By Maegan Murray, Ģ������Ƶ

RICHLAND, Wash. – Washington State University Tri-Cities has partnered with the City of Pasco and the WSU Irrigated Agriculture Research and Extension Center to offer two new in-person pop-up study spaces, as well as one on-campus space, that will provide WSU students with a quiet place to study and access free Wi-Fi.

“Last spring, many students communicated a need for a quiet place with access to Wi-Fi where they could do their school work, attend classes and complete exams,” said Chris Meiers, vice chancellor for student affairs and deputy Title IX officer. “We wanted to provide students with a space that could still meet all state requirements for social distancing, especially as the days get shorter into the winter. We are grateful to have partners in and out of the WSU system that stepped up to support student learning.”

The following spaces are now available for students to access in-person:

Pasco – Police Community Services Building – 215 W. Sylvester St
Mondays Noon – 5 p.m., Wednesdays 4 p.m. – 9 p.m.
Reservation encouraged

Prosser – Irrigated Agriculture Research and Extension Center (IAREC) – 24106 North Bunn Road
2^nd Floor of West Building (follow signs)
Mondays Noon – 5 p.m., Wednesdays 4 p.m. – 9 p.m.
Reservation encouraged

Richland – Ģ������Ƶ Consolidated Information Center (CIC) – 2770 University Drive
Mondays – Fridays 7 a.m. – 10 p.m.
No reservations necessary. Check-in at Floyd Building main entrance.

The spaces will accommodate up to five students that feature study stations that are socially distanced, per the state requirements. The space will also be sanitized between each student use and is supervised by a WSU employee.

As a convenience at the Prosser and Pasco locations, students can make a reservation to use the space. Reservations are not required for the CIC space on campus.

The City of Pasco was quick to partner to offer Ģ������Ƶ students an in-person space right in their own backyard.

N. Zach Ratkai, administrative and community services director for the City of Pasco, said the partnership represented a seamless opportunity to help provide students with a base in their own community to complete their studies.

“The City of Pasco is proud to partner with the Ģ������Ƶ pop-up study spaces initiative,” he said. “During this very challenging time, Pasco is committed to continuing to serve the educational needs of students and provide greater access to the community and its services.”

Due to its location in the Yakima Valley as a hub for a range of agriculture, including vineyards, the WSU IAREC was thought to be strategic for students who are completing studies in agriculture, and even more specifically, the WSU viticulture and enology (wine science) program, said Naidu Rayapati, director of the IAREC.

“Students with limited resources are finding it challenging to have quality internet connectivity at home or travel daily to Ģ������Ƶ to have better internet access,” Rayapati. “Offering a dedicated space at the IAREC meets this critical need. It can offer students a balanced approach to attend classes remotely and maintain regular interactions with academic advisors for successfully completing their course work, all while staying close to their family.”

Rayapati said due to their proximity to each other, partnerships between the WSU IAREC and Ģ������Ƶ is a logical first step to offer superior educational opportunities.

“In addition, the IAREC faculty could offer experiential opportunities to train ‘shovel ready’ undergraduate students for increased employment opportunities in agriculture-related fields,” he said.

For more information on the Ģ������Ƶ pop-up study spaces and for students to reserve a space at the Pasco or Prosser locations, visit .

 

Media contacts:

Chris Meiers, Ģ������Ƶ vice chancellor for student affairs, 509-372-7381, chris.meiers@wsu.edu

Naidu Rayapati, WSU Irrigated Agriculture Research and Extension Center director, 509-786-9215, naidu.rayapati@wsu.edu

Maegan Murray, Ģ������Ƶ assistant director of marketing and communication, 619-403-3617, maegan_murray@wsu.edu