KGI Campus Update (July 9, 2020)

Dear KGI Community,

I want to provide an update that encompasses information from the TCC COVID-19 Response Group, KGI COVID-19 Task Force, and KGI Reopening Committee. While we still do not have specific guidance from the State of California nor the L.A. County Department of Public Health, below is an overview of the information we have from each entity:

Cases

TCC

• Some institutions have indicated that they will be fully online in Fall, and a few have indicated that they will be hybrid.
  • Pomona College
  • Scripps College
  • Claremont McKenna College
  • Pitzer College
  • Harvey Mudd College
  • Claremont Graduate University
• The student health center has begun acquiring a large number of tests to make mass testing available for TCC, including training and hiring contact tracers for student cases. Faculty and staff contact tracing will take place with the institution, and the county provided contact tracers.
• We receive daily briefings from the state and county, which are circulated to school leadership and the KGI COVID-19 Task Force.

State of California

• The most recent guidance document we have from the State of California was released on June 5, 2020. We expect that within the next month, we will receive updated guidance.
• We review weekly the county variance report, and how many cases have been presented in our area and region.
• California cases are on pace to double every 24.8 days.
• The state has the capacity to treat 50,000 COVID-19 patients, alternate care sites, established new hospital capacity, and deployed federal medical aid to help in areas vulnerable to spikes in COVID-19.
• There are now  26  of the state’s 58 counties on the state’s monitoring list. That includes L.A., Orange, and other Southern California counties. Three counties were added today; a week ago, there were 19 counties on the list. Being on the list requires those counties to make modifications to their stay-at-home orders.

Los Angeles County

• We continue to follow the LADPH’s Reopening Safer at Work and in the Community Order. There has not been an update to that order since July 4, 2020, and they have not yet listed an appendix for Universities.
• We have yet to receive reopening protocols as other industries have received.
• The vast majority of the businesses surveyed by health officials over the holiday weekend were complying with public health guidance on social distancing and face coverings. In total, about 1,100 restaurants, 80 bars, 70 hotels, and eight breweries and wineries were visited.
• L.A. County public health officials say the priority for testing is being placed on those who are showing symptoms, work in a high-risk environment, or have come in contact with a person known to have been exposed to the virus.
• In addition to the shift in the testing protocol, health officials are also recommending that individuals quarantine for 14 days after a possible exposure to the virus, even if they have received a negative test result during that time. False negatives typically occur when a person gets tested too soon after a possible exposure when a viral load would be unable to be detected. There is no clear guidance on how long a person should wait to get tested.
• Institutions are invited to submit their protocols for review LA DPH until something is formally posted. LA DPH clarified they don’t approve plans, they review, ask questions, and help institutions to strengthen plans – simply not enough time to review and approve plans. The county attests that they did not order universities to shut down their operations. They were allowed to continue all essential activities.

KGI

• The KGI COVID-19 Task Force met with the academic program directors to review their courses, hear about their conversations with students, and discuss plans for the fall semester.
• KGI will be offering all of our academic programming in a hybrid model. Each program will be giving details in the coming weeks, which courses will be online, and which courses will require an in-person component. This may be single to multiple days on campus with peers using all precautionary measures to allow for the hands-on experience of all KGI programs.
• We expect to welcome our students on campus on August 20, 2020, for the start of orientation activities. If this plan changes, we will notify everyone as soon as possible.
• Once the campus is open, we have a significant set of protocols for any individual entering our campus buildings. We will be launching a webpage with details on every safety precaution within the next two weeks.
• Any student who has concerns about attending classes on campus should contact Student Affairs, and any employee should contact Human Resources.
• The next student town hall is scheduled for July 16, 2020, from 5:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. The next employee town hall is scheduled for July 22, 2020, from 3:00 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. Please bring any questions you may have to those events. They will be recorded for review if you are unable to attend.

As you can see, the information is complex and changes every 24 hours. I want to assure you that we have a significant amount of people staying on top of the information and getting guidance from top medical experts in their fields. Every decision we are making and every protocol we are planning is with your health and safety in mind. As we gain further insight into the reopening guidance from state and county officials, we will relay them to you. Thank you for your support, your understanding, and your grace during this unprecedented time.

Be well,

Sheldon Schuster
President

 

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