Fall 2021 Repopulation FAQ

Published May 7, 2021

 

  • Will there be any discount in parking for staff who will work on a hybrid schedule?  
    • No. Semester and monthly permits are available for purchase online. Daily permits are available at the parking machines. 
  • Will temperature checks be required for on-campus events? 
    • They could be, it depends on the type of event, number of people, and safety requirements.  There will be prescreen requirements, whether that is completing the covid questionnaire or temperature checks will be determined by event. 
  • What will it look like for guests (i.e., donors) coming to campus? Can they and when/where/etc. 
    • Guests are currently allowed on campus to conduct normal operations. They must comply with all health and safety guidelines, such as completing the visitor covid health questionnaire before visiting. 
  • Will the University Library be open for students to study and use the computer lab? 
    • We are planning for the university library to be open, including the computer lab. There may be limited capacity. 
  • How will parking work on campus for fall?   
    • Semester permits will be available through the normal process, monthly and daily permits can be purchased from the machine and there will not be a hybrid option for employees coming on rotation 
  • Events?  
    • Limited events occurring over the summer – mostly student activities such as outreach events or camps at limited capacity.  A committee of division representatives and safety/medical experts are reviewing each event on a case-by-case basis and all are required to have a risk mitigation and safety plan.  Right now it’s looking like some athletic camps and a few outreach student groups in the dorms. 
  • What areas of campus will be open in the fall?  
  • What dining options will be available in the fall?  
  • Where can I find updated openings and closures on the campus website?  

  • Will classrooms be cleaned, and if so, how? 
    • Yes, classrooms are cleaned and disinfected based on current protocols we are provided from the City of Long Beach specifically for Institutes of Higher Education.   Currently, the campus is providing disinfections 3-4 times during the day for high touch surfaces in use and one thorough cleaning and disinfection after hours. 
  • How will bathrooms be cleaned?  
    • Bathrooms are cleaned and disinfected based on current protocols we are provided from the City of Long Beach specifically for Institutes of Higher Education. Currently the campus is providing disinfections 3-4 times during the day for high touch surfaces in use and one thorough cleaning and disinfection after hours. 
  • Have the ventilation systems on campus been updated/ have HEPA filters been added? 
    • All the ventilation systems on campus have been: 
      • Serviced to ensure unit is operating within manufacturer specifications 
      • Cleaned and disinfected 
      • Upgraded filter to the highest-rated achievable  
      • Regularly serviced to ensure optimal operation 
  • Given that we have an open campus, how can we ensure campus safety compliance from community members? 
    • We have control measures in place that include: 
      • Health Questionnaire Screening for any visitors coming into campus buildings 
      • CSULB Face Covering Policy that mandates mask usage inside campus buildings and outside when within 6ft of people. 
      • CSULB Health Ambassadors reporting any deficiencies regarding campus protocols   
      • CSULB COVID Prevention Training required for all staff, students and faculty to learn campus and community protocols 
      • Frequent enhanced cleaning and disinfection of campus facilities 
      • Additional precautions used on campus such as elevator self-cleaning buttons, self-cleaning door wraps and ADA door entry controls   
    • Our Health Ambassadors are addressing these individuals. Community Relations is also spending time on campus to chat with the community and remind them of our policies. Additionally, we have signage throughout the campus. 
  • What are the campus safety policies for fall? Social distancing? Mask wearing? Etc? 
    • CAL-OSHA along with the California Department of Public Health will be revising regulations and higher education institution protocols within the next 3-4 weeks that will provide the campus a clear direction as what will be required for fall planning efforts.  We are waiting for this information to be released so the campus can adjust our protocols accordingly. 
    • If there are not 6 foot distances in cubicles, attendance of staff will be staggered - this is why there is a BBS walkthrough before return to campus is approved. 

  • What consideration was given for class repopulation? 
    • Each College Dean/Associate Dean consulted with Department Chairs to determine what overall categories of courses should be prioritized for return to on-campus teaching and learning based on pedagogical need. The top 2 layers of those prioritized courses were approved for each college, in addition to any courses that were previously approved for face-to-face teaching in the 20-21 AY. These courses represented ~35% of our overall sections.
      • COE: Mostly hybrid return of Undergraduate labs, and some lectures. Graduate research labs 
      • CHHS: Research labs; teaching labs. Some full health care accredited programs (Nursing, PT, SW).  
      • CNSM: Research labs; teaching labs; medium sized lectures 
      • COTA: mostly activity and performance courses 
      • COB: Grad courses 1X/wk; MGMT 425; UG Large sections - all layers 50% 
      • CED: Off Campus teacher preparation; graduate seminars that involve intensive instructor/student dialogue and guidance or computer lab instruction; key cohort/community building courses for undergraduate, credential and graduate students; multi-section course 
      • CLA: Lectures connected to labs/activities; grad seminars; select first-year seminars; Language Prefix classes/activities; Dept-specific needs 
    • Departments are scheduling courses based on room availability. Not all approved courses will be able to be scheduled. Once originally approved courses are scheduled face-to-face, hybrid, or online, then Departments may add in other courses for face-to-face or hybrid teaching based on room availability. 
  • How do the colleges determine on-campus classes based on health guidelines
    • It is uncertain how health and safety guidelines will change between February (start of planning) and August as vaccinations become more prevalent. We therefore set a guideline of 50% maximum capacity for classrooms and buildings.
    • If public guidelines are more conservative as August approaches, we will adjust our plans to meet app public and safety guidelines at that time. This would mean most courses that could not meet the guidelines would move back to AMI.
    • If public guidelines are less conservative as August approaches, we will maintain our current schedule. We will not require faculty or students to come to campus for a course that was previously scheduled as AMI.
  • How will 50% capacity be achieved in classrooms? 
    • This has primarily been achieved in 3 ways:
      • 1. Placing courses with smaller course enrollments into classes with larger capacity 
      • 2. Transitioning to a hybrid asynchronous model, wherein students are on campus one day a week, and then they complete an asynchronous online activity one day per week 
      • 3. Transitioning to a hybrid synchronous model, wherein students are on campus one day a week and then they zoom in synchronously only to join the on-campus students one day per week. This model uses hyflex technology.
  • Will classrooms include social distancing?  
    • We will follow the social distancing protocols specified by Cal OSHA and the Department of Public Health 
  • How will classrooms be cleaned? 
    • Public Health and safety mandates specific cleaning guidelines. These will be implemented in Fall 2021. PPEs will be provided. Discuss with your ASM to find out where and what. 

  • Will faculty be given the option to teach remotely? 
    • The schedule is determined by the department chair – with support and oversight from the dean’s office - based on student and programmatic needs.   This includes determining the mode of delivery of the course - chosen from those modes that have been approved. 
    • The chair – with support and oversight from the dean’s office – makes assignments based on the order of assignment in the CBA and in order to meet programmatic and student needs.  Faculty preference may be considered in this process but is not the over-riding factor. 
    • Faculty members who are concerned about their safety may request accommodations through the Office of Equity and Diversity - making such a request triggers an interactive process that will determine if accommodations are warranted and if so what they are - or explore leave options through Faculty Affairs.   
  • Will faculty be required to teach on campus if they prefer to teach online until safe 100% re-pop? 
    • See previous question. 
    • Also note that CSULB, as it re-pops- is complying with all safety guidelines. 
  • Please plan for faculty with school age children to be dealing with hybrid schedules & closures 
    • The schedule is determined by the department chair – with support and oversight from the dean’s office - based on student and programmatic needs.   This includes determining the mode of delivery of the course - chosen from those modes that have been approved. 
    • We are aware that the pandemic has had a differential impact on faculty members and are trying/considering a number of strategies to assist: 
      • Probation extension 
      • Covid impact statement 
      • Letter from provost to be included in each personnel file providing context 
      • Equity task force – exploring ways in which to ensure equity in evaluation 
      • All faculty members eligible for up to 30 hours of grading support 
      • Considering ways to expand RSCA opportunities 
      • Considering ways to provide additional professional development in pedagogy 
      • Considering ways to provide more support for department chair 
  • How are faculty assigned to courses? 
    • Assignments to classes are made by the chair and Dean based on programmatic and student needs regardless of the mode of delivery of the courses. They can and do, when possible, take faculty preference into account.  
    • Scheduling of courses for a term includes mode of instruction. 
    • Offers of employment are for a specific number of units, not specific courses. 
    • Assignments are made according to the order of assignment in the CBA (article 12).  
    • Work assignments are made based on the individual’s qualifications to teach the course and with consideration of their past performance teaching (careful consideration). 
    • Faculty preference for mode of instruction may be taken into consideration by a department chair, but it is not determinative. Faculty preference is NOT the same thing as medical need. Preference for mode of instruction falls into the same category as preferences for dates and times of instruction – which are guaranteed to nobody. Similarly, nobody “owns” a course regardless of how long they have taught it or how much effort they have put into designing the course. 
    • Faculty members who are requesting a change to the mode of instruction based on their medical condition must request a medical accommodation through OED. OED will determine if the specific limitations identified by the person’s care provider can be reasonably accommodated. The first preference of the university will likely be to try and find a course the individual is qualified to teach in the mode of instruction requested by the accommodation, or to find a way to accommodate the individual’s request without suddenly changing the mode of instruction for the students, as the students have signed up for the course with a specific expectation. If that cannot be done, OED may end up discussing whether or not changing the course’s mode of instruction is reasonable under the circumstances. If changing mode of instruction is reasonable, it can happen. If changing mode of instruction is not reasonable, then the faculty member may be placed on medical/ADA leave. 
  • Will faculty be provided training on any technologies installed in classrooms, such as hyflex classrooms? 
    • AVP for ATS Shariq Ahmed and Dennis LuPresto have been working to bring hyflex technology to our campus. Presently we have 34 classrooms in SSPA, COB, AS, and HSCI buildings, that can be used for hyflex teaching. ATS is planning to upgrade additional classrooms to enable hyflex/online/lecture capture features, over summer and into Fall 2021. 
    • ATS will offer faculty professional development and workshops, in collaboration with the Faculty Center, during Summer 2021. For specific questions about hyflex classrooms, or to set up a virtual, or in-person walk through, faculty may reach out to the ATS Classroom Support team at: ats-css@csulb.edu. 
    • Here is information and support resources on Hyflex classrooms: 
    • Hyflex Classrooms
    • Quick Setup Guide for Zoom in Hyflex Rooms
    • Hyflex Training Video
  • How will our experiences during COVID response impact our future for teaching and learning? 
    • As we return to “normal,” we recognize that this will be a “new normal” for both faculty and students. As our knowledge and expertise of online and hybrid teaching grows, we know that some faculty and students are excited to continue teaching and learning in those modes of instruction. As always, curriculum is the purview of the faculty. Faculty and Departments can determine the best method to deliver courses. This may be a return to face to face, a switch to online of hybrid, or if multiple sections are offered, a mix of modes. I strongly suggest that Departments modify course outlines to ensure that all modes of instruction are available for faculty to make this choice. 

  • Given that the vaccine will be out emergency use soon, will CSULB require it to work on campus?  
    • Currently, our campus is not requiring the COVID-19 vaccine to work on campus. However, I would strongly encourage everyone who is eligible to receive the vaccine as soon as possible to protect themselves and to help protect those around them.   
    • The vaccines are amazingly effective. Breakthrough cases can occur but are exceedingly rare based on the cumulative total of over 77 million vaccine doses delivered nationwide.  
    • Based on current data, 1 in 10,000 who are fully vaccinated have contracted the virus. Of those, less than 1 in a million who were fully vaccinated have died. We can contrast this to 1 in 56 who contracted COVID and have since passed away secondary to the virus.  
  • How to guarantee the safe if someone did not get vaccine and virus mutation spreads? 
    • The best way to reduce the risk of variants is to reduce the overall spread of the virus. The more time that the virus has to circulate and the more potential hosts it can find, the greater the risk of spread and it lends itself to potential future further mutations of the virus into "variants of concern."    
    • Basic public health measures like masking and distancing are powerful and effective tools for preventing transmission in addition to receiving the vaccine. Data has shown that all of the current vaccines offer protection against the circulating variants. The best way to help guard ourselves and protect the wellbeing of our campus community is to follow the basic public health measures while interacting with others and become vaccinated.  
  • We already require many vaccines. Will the COVID-19 vaccine be mandatory for students? If not, why? 
    • Housing will be requiring the COVID-19 vaccine for incoming residents this fall and the vaccine is strongly encouraged for Athletics at this point.  Across the nation, Housing and other congregate living settings both on-campus and off-campus as well as Athletics are groups that have been identified with clusters of cases.   
    • The vaccines are currently approved under an Emergency Use Authorization. A requirement for vaccination for athletes or other groups of students is being examined. 
  • What percentage of staff, faculty, and students have received the vaccine?  
    • We don't know what fraction have been vaccinated outside our framework. Of the ones we invited on campus, about 80% responded. 
  • Can vaccinated people transmit COVID?  
    • If you have been vaccinated, are wearing a mask, and maintain a safe distance, there should be a very tiny risk of exposure. 

  • For the most up to date information, please visit this site for all staff policy and telecommuting practice FAQs
  • Will there be an updated telecommute policy to allow for more work from home? 
    • More information to come 
    • The SHR team will be negotiating a telecommuting policy with our campus Unions via the prescribed meet and confer process.  
  • Will staff be able to work part-time from home, part-time in the offices in the future? 
    • It is our intention to have a policy that will provide a hybrid approach, which will allow for both on-campus and off-campus work locations. 
  • How are staff areas cleaned? What about common areas such as break rooms, appliances, or meeting rooms? 
    • Public Health and safety mandates specific cleaning guidelines. These will be implemented in Fall 2021. PPEs will be provided. Discuss with your ASM to find out where and what. 

  • Who will work with faculty to ensure student distancing, temperature checks, safety on?  
    • Any students that are not in compliance with our health & safety protocols should be referred to the Office of Student Conduct & Ethical Development to go through the conduct process. (note, we aren’t requiring temperature checks, just the daily COVID screenings). We are increasing the number of Health Ambassadors on campus for the fall. These are student assistants that will be walking around campus during business hours to ensure students are following policies, documenting concerns, and rewarding positive behaviors.  
    • With that all being said, from Fall 2020 & Spring 2021 we have found that students are very compliant with all of our policies. We haven’t been receiving concerns about policies related to social distancing, screenings, or face coverings from our students.  
  • When can the number of students in research labs increase from 3 students/25% of capacity limits?  
    • The capacity and density of indoor and outdoor spaces is determined by direction from the State, County, and LB City Departments of Public Health. Decisions around density are based on rates of spread, the number of people in hospitals, and the number of people that are vaccinated in the general population.  
  • What will happen with students who won't get vaccinated? Will they be allowed to return to campus?  
    • First, all students have access to receive the vaccine through the campus, should they wish. Since the current vaccines have a designation as an emergency vaccination from the FDA, we are not currently requiring employees or students to receive the vaccine. The campus is still implementing 6ft social distancing, face coverings requirements, COVID symptom checks before coming to campus, amongst other health & safety precautions. Once the vaccines receive full approval or the beginning of Fall 2021 (which ever come slater), the CSU system will be requiring vaccines. SHS will be developing a system to ensure student compliance with this requirement.  
  • Will students be required to fill out the COVID pre-screening form?  
    • Yes – our campus health & safety policies require all students to complete the COVID Pre-screen before coming to campus. Students who are registered in face-to-face courses will receive a text message with a reminder to complete the survey. 
  • How many students will be on campus daily?  
    • We won’t know this information until the fall after students are full done registering for courses after the add/drop deadline.  
  • What if a student is not comfortable returning in the fall?  
    • We recommend that students work with their academic advisors to review their options for registering for courses. The online Schedule of Classes clearly indicates the format of each course.  
  • When will we be back to full population for students?  
    • We are hopeful for Spring 2022 (I’m not sure if we should state a specific date), ultimately the decisions will be made by the state, county, and city departments of public health. Also, moving forward, we anticipate there will be more online and virtual courses, resources, and services that will be reimagined for appropriate continued online presence. 
  • What on-campus resources (ex: library, recreation center, computer lab) will be available in the fall? 
    • Yes, specific labs, recreation centers and libraries will be open for students to study during limited hours. Stacks will also be open. 
  • How will the university manage crowded passing periods between classes in the hallways?  
    • Beach Building Services has already placed signage indicating one way flow of traffic within hallways.  
    • Futhermore, reduced campus density and following facemask and vaccination protocols will also ensure safety. 
  • What safety policies will students need to follow in the fall? 
    • Under current safety guidelines and policy students (and everyone else) must wear a face-covering while on-campus including being outside on-campus.  As safety guidelines change that might change. Students are required to complete the COVID Pre-screen before coming to campus each day they expect to be on campus. Students are also required to follow up with SHS when they are notified. Students are required to maintain 6ft physical distancing, both indoors and outdoors.  
    • You can also review health protocol section on Reuniting the Beach | California State University, Long Beach (csulb.edu) for updated policies. 
  • What options are available for students who would like to pursue predominantly online courses moving forward?   
    • We recommend that students work with their academic advisors to review their options for registering for courses. The online Schedule of Classes clearly indicates the format of each course. 
    • Many programs will be adding some online courses to their offerings after the pandemic, but other courses may only be offered face to face.