host overnight guests.

Households

All residential students will be assigned to a household. For apartments, a household consists of your roommate and apartment-mates. For Red Lion residents, a household consists of your roommate and one neighboring room. For residence halls, residents will be assigned to a household with 3-4 neighboring rooms.

For the first couple weeks of the fall semester, students will only be able to share a table in The Caf or Red Lion Hotel dining room with other members of their household.

Isolation/Quarantine

The University has designated specific housing units to be utilized for students to quarantine if they have potentially been exposed or to isolate if they are confirmed to have COVID-19.

Definitions

Quarantine: Quarantine refers to separating people who have been, or may have been, exposed to COVID-19, but are not showing signs of illness. Quarantine may also be a requirement of international travelers or of select groups based on state or federal public health guidelines. Quarantine means you stay home and away from others for the recommended period of time in case you are infected and are contagious. Quarantine becomes isolation if you later test positive for COVID-19 or develop COVID-19 symptoms.
Isolation: Isolation refers to separating people who have been confirmed or suspected COVID-19 case to prevent contact with others and to reduce the risk of transmission to others. Isolation means you stay home and away from others (including household members) for the recommended period of time to avoid spreading illness.

Quarantine and Isolation for Residential Students

If a residential student is determined to be a close contact of a confirmed COVID-19 case, the student will be required to quarantine. They must remain in their designated quarantine location for the determined period of time required by public health recommendations. They may participate in classroom and community functions remotely, but not in-person.
- The student may return home for the duration of quarantine if they can do so safely and without coming into close contact with others. However, students are not required to quarantine off-campus.
- The Housing Office and Wellness Center will coordinate with that student to assure their housing location is suitable for quarantine. The student may be asked to relocate to a more suitable quarantine location on-campus or at the Red Lion Hotel.
- In accordance with public health guidelines, the university cannot transport a student to their quarantine location.
- During quarantine, the student should regularly monitor symptoms and, if possible, take a COVID-19 test.
- The student must complete a Notification Form and submit it to the Wellness Center at covid@northwestu.edu.
- The student may receive a phone call from a King County Public Health official or personnel from NU Wellness Center for the purposes of contact tracing. The student is expected to comply with all requests for information from public health or NU health officials.
- If, during quarantine, a student displays symptoms of illness or tests positive for COVID-19, the student must report that to the NU Wellness Center and King County Public Health. The student will be required to relocate to a designated isolation unit (if they did not do so previously).
If a residential student is confirmed to have COVID-19, the student will be required to relocate to an isolation unit. Isolation is mandatory and if the student fails to comply, they may be subject to involuntary detention pursuant to public health authority (RCW 70.05.070). The student must remain in their designated isolation location for the determined period of time and until they are cleared by public health or a medical professional. They may participate in classroom and community functions remotely, but not in-person.
- The student may return home for the duration of isolation if they have been cleared by public health and can do so safely and without coming into close contact with others. However, students are not required to isolate off-campus.
- The student may receive a phone call from a King County Public Health official or personnel from NU Wellness Center for the purposes of contact tracing. The student is expected to comply with all requests for information from public health or NU health officials.
- The Housing Office and Wellness Center will coordinate with that student to assign a safe and suitable isolation unit. The student will likely be asked to relocate from their current housing assignment.
- In accordance with public health guidelines, the university cannot transport a student to their isolation location.
- During isolation, the student should regularly monitor symptoms and consult with medical professionals. Student Development and Wellness Center personnel will check-in daily with students in isolation units. More information and emergency signs of when to get help can be found here: https://www.doh.wa.gov/Portals/1/Documents/1600/coronavirus/COVIDexposed.pdf
- The University will deliver meals to students in campus quarantine or isolation units, including at the Red Lion Hotel, if they are on the University meal plan. Students who are not on the meal plan can pay for meal delivery through The Caf. Refunds will not be offered for missed meals if the student decides to quarantine or isolate off-campus.
- Off-campus students are not eligible for quarantine or isolation on-campus. They can consult with the NU Wellness Center and Public Health – Seattle & King County Public to find a safe and accommodating location if they cannot quarantine or isolate at home.