January 2, 2022
To: University Community
From: President Krista Newkirk, Vice President for Administration Michelle Rogers, and the President's Cabinet
Subject: Important Announcements — Temporary Enhanced Safety Protocols and Updated COVID-19 Policies
Happy New Year! We hope your holidays were restful and fulfilling. This memo provides important information regarding the spring semester and return to work, so please read it carefully and in its entirety.
In response to the steep rise in the number of COVID-19 cases across the United States, the following enhanced measures, outlined in further detail below, are effective immediately.
All courses will be taught online Monday, Jan. 10 through Friday, Jan. 14. In-person instruction begins on Tuesday, Jan. 18. While residence halls on the Redlands campus will open on Sunday, Jan. 9 as scheduled, this delayed start to in-person teaching and learning provides students the flexibility needed should they encounter travel challenges, a delay in receipt of required testing results, or COVID-19 exposure or infection. Students whose arrival will be delayed beyond Tuesday, Jan. 18 should contact the College’s Dean’s office at cas_deansoffice@redlands.edu.
For the newest members of the Bulldog family, New Student Orientation for CAS undergraduates will continue as planned and in-person on Jan. 8, 2022.
All employees are expected to return to their work location tomorrow, Jan. 3. However, recognizing employees may also face numerous challenges during this COVID-19 surge, we encourage supervisors to provide flexibility to their direct reports, as business needs allow, to include temporary remote work accommodations.
As stated in the Dec. 13, Dec. 15, and Dec. 28 University-wide memos, all U of R employees and students, regardless of vaccination status, must comply with testing protocols, as described below. (Those who have recently had COVID-19, please see the last paragraph of this section, below the chart.)
Population |
Return Testing Requirement & Reporting |
Undergraduates in the College of Arts and Sciences – residential and non-residential |
Take a COVID-19 PCR test three to five days before your return to campus, and then again three to five days after arrival. While PCR tests are strongly preferred, results from a rapid test will be accepted. Complete attestation form and upload test results. The upload and attestation process will go live the afternoon of Monday, Jan. 3. You will receive an email from Dean Eddleman with the link and additional information. Detailed guidance for undergraduate students in the College of Arts and Sciences can be found here. |
Students Who Are Not College Undergraduates - in-person |
All full- and part-time students in the School of Business & Society, School of Education, Graduate School of Theology, College of Arts and Sciences graduate programs, and School of Continuing Studies who will take class(es) in-person are required to take a COVID-19 test three to five days before returning to in-person instruction. If you are unable to get a PCR test, results from an antigen test will be accepted. Once you are tested, please complete the online form: |
Employees, All Campuses |
All on-site employees on our campuses are required to take a COVID-19 test between Saturday, Jan. 1 and Friday, Jan. 7. If you are unable to get a PCR test, results from an antigen test will be accepted. Once you are tested, please complete the online form: |
The Redlands campus testing site in University Hall will be offering extended hours beginning on January 10 (at the latest) to accommodate recent surges experienced at sites throughout the County.
Research shows that some individuals who recover from COVID-19 may present as positive on a PCR test for a few weeks to 90 days post-infection, despite no longer being contagious.
Given the continued rise of COVID cases across the US and the proliferation of the Omicron variant, the University is instituting immediate, but temporary, protocols to help protect University of Redlands communities, to include the Marin campus and our regional sites. These will be in effect when the University reopens on Jan. 3, 2022. Please review the protocol document online.
The mitigation strategies include the follow categories:
Regardless of vaccination status, mask-wearing is mandatory in all indoor settings on all campuses—and now off-site while working or traveling in a vehicle with other campus individuals. KN95 or N95 masks, as recommended by the CDC, are preferred. If you are unable to get KN95 or N95 masks, you should plan to wear either two cloth masks or a cloth and surgical mask.
The University will have three-ply surgical masks available in high-traffic areas, and we are currently working to source KN95/N95 masks. While the universal indoor mask mandate for all counties across California extends until Jan. 15, the University of Redlands indoor masking mandate applies on all campuses until further notice.
As previously announced, the University will require booster shots for all vaccinated individuals. An updated vaccination policy will be released by Jan. 10
In the meantime, we strongly recommend you follow CDC recommendations (and your doctor’s advice) and receive a COVID vaccination booster as soon as possible. Based on CDC guidance, individuals are eligible for a booster as follows:
The San Bernardino County Department of Public Health will be offering COVID-19 vaccination clinics (including boosters) in the Orton Center on the University of Redlands campus on Tuesday, Jan. 4 and Tuesday, Jan. 25. Flu season is upon us, and the clinic will also be offering flu shots. With the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, it is more important than ever for individuals to get a flu vaccine this year.
In this environment, it is especially important to monitor your health and stay home if ill (no matter what your vaccination status), especially if you have symptoms of COVID-19 such as fever, cough, shortness of breath, or new loss of taste or smell. Wash your hands often with soap and water and use hand sanitizer if soap and water aren’t available. To report COVID-19 symptoms, exposure, or a positive test, use the University’s reporting form.
Thank you for your help keeping the Bulldog community safe! The COVID Task Force is continuing to monitor the situation, and we will continue to provide you with updates as they become available.