Dear SDSU Community,
This evening, California Gov. Gavin Newsom issued new restrictions for California,
calling for home isolation of everyone in the state over the age 65, as well as people
with chronic disease. Both populations are considered to be at high-risk during the
ongoing coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. Regarding the latter group, the U.S. Centers
for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) defines chronic medical conditions as heart disease, diabetes and lung disease.
Following this directive, the California State University (CSU) issued a mandate to
campuses late this evening, stating: “Effective immediately, all CSU employees so
categorized must stay off campus and/away from the Chancellor’s Office. Hopefully
for many such individuals, a telecommute working arrangement can be established allowing
them to remain productive and continue advancing the operations and mission of the
CSU. For others, they are to be put on administrative leave with pay at their current
rate and for their normal scheduled work hours.”
Following this, SDSU is directing that individuals in both populations must stay off
campus, remain home and self-isolate.
Individuals in both categories are asked to:
- Practice home isolation.
- Contact your supervisor immediately to discuss telework options. If your job duties
can be performed remotely, your manager will work with you on a telework assignment
and will provide necessary details and logistical support. Those details may include
arrangements to receive any necessary equipment to facilitate the successful move
to telework.
- If telework is not an option, you will be placed on paid administrative leave until further notice.
Following updated guidance from the state, CSU and CDC released Sunday, March 15,
SDSU is also implementing additional actions:
- The Mission Bay Aquatic Center will close beginning Monday, March 16.
- The Aztec Recreation Center will close temporarily, also beginning March 16. The closure
will allow Associated Students and university personnel to make additional modifications
to align with the updated guidelines for social distancing. Members will receive additional
information via direct communication.
- The Faculty Staff Club will temporarily close on March 16.
- After careful consideration, and in line with several school districts and child care
closures across the county, the SDSU Children’s Center will close Wednesday, March
18, until April 6, unless conditions call for an extension. Affected families will
receive a separate communication with more details.
- The cultural centers will be temporarily suspending operations on March 16 and March
17 to allow for a space analysis for social distancing guidelines to be completed
and implemented before reopening. The centers are the: Center for Intercultural Relations,
Black Resource Center, Women's Resource Center, PRIDE Center, Native Resource Center,
Latinx Resource Center, and Center for Transformative Justice.
- SDSU Dining will reduce seating capacity and will increase grab-and-go options to facilitate social distancing at its dining facilities, and will encourage third-party operators to do the same.
Reopening dates for the Mission Bay Aquatic Center, Aztec Recreation Center, Faculty
Staff Club and the university’s cultural centers will be communicated at a different
time.
We also know that so many members of our community are caring for others, including
children, elders and other family members. If you have personal commitments that involve
the care of a family member and that makes it difficult for you to come to campus,
please contact your supervisor to discuss possible telework or flexible work assignments.
If you cannot telework due to your work responsibilities or childcare needs, you may
use accrued leave during this time.
Personal Responsibility, Community Health
Even if you do not fall into one of the two populations told to isolate at home, you
have an important role in helping to protect yourself while also helping to support
community health, both on and off our campus.
Each of us is reminded that we must continue to practice social distancing of six
feet when near others and follow the CDC’s guidance for protecting against the spread of illnesses and diseases. The CDC also announced tonight that all gatherings should be restricted to no more than 50 individuals, including events organized by individuals.
Again, we thank all members of our campus community for making adjustments as we continue
to receive more information and more precise guidance from public health authorities
and our own CSU system. We may need to make additional changes and therefore ask that
you be attentive to your university email and visit the university’s COVID-19 web page, which is updated regularly.
Adela de la Torre
San Diego State University President
Salvador Hector Ochoa
Provost and Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs
Agnes Wong Nickerson
Interim Vice President for Business and Financial Affairs