As many athletes await more news regarding the status of their season in the spring, Director Kim Chandler issued an email to all varsity athletes about the plans for returning to campus.

Provost and Dean of Faculty Alzada Tipton and Director Kim worked in accordance with the school’s attempts to bring all students back to campus through a modified version of the Living and Learning Pods.

“We are working on bringing student-athletes back to campus in the spring so they can practice and, possibly, compete,” Tipton said.

“We continue to plan to bring everyone back on campus this spring for in-person hybrid learning that would consist of both in-person and online classes,” Director Kim said in her email. “Should national and local conditions mean it is unsafe to bring all students back to campus, you, as athletes, have several options.”

The first option that Director Kim outlined in her email is aimed at first-year and sophomore student-athletes who wish to participate in their sports. They will be given the option to live together in the residence halls with their teammates and take all of their classes online.

Should a student-athlete decline to live and participate with their team, they can join a Living and Learning Pod which will include in-person classes.

“Given the fact that our student-athletes may be traveling for competition in the NWC,” Tipton said, “the residential athletic groups combined with online classes is the best way to ensure their safety and the safety of the campus community.”

For women’s soccer player and sophomore Haley Cornelison, she was excited to see the email as it gave her hope to not only return to campus but to see her team. Cornelison sees the choice to live in pods with her team as a way to bond with them even more.

“I was really worried that we would not be able to have a season at all this year, so I was thrilled to see that we might be able to have one,” Cornelison said. “Even if we do not play games, it will still be great to be back with all of my teammates training again in Walla Walla.”

Tipton has since offered an update on spring semester plans for Whitman athletes. The athletics department is considering expanding the options to include in person classes for athletes who wish to train with their team but who will not be participating in competitions.

More information will continue to be released by the department as decisions are made.