Confirming Our Return to In-Person Instruction on Feb. 12

Date: 2/8/2022
From: Provost - Vice President for Academic Affairs
Subject: Confirming Our Return to In-Person Instruction on Feb. 12

Dear Cal Poly Pomona Community:

I hope you are well and have had an amazing first few weeks of the semester. I write today with an update on our planned return to in-person teaching and learning. Based on falling positivity rates in the region and our ongoing consultation with the LA County Department of Public Health (LACDPH), we will resume in-person instruction starting Feb. 12, as previously announced. The mode and location for each course section will align with what was published in the class schedule. HEERA managers will update staff on any relevant changes to remote work.

While this is welcome news for many of you, I appreciate that returning to primarily in-person instruction and work may be unsettling for some members of our campus community. I acknowledge your concerns. As has been the case since the start of the pandemic, we have prioritized the health and safety of our campus community first and foremost. Our comprehensive Health and Safety Plan incorporates the latest protocols and practices recommended by public health experts as well as the collective knowledge we have garnered over the course of the pandemic.

As central components in our mitigation efforts, free COVID testing continues to be available at the CLA Paseo, and higher grade masks — such as KN95 and medical grade surgical masks — remain available at no cost to students, faculty and staff. Although the state may soon lift the indoor mask mandate, we must follow all guidelines set forth by Los Angeles County. We will update you if there is any change for our campus. I also take this opportunity to remind you that the CSU has updated the system-wide vaccination policy to include a vaccine booster shot (represented employees will not be subject to disciplinary action related to the booster requirement until the CSU has completed the meet and confer process with their respective unions). The campus will host a pop-up vaccine clinic on Feb. 15, which is open to everyone, including families and members of the community. You can visit the Vaccine Information webpage for more details.  

Beyond the public health measures, I also ask that we each continue to practice patience and collegiality. Many of our colleagues are dealing with pain and loss that might not be observed through our usual interactions. I ask you to look for opportunities to support one another, and please foster the sense of care and community that has been so essential to our collective perseverance through these trying times. 

Thank you for your ongoing resilience, and I greatly look forward to our return to campus.

Kind regards,

Iris S. Levine, DMA 
Interim Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs