Sept. 2, 2022

Dear Campus Community:

With Ventura County now at thelow-risk level for COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations, having dropped on September 1 from the high-risk level we had been in since July, I have re-evaluated CSUCI’s requirement for indoor mask-wearing in consultation with our Environmental Health & Safety team and Ventura County Public Health (VCPH).

Effective Tuesday, September 6, indoor masks will be recommended but not required on campus or at affiliated locations (i.e.,Channel Islands Boating Center, the Goleta instructional site, and the Santa Rosa Island Research Station (these policies will also be the goal for the SRIRS, but we will continue to work with our partners at the National Park Service to ensure that we meet their requirements)). Masks and testing will continue to be available on campus.

For many, this will be a welcome shift; for many others, this decision will be troubling. I recognize that the reality of navigating this pandemic is that there are no perfect answers, and it is not possible to satisfy each person’s needs. There is only the weighing of which path is best, given the data available and care for the people involved.

I am confident that it will be by staying true to the guidelines that have proven effective in seeing us through the past 30 months of the pandemic that, together, we can capably navigate this change in our circumstances, too. With that context in mind, we will continue to:

  • Follow the data:
    • We have been consistent in utilizing the CDC community level metric in combination with local guidance from VCPH to inform our indoor mask requirement. In addition to Ventura County, Los Angeles and Santa Barbara Counties are also in the low range.
    • Assessment of transmission levels, case rates, test positivity, and the impact on area hospitals shows that all continue to decline.
    • We have our own campus data to utilize and learn from. In March 2022, we lifted our indoor mask requirement after Ventura County moved into the “low” range. We implemented this change upon our campus return from Spring Break. Data from that time period provides support for this current decision, as pre- and post-Spring Break case counts were nearly identical.
    • In the four weeks prior to Spring Break 2022, when masks were required indoors on campus and at all affiliated locations, we had 8 positive cases with campus exposures.
    • In the four weeks following Spring Break 2022, after mask-wearing became optional, we had 9 positive cases with campus exposures.
  • Exceed minimum safety requirements:
    • CSUCI has required masking indoors since July5, 2022, though this was only "strongly recommended" by VCPH.
  • Take care of each other as a campus community. This could mean:
    • Acknowledging that we do not know each other’s individual realities and life circumstances. Many of our colleagues may be immunocompromised or caring for vulnerable loved ones. As such, we must respect and honor – without question – the choice to mask even though it is optional.
    • Being able to communicate a masking request (e.g., “I would appreciate it if you would wear a mask. Without getting into the details, I know my safety/my family’s safety would benefit”).
    • Being willing to wear a mask at another’s request, accepting that inconvenience in exchange for promoting another person’s sense of well-being and safety.

If there is one lesson that we have learned throughout the course of this pandemic, it is that conditions are fluid and can change rapidly. We will continue to monitor key data points with diligence and continue with our ongoing consultation with VCPH to proactively adapt to changing conditions as deemed necessary. If the anticipated spike in cases during the Fall flu season brings us back into the high-risk level for COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations, I will again re-assess the masking mandate.

If you have questions, please reach out tocsuci.news@csuci.edu.

Sincerely,
Richard Yao, Ph.D.
President

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