Jan. 11, 2023 

Dear Students: 

I hope everyone is enjoying a safe, enjoyable, and restful winter break.

This Spring marks our seventh semester of navigating COVID-19, with the good news being that Ventura County Public Health (VCPH) sees the County plateauing now in terms of positive case rates, with a projected drop by the end of January. Perhaps more importantly, even when Ventura County was in the CDC’s high range of community transmission rates through the end of December, hospitals did not experience an increase in number of beds occupied by COVID-19 patients or additional strain on ICU capacity. This is significant good news from a public health perspective. Last week, Ventura County moved from high community transmission rates into the medium range. While County case rates may fluctuate in the coming weeks, perhaps even moving back and forth between medium and high following the holidays, severity is considered the critical metric. Recent statements from Dr. Robert Levin, Ventura County Health Officer, indicate that it is local hospitalization rates that provide the more accurate measurement of COVID activity, not transmission rates.

I have consulted with VCPH professionals and our own Environmental Health & Safety team over the question of whether or not to mandate masks as the campus repopulates for the Spring 2023 semester. Consistently, I have been encouraged to follow guidelines from the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) and their statewide masking recommendations. CDPH utilizes the CDC’s COVID-19 Community Levels to provide guidance regarding masking recommendations based on public health best practices.

In consideration of all of the above, we will not be making any changes to our current plan and will continue to recommend that masks be worn indoors on campus and at affiliated locations (Channel Islands Boating Center, Goleta instructional site, Santa Rosa Island Research Station).

CalOSHA continues to require that testing be made available. We will require residential students to provide a negative test result prior to re-entry in housing, and we will continue to make tests available throughout the semester for all campus community members who want them, not just for those who are experiencing symptoms. Both masks and testing will continue to be available throughout the Spring 2023 semester for all members of our campus community. We encourage you to visit the VC Recovers website to learn of available vaccine clinics. Our Environmental Health and Safety team is currently working with VCPH and other healthcare providers to schedule vaccination clinics on campus for late January and February.

In making these decisions, I recognize that there are no perfect answers, and it is not possible to satisfy every individual’s needs and preferences. There is only the weighing of which path is best, given the data and public health recommendations available. I encourage us all to continue to take care of each other as a campus community, which could mean:

  • Acknowledging that we do not know each other’s individual realities and life circumstances. People may be immunocompromised or caring for vulnerable loved ones.
  • Respecting and honoring without question the choice to mask.
  • Communicating a masking request, for example: “I would appreciate it if you would wear a mask. Without getting into details, I know my safety and my family’s safety would benefit.”
  • Offering to wear a mask, for example: “Would you be more comfortable if I were to wear a mask, too?” My sincere hope is that each of us will be willing to wear a mask at another’s request, accepting that inconvenience in exchange for supporting another person’s sense of well-being and safety.

We will keep monitoring key data points with diligence, continuing with our ongoing consultation with VCPH to adapt to changing conditions as deemed necessary. We will also continue to inform the campus community of any changes recommended by VCPH and subsequent decisions made.

I encourage you to continue to visit our campus COVID-19 webpages where you can report COVID cases, find FAQs, and learn about available Campus Resources & Services. If you have questions, please reach out to csuci.news@csuci.edu so we can respond accordingly.

All best for a safe and satisfying Spring 2023 semester.

Sincerely,
Richard Yao, Ph.D.
President

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