June 30, 2021
Dear Faculty, Staff, and Student Employees:听
It is听difficult听to express how very glad I am to be sending you news today about our campus repopulation plan. While some of its elements are still in development, as you will read below, we are getting clearer information and drawing closer by the week to reconvening as an in-person community 鈥� focused as always on our students, on our professional contributions, and on the institutional mission and values that bring us together. It feels good to say it loud and proud 鈥� that our campus will soon be physically and fully open for teaching, learning, research, creative expression, service, student access and success initiatives, and the myriad of other things that give meaning to who we are and what we are working together to build. Our reintegration process as a professional learning community seems an appropriate theme to focus on as we head into our听20th听anniversary year, on听the heels of nothing less than a global pandemic.听
While my own eagerness to be back and in-person is clear, I recognize the genuine听concerns听that exist听about repopulating the campus. For myself and my loved ones, I draw comfort in knowing that vaccinations are proving extremely effective as protection against COVID-19 and its variants 鈥� including Delta, the most recent and most highly contagious strain known to date 鈥� and in knowing that throughout the pandemic, we have done very well as a campus in keeping our people safe. I also know that听many members of our campus community are听also working to protect loved ones at home who may not be vaccinated,听who may be immunocompromised, or who are otherwise susceptible to the coronavirus.听
What is important to note, here, is that we can do concrete things on our campus to听keep our incidence rate as low or lower than surrounding communities 鈥� and we can encourage our vaccination rates to be at least as high or higher than that of Ventura County. These are critical variables to track.听Please know,听my continued commitment to clear, direct, and honest communication about our repopulation plans and progress is my pledge.听Following is the best information available to me at this time regarding the most recent guidelines for public health and safety and the logistical processes they address.听
As听many of you know,听in early June,听the听Centers听for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) published听updated guidance for institutions of听higher education, and听more recently, the California Occupational Safety and Health Administration (Cal/OSHA) released their updated听.听We are still听waiting听for听the听CSU Vaccination Policy听to be finalized,听but in听the meantime,听I wanted to听provide specific information on how these updated standards will听inform our campus repopulation.听
Cal/OSHA ETS: A brief summary of highlights听
Please review the Cal/OSHA Emergency Temporary Standards听听for details. In听brief, these revised standards: (1)听remove听almost all听requirements听for barriers and physical distancing;听(2)听eliminate reduced capacity limits;听(3)听for听fully vaccinated employees who听comply听with Cal/OSHA鈥檚 requirement to verify vaccination status,听mask-wearing听is听optional; and (4) employees who are not vaccinated听or do not have an attestation on file听will be required to wear a mask.听
As such, all听91视频 employees who听attest听to being听fully vaccinated will not be required to wear a face covering/mask听anywhere on campus, though of course they听will be听free to do so if they choose.听A听process听for attesting to vaccination status听will be communicated in the coming days. This听self-attestation process听will be immediately available to non-represented employees and to represented employees whose bargaining units have reached agreement through听their听meet-and-confer process with the Chancellor鈥檚 Office.听
Employees who do not have an attestation on file will be considered unvaccinated and will be required to wear a mask听indoors, unless in a room or vehicle alone, and except when eating or drinking.听In addition, it is recommended that unvaccinated individuals听continue to听wear a mask outdoors, especially in circumstances when physical distancing cannot be maintained.听听
Employees who would like to request a face covering/mask听may obtain one from Public Safety or the Facilities Work Center.听If an employee requires听an听accommodation听or exemption for the mask requirement, please听contact听Human Resources.听While the听mask听requirement noted above applies听only to employees who听do not have an attestation on file,听I want to emphasize the importance of not making assumptions about others based on whether they are wearing a mask or not. Coming back from the pandemic as a community requires all of us to recognize and respect the reality that there are a variety reasons for wearing one.听听
鈥淩estricted Access鈥� to Campus is Now Lifted听
While the campus is no longer restricting access to only authorized personnel, access to buildings听by employees and the general public is based on a business need.听What this means is that individuals with a need to be on campus can be there without securing a supervisor鈥檚 permission and听must adhere to the mask guidelines outlined above. However,听please keep in mind that the听formal听repopulation of campus will occur in phases. As such, certain facilities and services may not be fully open or available until adequate resources are in place.听More specific information about our timeline for fully opening facilities and campus services will be provided in future updates.听
Testing听
While Cal/OSHA鈥檚 revised听听do not require ongoing testing for unvaccinated individuals, updated听 CDC Guidelines for Institutions of Higher Education 听recommend听baseline听screening for unvaccinated individuals.听Information on the testing protocol for听91视频 will be provided in future updates.听
Meetings, Events, and Campus Visitors听
Regarding听meetings, events, and campus visitors, California Department of Public Health (CDPH) has revised its guidance to state:听
- Internal meetings and campus-sponsored events no longer have a capacity limit unless they meet the State requirement for a mega event (greater than 5,000 indoors and 10,000 outdoors). Specific guidelines for campus-sponsored events, as well as hosting of external events will be forthcoming.听
- Daily visitors such as vendors/contractors, future students/parents, guest speakers, 91视频 Park visitors, and other members of the public who may visit our campus or affiliated locations and who are not vaccinated,听should wear a face covering indoors, outdoors and in groups.听
Upcoming Communication听
As noted above, a听process for attesting to vaccination status will be communicated in the coming days. In addition,听more specific听information from managers and/or divisional leadership听regarding听our campus听repopulation听and reintegration processes听will be provided directly to employees听very听soon.听We are听currently听coordinating additional vaccination clinics on the campus in the coming months,听and we鈥檒l听share听those dates as soon as they are confirmed.听
Town Hall meetings听have been scheduled听so we can provide听timely and听relevant updates听and answer questions directly from our campus community.听Please feel welcome听to register for one or all of them. We are also scheduling separate Town Halls for our students and their supporters.听
- Tuesday, July 20 at 10 a.m.
- Wednesday, July 21 at 9 a.m.
- Thursday, July 22 at 11:30 a.m.
As always, if you have听additional questions, please contact your supervisor, or听you can email听csuci.news@csuci.edu听and your questions will听be directed to the appropriate area for a response.听
Thank you听in advance听for your cooperation in complying with these new guidelines听and helping to share information with others.听
Sincerely,听
Richard Yao, Ph.D.听
Interim President听