Spring 2022 Classes and COVID Status

Dear Cal Lutheran Community,

California Lutheran University leadership has been closely monitoring the current increase in COVID cases and positivity rate throughout the winter break, and after careful consideration please know that classes will resume as follows:

MBA, MSM, MPPA, MSIT, MSQE, MA in Educational Leadership 11 Week Programs -- All 11 week graduate programs will start 2022 in a virtual format. On January 17, 2022 all courses scheduled for in-person classes will return to face to face instruction. Various academic programs will be in communication with faculty and students with further instruction.

Bachelor’s Degree for Professionals -- All Bachelor’s Degree for Professionals courses will start 2022 in a virtual format. On January 17, 2022 all courses scheduled for in-person classes will return to hyflex instruction. Bachelor’s Degree for Professionals staff will be in communication with faculty and students with further instruction.

Traditional Undergraduate – Traditional undergraduate classes will resume in person on January 19, 2022 and will follow the designated academic calendar.

Graduate Education and Psychology 15 Week Programs – All Graduate Education and Graduate Psychology courses scheduled for in-person classes will return to various campuses for face to face instruction starting January 19, 2022 and will follow the designated academic calendar.

Pacific Lutheran Theological Seminary – Pacific Lutheran Theological Seminary staff will be in communication with faculty and students regarding classes starting in January 2022. PLTS classes will follow the designated academic calendar.

Boosters – As discussed in President Varlotta’s email of December 23, 2021, effective January 18, 2022, all students, faculty, and staff must show evidence of having received a booster.

As also discussed, starting January 5, Cal Lutheran students and personnel will be able to upload proof of booster vaccination through the MyCLU portal. If you have already received an approved exemption from a COVID-19 vaccination, you will continue to be exempt from this requirement. 

Students, faculty, and staff who are not yet eligible for a booster based on the CDC's eligibility criteria will receive a temporary exemption to the booster requirement until they are eligible. Once eligible, individuals must receive a booster vaccine within 2 weeks in order to be compliant with Cal Lutheran policy.  

Additional information regarding the Cal Lutheran policy is provided at FAQ’s regarding Cal Lutheran Booster Policy.

Testing – Cal Lutheran is providing a variety of testing services to the community for the start of the spring semester:

• Residential Students: Self-administered COVID “Inspire” tests will be available in the Residence Life Office in Mt. Clef Hall for all new residential students as they check in for spring, and at the front desk in each hall for returning students. Additional messaging regarding those tests will be sent separately (including incentives!) to residential students prior to the start of traditional undergraduate classes.

• Commuter Students: Inspire tests will be available in Health Services for individuals wanting or needing a COVID test. Please contact studenthealth@callutheran.edu for more details.

• Faculty/Staff: Due to assumed limitations on supply, faculty/staff are encouraged to test at an off-campus facility. Links for testing sites are – Los Angeles County, Ventura County, Alameda County.

Masks – As is required by both State and County Public Health, indoor masking will be required in all Cal Lutheran facilities when individuals return from the Holiday Break.  Masking is required in all situations except as follows:

• When in a facility that is a designated dining facility (Ullman Dining, Starbucks, etc.) and actively eating or drinking.
• When in an employees’ personal workspace and actively engaged in eating or drinking.
• When playing or preparing for a sanctioned NCAA competition.

A mask distribution area will be set up in a lobby of each academic building to start the semester. Additionally, masks can be obtained through Campus Safety at any time.

Outdoor and Indoor Spaces – Finally, as was done in the Fall, Cal Lutheran will start the Spring Semester with windows open in classrooms with operable windows; with air purifiers in classrooms, labs, and studios that do not have operable windows; and with outdoor classrooms with patio heaters. Individuals are encouraged to hold all communal gatherings either in the outdoor classrooms or in other suitable outdoor space.

As always, additional information regarding Cal Lutheran’s COVID protocol can be found at the Cal Lutheran KNOW page.

Please address any questions regarding the institution’s COVID response to covidquestions@callutheran.edu.

Please address any requests regarding COVID mitigation such as air purifiers to covid-operations@callutheran.edu.

Sincerely,

Leanne Neilson
Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs

Ryan Van Ommeren
Director, Emergency Operations Center
Associate VP, Operations and Planning