Updated May 18, 2020 10:00am

City University of Seattle and Cornish Commons are closely monitoring the COVID-19 outbreak in the United States and the Seattle area. This is an ever-evolving situation and things change rapidly. Please know that we are doing our best to keep you informed of changes as they occur and we will work with you to best accommodate your needs. The health and safety of our community is, as always, our first priority.

We are taking our guidance from the US Center for Disease Control, Washington State Department of Health, and King County Department of Public Health.

On March 23, 2020, the State of Washington issued an order for residents to stay home. This means that students should remain in their rooms except for essential purposes. Grocery shopping, getting food from the student cafe or a take-out restaurant, going to the doctor or pharmacy, and going outside for exercise are all considered essential purposes.

When in public, keep 6 feet (1.8 meters) between yourself and other people. Wash your hands frequently (using soap and scrubbing your hands for 20 seconds before rinsing), especially upon returning home, prior to eating, and after using the bathroom. Cover your coughs and sneezes with a tissue or your elbow to keep germs from spreading.

Students should practice social distancing by not spending time in community lounges or visiting the rooms of other students. To discourage use of community lounges, the furniture has been removed from floor social lounges for the duration of the “Stay Home, Stay Healthy” order. Beginning at 8pm on April 10th, the 20th floor community spaces are closed except for laundry. If the closure of the 20th floor shared kitchen severely impacts your ability to eat, please email housing@cityu.edu to discuss your specific needs.

Additionally, guest and visitor sign-in will not be allowed until the state of Washington “stay home” order has been lifted.

Effective May 18, 2020, King County has issued a directive that all residents should wear a face mask or covering in both indoor and outdoor settings when 6 feet (1.8 meters) of distance betweeen people cannont be maintained. At this time, Cornish Commons residents are expected to wear a face covering when they are outside of their assigned residential room and when entering Nellie’s Cafe. Please direct questions about exceptions and instructions to housing@cityu.edu.

Are there currently any cases of COVID-19 in the residence hall?

At this time, there are no known cases of COVID-19 in the residence hall.

What should I do if I am feeling ill?

If you are feeling ill, please stay in your room and call or text the RA On-Call (not your floor RA). They will ask for your name, room number, and current symptoms. You will be contacted by a professional staff member for further instructions.

What is the difference between social distancing, self-isolation, and quarantine?

Social distancing means remaining primarily in your room except when necessary. When outside of your room, you should maintain 6 feet of distance between yourself and other people.

Necessary times to leave your room may include, but are not limited to:
• Going to the grocery store or Nellie’s Café
• Picking up curbside food deliveries or mail/packages
• Going to the doctor
• Going to for a walk to get exercise (remaining 6 feet away from other people)

Self-Isolation means voluntarily remaining in your room 100% of the time due to illness, underlying medical conditions, or immune system issues which causes you to be at higher risk of contracting COVID-19. If you are ill or in a high risk category, please call the RA On-Call.

Quarantine means that a doctor or government agency has instructed you to remain in your room for a set period of time (usually 14 days) or until your symptoms have passed. In the case of quarantine, you must stay in your room 100% of the time.

What will happen if I need to self-isolate or quarantine?

Please call the RA On-Call to report your situation. The CityU Resident Director will be in contact to make sure that you have the accommodations that you need. If you have a cough and fever or if you have been instructed by a doctor or government agency to stay in your room, DO NOT LEAVE YOUR ROOM.

Where can I buy food? Is the student café open?

At this time, grocery and convenience stores are operating. While there have been some issues with food hoarding, most stores in our area are fairly well stocked. Whole Foods and District H are great nearby grocery options.

The student café (Nellie’s café) is open! They are offering meals and snacks take-out style from the espresso bar. You may purchase food at Nellie’s café using meal plan credits or credit card. Nellie’s is a good option because only members of the Cornish Commons/Cornish College of the Arts community are able to access Nellie’s Café.

Many restaurants in Seattle are still offering delivery. Remember to include your cell phone number in the delivery instructions as our Welcome Desk is not able to accept deliveries on your behalf.

Is Cornish Commons closing? I see a lot of Cornish students leaving.

Cornish Commons is not closed. Cornish College of the Arts is conducting their spring semester online. Since many CCoA students live relatively nearby, they have decided that they will be more comfortable continuing their online course work from their family residences.

Can I still use the 20th floor?

Based on guidance from officials at King County Public Health, the 20th floor amenities will be closed beginning at 8pm on Thursday April 10th with the exception of the laundry facilities.

Can I spend time in the social lounge on my residential floor?

To promote social distancing measures, the furniture on floor social lounges has been removed. Residents should remain in their assigned residential rooms, except when leaving for essential needs, for the duration of the Washington State “Stay Home, Stay Healthy” order.

What do I do if I am uncomfortable having a roommate during this time?

If you would like to be relocated to a private room for the duration of the COVID-19 outbreak, please email housing@cityu.edu and we will do our best to accommodate your requests. Please note that you may be asked to return to your original room assignment when the Washington State Department of Health indicates that the threat of COVID-19 returns to a manageable level.

Can I travel during the COVID-19 outbreak?

At this time, Housing & Residence Life does not recommend that you travel internationally or domestically unless you are permanently moving to a different location. If you are planning to travel and return to Cornish Commons, please email housing@cityu.edu with your travel dates and destination.

I don’t have any symptoms. Do I really need to worry about this?

Yes! The biggest challenge of COVID-19 is that people can be carriers (have the virus, but not show symptoms) for up to 14 days. So, while you may not feel sick, your interaction with other people may cause them to get sick.