HRDI & Provost Email to Faculty and Staff: UPDATE – Safety information regarding Coronavirus

Thursday January 30, 2020 4:31 pm

Fellow Titans:

The CSU Chancellor’s Office issued a notice earlier today that suspended campus-related travel to China’s Hubei Province, which is where the new coronavirus originated. This decision mirrors guidance and recommendations issued by the U.S. Department of State and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). In a separate announcement made earlier this week, the Chancellor’s Office informed campuses that it was suspending the systemwide study abroad program in China. CSUF has since similarly suspended all study abroad activity in China.

The Chancellor’s Office also informed campuses that travel to other areas in China should be limited to “essential” travel. For this reason, CSUF will review any proposed travel to China on a case-by-case basis. Traveling through China on a layover or to attend a conference, conduct research, present a paper and/or undertake study will not in and of themselves be considered essential. Students considering travel to China should first contact the University’s Global Titan Center at 657-278-2787. Faculty, staff or administrators should contact the University’s Risk Management Office at 657-278-7346. This situation is dynamic and rapidly changing. The World Health Organization has declared the coronavirus outbreak as a public health emergency, and there is now a confirmed case in Illinois of human-to-human transmission of the new coronavirus. While this is a serious public health threat, the CDC characterizes the immediate health risk from the new coronavirus as low for anyone who is unlikely to be exposed to this virus. More guidelines or restrictions may soon follow, and we will continue to update the campus community as circumstances warrant.

We all work every day to enrich the lives of our students and inspire them to thrive in a global environment. As we respond to this outbreak and new information, members of our community should not be made to feel that they are unwelcome or being singled out due to their race, national origin or recent travel. Those who believe they have been singled out or excluded should contact the University’s Discrimination, Harassment and Retaliation Administrator at (657) 278-4933.

We encourage all members of our community to lead with compassion, as well as educate themselves on the new coronavirus by visiting reliable sources such as the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention information page.

David Forgues, Ph.D., SHRM-SCP
Vice President, Human Resources, Diversity & Inclusion

Pamella H. Oliver, Ph.D.
Provost and Vice President, Academic Affairs