Dear Fullerton College Community,
Following the latest guidance from NOCCCD Chancellor Byron D. Clift Breland, I wanted to follow-up with more information local to Fullerton College. I send this email communication to provide additional details. Please feel free to reach out to me directly or attend an upcoming President’s Open Forum or Office Hour.
As we prepare to welcome nearly 6,000 students on campus the week of February 7, I wanted to remind you of work expectations for classified professionals and managers, our student health check-in process, free COVID-19 testing, spring 2022 operating hours, and unique services we provide our students. Much work has been done to create a welcoming environment with safety in mind for students, faculty, classified professionals and managers. I am excited for Hornet Nation to come back alive in-person and see our beautiful campus gradually reopen.
Expectations for Classified Professionals and Managers Hybrid Work Schedule –
Beginning February 7, many of our classified professionals and managers will work a hybrid schedule – which includes three (3) days onsite and two (2) days remotely. Please work with your Immediate Management Supervisor (IMS) for details. Individuals will continue to be required to wear masks indoors.
Exceptions to this hybrid work schedule may include employees who perform functions in support of in-person classes and campus operations, including Campus Safety, ACT, Facilities, Health Services, faculty who continue to teach in-person classes and classified professionals who support instruction, such as lab technicians.
I want to express my sincere gratitude to our teams across campus who have worked creatively to create consistent hours of operation in-person and online to support our students. Thank you as well to our faculty who have adapted their instructional modalities to support students during the Omicron surge.
Expectations for Faculty and Class Modality –
For faculty who started the semester remotely for the first two (2) weeks, but remained with an in-person class modality for the Spring 2022 term, please communicate with your students that your class will return to campus next week. The college will send a communication as well to maximize our communication efforts with students.
Counseling faculty and librarians will have the option to work remotely for the remainder of the Spring 2022 term. We are hopeful that students will have access to both in-person and remote counseling and library support services, but it is important that all faculty are provided with the same options to work remote for the Spring 2022 term.
Daily Student Check-in –
Fullerton College students are required to take a health self-assessment, available on the Fullerton College Mobile app, and have their temperature taken each day they attend a class on-campus or access in-person services. The check-in center is in Building 1000, Room 1018. Learn more here.
Free COVID-19 Testing For All; Required For Some –
Fullerton College provides free, walk-in, PCR COVID-19 testing to all members of the campus community. All members of the campus community are encouraged to test regularly, however, students, who have an approved exemption and want to attend in-person classes or come to campus for services, are required to test weekly in Building 1000, Room 1018. Employees who have exemptions are also required to test weekly. Learn more here.
Masks are required indoors; unless one has an approved accommodation or exception –
NOCCCD and local health guidelines require Fullerton College students and employees — whether vaccinated or unvaccinated — to wear masks while indoors. Employees seeking an accommodation are advised to consult with their immediate management supervisor to coordinate with Human Resources. Students may contact Disability Support Services to request an accommodation.
Further, exceptions may be requested based on instructional needs, such as faculty who may need to remove their mask to play an instrument during class or who coordinate with DSS to provide an accommodation for students. Faculty are advised to consult with their dean.
This is a link to the California Department of Public Health’s most recent recommendation on mask wearing and reasons for exemptions.
Surgical masks are available for free and may be requested through your IMS or division office. Additionally, the Vice President of Administrative Services Office is currently ordering KN95 masks and will announce soon how they may be requested by employees and students. An emailed memo dated January 11 from the district regarding N95 masks is no longer current. Please stay tuned for more information.
Visitor Policy –
Visitors and prospective students are welcome to campus to attend events and access college resources. Visitors may be asked to show proof of vaccination, or a negative COVID-19 test result from within the last 72-hours. This process was successfully implemented in the fall at Athletic and Fine Arts events.
Student Services –
Generally all support services will be open in-person and remotely Monday through Thursday. Remote services will be provided on Fridays. Some select services will also be offered on Saturdays. Learn more here. (If the hours listed here need correcting, please email campus.communications@fullcoll.edu right away.)
Basic Needs Support –
Highlights include free breakfast and lunch in the Campus Dining Room; the Food Bank provides weekly groceries; free student IDs, free parking passes, and ACT can lend students laptops and headsets. Learn more here.
Many of us had hoped to be back more fully this spring, but the Omicron surge caused us to delay those plans. As we gradually return with caution, my hope is that you’ll share in my mix of optimism and excitement. It’s the people who set our college apart and make Fullerton College a special place. I hope to see you all soon and enjoying campus life together.
Finally, Fullerton College will provide FREE coffee, tea, or hot chocolate for all employees in the Campus Dining Hall from 8:00 AM to 10:30 AM Monday Thru Thursday next week. Welcome Home Hornets!
With Appreciation,
Gil
Gilbert J. Contreras, Ph.D.
Interim President
Fullerton College