Western Washington University

01/28/2026 | News release | Distributed by Public on 01/28/2026 14:22

Three new policies approved

Three new policies approved

January 28, 2026

The following policies are approved and effective as of January 27, 2026. Below are the highlights of the policies:

Designating Western as a Hybrid Entity (Interim)

  • Section 1- The University is a designated HIPAA hybrid covered entity, in which some areas of the University are considered covered entities that must comply with Health Insurance Portability and Privacy Act (HIPAA) Rules.
  • Section 2- Includes the list of departments that are considered health care components for the purposes of complying with HIPPA Rules.
  • Section 3- includes the requirements under HIPAA Rules the departments identified as health care components must comply with.
  • Section 4- Identifies the records that are not protected health Information under HIPAA.
    • Section 5-Specifies the records retention period for related records.

Complying with Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA)

  • Section 1- Provost oversees compliance with NAGPRA.
    • Section 1- The NAGPRA Program and Collections Manager (NPCM) serves as the main point of contact regarding NAGPRA compliance and related inquiries.
  • Section 2 -WWU employees must obtain advanced written approval from the NPCM before teaching with, displaying on campus and/or during courses, or storing objects or items that are subject to NAGPRA.
    • See Also section- Related procedure includes the steps to be taken to obtain approval from NCPM.

Recording in Classrooms

  • Section 1- The use of technology to record audio-visual content in classrooms is prohibited without the express permission of the instructor, except when such recording is provided for by law or as described in this policy.
  • Section 2-Disability accommodations and Title IX accommodations are recognized.
  • Section 3- Instructors must notify students when they record a class.
  • Section 4- Class recordings are for personal educational use only and may not be shared with any other person or organization without the instructor's additional express permission to do so or due to a disability of Title IX accommodation.

If you have any questions regarding this announcement, please contact [email protected].

Western Washington University published this content on January 28, 2026, and is solely responsible for the information contained herein. Distributed via Public Technologies (PUBT), unedited and unaltered, on January 28, 2026 at 20:22 UTC. If you believe the information included in the content is inaccurate or outdated and requires editing or removal, please contact us at [email protected]