Dr. Jonathan Hook is the director of clinical education and assistant professor in the physical therapy program. He joined the Whitworth faculty team this 2020 fall semester with a passion for teaching students and developing a physical therapy program at Whitworth. Hook shared his experience as a new faculty member during a pandemic with The Whitworthian.

Assistant professor Kathy Watts, who served Whitworth as an access service librarian, passed away on Nov. 27 after battling cancer. Watts started her journey at Whitworth in 2013 by developing the Harriet Cheney Cowles Memorial Library’s digital services. On Nov. 30, the Whitworth community reflected on Watt’s life with a service of lament and prayer in the Seeley G. Mudd Chapel and on Zoom.

Increased trash from disposable utensils and plates has resulted in increased waste from the dining hall this year. Before school started, Sodexo managers and Whitworth staff planned several ways to lower the amount of trash and throughout the year students have joined their efforts. Stuart Dimmel is the manager of custodial services at Whitworth. According to Dimmel, approximately 39 tons of garbage were generated in September and October 2019. This year, 54 tons of waste were generated during that same time period.

In order to fill 12 empty voting seats within and reinforce student representation on ASWU, fall elections were held from October 5-10. On October 11, the election results rolled in. Senators include freshman Emma John for Arend, freshman McClain Chandler for Baldwin Jenkins, freshman Xavier Nila for Duvall, freshman Issac Price for Warren.

This fall, there is a new office on campus. The Student Success and Equity department is a newly combined unit of three offices in the student life division: Student Diversity, Equity & Inclusion (SDEI), Student Success, and Educational Support Services. Being one union, Student Success and Equity contains more synergy to better serve Whitworth’s diverse student body.

Community Building Days of the past have been busy affairs, with students traveling via bus, car, and foot into the greater Spokane community to serve Whitworth’s partner organizations. But, amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, sending students out into the community quickly become an unviable option for CBD 2020, which took place on September 23.