Latest News
Masks No Longer Required in Classrooms and Labs
2/17/2023
We remain vigilant and committed to our twin north stars of maintaining the campus community's health and safety while ensuring our students' success as we continue to evaluate the impact of COVID-19. We also continue to rely on data and safety guidelines from Los Angeles County Public Health (LACPH) to align best practices to keep our community safe.
Over the past month, LACPH has reported that daily positivity rates, deaths, and hospitalizations have been trending downward. Based on this information, and in keeping with best practices from LACPH, the campus will relax its face coverings requirement in all classrooms and labs, effective March 1, 2023. The Student Health Center will continue to require face coverings.
While face coverings will no longer be required in classrooms and labs, you are encouraged to use them to help prevent the spread of COVID-19. Free surgical masks are available throughout campus in mask dispensers, mainly located by first or second floor elevators or in entryways where elevators are not present.
Below you will find information related to COVID-19 safety measures in your classes, as well as links to resources for alternative methods of instruction.
The best practices in maintaining a safe classroom and campus space are encouraging completion of the daily screening and wearing a face-covering. Ultimately it is not the role of the faculty or staff to enforce safety protocols. However, faculty and staff are encouraged to manage these situations with tact and de-escalation practices. Steps a faculty or staff member may take to help keep their classroom safe:
A. Prior to the start of class, faculty should consider doing the following:
B. On the first day of class and upon receipt of these guidelines, faculty should consider doing the following:
C. What if there is a Face Covering Violation During Class?
D. If you or your student feels symptomatic:
The Office of Community Standards (OCS) at CSUDH, should be consulted when all educational avenues have been exhausted and students repeatedly fail to comply with communicated campus safety protocols.
1) Student Conduct Code Violation
Students failing to comply with the communicated campus safety protocols and procedures are subject to discipline pursuant to CSU Executive Order 1098: Student Conduct Code Procedures, (rev. 3/29/19). Title V of the California Code of Regulations Section 41301, Student Conduct Code, describes the grounds on which a student can be disciplined, including:
Students failing to comply with campus safety protocols and procedures, including in connection with on-campus instruction, are subject to discipline based on the above grounds.
2) Reporting Procedures
The following are behaviors that may warrant consultation or intervention by the Office of Community Standards:
Students should be allowed to correct the behavior without consequence. Students who forget, engage in unintentional carelessness, or act in haste should be given verbal warnings. A non-compliant student should be reported to the Office of Community Standards through the Student Conduct Reporting Form only after refusal to follow and comply with campus safety protocols.
3) Sanctioning
On the first occurrence, a student will be allowed to correct the behavior through education. A student who engages in unintentional carelessness or willful noncompliance should be given a verbal warning. After addressing the issue with the student, any individual responding to student non-compliance is asked to complete the Student Conduct Reporting Form, which is routed to the Office of Student Conduct (OSC). It is critical that all warnings and incidents are memorialized in writing for record-keeping and escalation of complaints and ensure due process of disciplinary proceedings.
On the second occurrence, a student who has violated the safety protocols and procedures will be referred to the OCS. The office will conduct a review and consider the circumstances in totality to determine appropriate action.
On the third occurrence, a student may be disenrolled from class, removed from housing, placed on interim suspensions, and in rare cases, students may face more severe sanctions. *If student gets into this process 3 times, they will be removed from housing, and may be disenrolled from course(s).
Below is a list of actions that are typically considered. There is no pre-determined order or sequencing of the sanctioning as the circumstances, and severity of the incident(s) are taken into consideration. An educational approach will be taken toward addressing non-compliance; however, egregious violations could escalate student behaviors through the formal student conduct process.
Typical Progression of Actions
1st Violation | The Reporting Party should fill out the Office of Community Standards (OCS) Reporting Form. A written warning letter is sent to the student from the OCS. The student will be informed of potential sanctioning for repeated noncompliance, including disenrollment, suspension, or dismissal. In very minor mask violations that are then immediately ameliorated, students will simply be given a verbal warning. |
2nd Violation | The student is sent a formal Student Conduct Notice of Conference initiating student conduct procedures and is required to meet virtually with the OCS before attending the next face-to face class, meeting, or interaction. |
3rd Violation | Disciplinary actions may be pursued in accordance with CSU Executive Order 1098, rev. 3/29/19: Student Conduct Procedures. |
4) Interim Suspension
Under severe circumstances where it is determined that there is a threat to any individuals in the campus community, an Interim Suspension may be considered. Under Article VI. of CSU Executive Order 1098 (revised March 29, 2019), per Title 5, California Code of Regulations, section 41302, an interim suspension may be considered and evaluated, "where there is reasonable cause to believe that separation of a Student is necessary to protect the personal safety of persons within the University community or University Property, and to ensure the maintenance of order."
The Faculty Development Center has collated resources for academic technology tools, high-impact practices, and more. Visit the center's resources page for more information.
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