previous-updates2

Students: Your help is needed to help UC Berkeley implement limited in-person instruction this spring. UC Berkeley is now hiring for two important new student positions. Student health ambassadors will be paid $18 per hour and will monitor open campus buildings for compliance with COVID-19 testing by checking the color-coded badges of students, staff, and faculty. Student area managers will be paid $20 per hour and will supervise health ambassadors.

The next Campus Conversation will feature some of UC Berkeley’s leading public health experts and clinicians providing insight and analysis regarding the current vaccine situation and what you can expect going forward. You can access the live event by visiting the Campus Conversations website at noon on Friday, Jan. 22.

Plans for offering in-person instruction in the spring semester have been updated in light of current public health conditions. As previously announced, the first two weeks of the semester will be fully remote. After that, beginning Monday, Feb. 1, approved occasional outdoor instructional activities will resume. On Tuesday, Feb. 16, a small pilot of in-person classes held indoors will begin.

The surveillance testing sites at RSF and Memorial Stadium will be closed on Monday, Jan. 18 in observance of the Martin Luther King, Jr. holiday. Both sites will reopen on Tuesday at 8 a.m.

The Campus Salary and Time Reduction Program has new information on the People & Culture website. Check out the updated FAQ and bookmark the page as it is constantly being revised based on your feedback. Don’t forget, the program starts on Monday, Feb 1.

A new option for surveillance testing will be available soon. The drive-thru testing site will be located in the Underhill Parking Garage and will have later hours to accommodate swing shift employees. Drive-thru testing will be available Mondays, Tuesdays and Thursdays from 1 to 6 p.m., starting Tuesday, Jan. 19. As with all testing sites, appointments are required and can be scheduled through the eTang Portal.

With additional testing capacity now available, anyone coming to campus to work or study will be required to test weekly beginning Tuesday, Jan. 26. This is in addition to the twice-weekly testing already required of most campus housing residents. Testing compliance will be monitored using the color-coded badge system. A green badge will be required to enter any university building on or adjacent to the central campus. In order to have a green badge, you will need to be current with your testing regimen. Mandatory testing has also expanded to University Village, where testing is now available on Tuesdays and Wednesdays.

The process for notifying employees about potential workplace exposures has been updated. Moving forward, all employees will receive a CalMessage whenever a potential workplace exposure has been identified. Previously, only employees approved to work on campus were included in these notifications. The notification directs employees to the Workplace Exposure Dashboard for information on the specific worksite location of the potential exposure. A separate email, reminding employees to complete the Daily Symptom Screener, will be sent to anyone approved to work on campus each evening.

The first shipment of vaccine arrived at University Health Services today and clinics will begin on Thursday. The campus is preparing the vaccinate faculty, staff, students and emeriti in a phased approach. For more information on the vaccination rollout, see the campus message.

University of California President Michael Drake announced today that the University of California is planning for a return to primarily in-person instruction systemwide in fall 2021. In a message to the campus, Chancellor Carol Christ and Provost Paul Alivisatos said, “This is exciting and represents light at the end of what has been a difficult and challenging time for all of us.”

The state’s regional stay at home order remains in effect for the Bay Area. The order will continue until the four-week projection for the region’s total available adult ICU bed capacity is greater than or equal to 15%. As of this writing, the available ICU capacity is at 3.5%. The provisions of the order have been in effect since Monday, Dec. 7, when the city of Berkeley health officer and others preemptively implemented the restrictions. There are no changes to UC Berkeley’s essential operations.

All non-essential in-person activities and events were previously suspended through Dec. 31, 2020. As we near the end of that period, the Recovery Management Team (RMT) has extended the current prohibition on in-person activities (other than approved instruction, essential research, and essential work) through Feb. 28, 2021, while endorsing a roadmap that could enable some in-person activities in the spring term, provided public health conditions improve. 

The roadmap outlines plans to:

• Allow in-person participatory activities that cannot be conducted virtually in the spring semester no earlier than March 1, 2021, if public health conditions improve to the state’s “red” tier or better. In-person participatory activities are defined as events where the participants must be actively participating to conduct the event and they could not participate effectively virtually. For example, drum circles, dance rehearsals, etc. To meet state guidelines, we must pursue virtual group events, gatherings, or meetings, wherever possible.
• Limit the number of approved event spaces in order to be successful in managing compliance with university and public health requirements.
• Limit attendance at approved in-person activities to students, and faculty and staff who are approved to work on campus.  In-person activities with non-affiliates and faculty and staff who are not already on campus remain prohibited.
• Direct approved event venues to prepare to host limited in-person activities for the attendees specified above.
• Assign responsibility to the Events and External Relations Recovery Sub-Committee to approve event spaces and requested individual activities.

Additional specific details about how activities would resume and the process for approvals will be forthcoming, as soon as they are available. 

Events and External Relations Recovery Sub-Committee acknowledges that the devastating increase in virus transmission we are currently experiencing makes it difficult to envision successfully conducting in-person gatherings in just a few months. However, their goal is to prepare now for improved conditions that would allow these limited activities to resume on campus. As always, they continue to prioritize the health and well-being of the entire campus community.

If you have any questions or comments, please send them to the Events and External Relations Recovery Sub-committee via this form.

With regional ICU capacity falling below state thresholds, the provisions of the state’s Regional Stay at Home Order will be in effect through at least Jan. 7. The city of Berkeley public health officer and others around the region had already implemented the state’s temporary COVID-19 restrictions. With the state’s order going into effect, the end date for the restrictions has been extended by three days and could be extended further if conditions do not improve.

The Library provided the following update on its services:

The UC Berkeley Library provides many services to support Berkeley’s teaching and research mission. Shortly after the pandemic hit, the Library began to redesign a number of services and expand its digital offerings. Yet many still miss the Library’s popular study spaces and have asked when they will open once again.

In its plan for reopening on-campus services, the Library has identified a sequence of five stages, which it is calling chapters. The Library is currently in Chapter 2, which prioritizes services that support campus instruction and research now — while the majority of the campus community is working and learning remotely. Chapter 2 services include:

• A contactless pickup service, Oski Xpress, that draws from the circulating collections of 14 libraries.

• Research consultations for special collections materials at Bancroft and appointments to use microform readers at Moffitt.

• Electronic article delivery from the Northern Regional Library Facility (NRLF).

• Free, digital access to course readings and videos through a new e-reserves service.

• Electronic access to millions of books held by libraries across UC’s 10 campuses.

• 24/7 chat with a librarian for research assistance, and virtual library instruction.

When the Library moves to Chapter 3, it will open one study space for Berkeley students — hopefully in the spring semester. Preparations for this are underway. Factors that influence a transition to this chapter include the COVID-19 tier for our area, building functionality and density due to other services, and proximity to Library collections (which could impact the campus’s expanded access to millions of e-books).

When study spaces open, Berkeley students will need to make a reservation for an assigned seat for a limited period of time. Students will need to wear a face mask at all times while in the building (sorry, no eating and drinking) and maintain appropriate social distancing.

As circumstances improve and support the move to Chapter 4, the Library will expand study space locations to accommodate more Berkeley students while maintaining low density. In the meantime, with its expanded slate of services, the Library continues to serve as a reliable beacon of knowledge, even in the stormiest of seasons.

The campus is experiencing a notable uptick in positive COVID-19 cases among students and some staff, which is believed to be tied to Thanksgiving gatherings.

There have been 50 new cases since Thanksgiving, compared to less than 10 the week before, according to University Health Services. This follows confirmation late last week of SARS CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, being found in the wastewater at both University Village, campus family housing in Albany, and the Clark Kerr campus residence halls. However, the vast majority of cases continue to occur in people living outside of campus housing units.

University Health Services has learned through its contact tracing efforts that the positive cases appear to be linked to Thanksgiving gatherings, with almost half being linked to travel, and COVID-19 spreading in the broader community. Cases linked to Thanksgiving events are likely to continue to emerge this week. 

Eight of the new 50 cases were among staff. Staff who are on campus are reminded to continue to practice physical distancing and other best practices during downtime, even with colleagues that you work with all the time. UHS has learned that in some cases the spread appears to be tied to staff taking lunch breaks together and letting down their guard during those times.  Taking off a mask to eat poses some risk: be sure to stay physically distanced, do not share utensils or food items, use hand hygiene before and after eating, and meet outside if weather allows rather than in a break room.

Overall, the percentage of COVID-19 positives in the campus community has remained under 2%, lower than in the surrounding community and the campus has not experienced any significant clusters of positive cases for some time. Still, the virus is currently spreading exponentially locally and nationwide: it is critical that we all remain vigilant.

In a message to faculty and staff, Chancellor Carol Christ shared an update on the campus budget. The campus will implement a year-long program of tiered, income-based furloughs for all non-represented staff, academics and faculty, and reductions in time for represented staff.

There will be a special Campus Conversation focused on the budget Wednesday, Dec. 9 at noon. Chancellor Christ will be joined by EVCP Paul Alivisatos, Vice Chancellor for Administration Marc Fisher, and CFO Rosemarie Rae.

California COVID Notify, which is currently being piloted at UC Berkeley and other University of California campuses, is set to launch statewide on Thursday, Dec. 10. The State of California has asked the University of California to lead the expansion of the smartphone-based COVID-19 exposure notification system.

Bay Area health officers will implement the state’s Regional Stay At Home Order (PDF) in the coming days. The order instructs residents to stay at home as much as possible to limit the mixing of households, which can lead to the spread of COVID-19. It allows access to, and travel for, critical services and allows outdoor activities.

The city of Berkeley and Alameda County, where UC Berkeley is located, will implement the order on Monday, Dec. 7, 2020 at 12:01 a.m. In Marin County, the order will take effect on Tuesday, Dec. 8. Contra Costa, San Francisco, and Santa Clara counties will implement the order on Sunday, Dec. 6. For all public health jurisdictions, the new restrictions will remain in place until Monday, Jan. 4, 2021.

UC Berkeley essential operations will continue. For more information on what’s open and what’s closed, see the Buildings and Services page.

Cases are rising at UC Berkeley, in the surrounding community and across the state. Now, more than ever, it is critically important to comply with all public health orders. This includes wearing a mask, washing your hands, maintaining social distance, testing regularly and opting-in to California COVID Notify. This is NOT a time for socializing in person. Please avoid parties or gatherings of people who do not live in your immediate residence.

Information on COVID-19 wastewater testing

UC Berkeley has adopted a recommendation to not use handheld temperature monitors in screening for building access, except as required by a public health order or regulatory requirement. This recommendation came from the Rapid Response Public Health Team, which is tasked with making timely public health recommendations to the campus.

There is increasing evidence that temperature monitoring is an ineffective COVID-19 prevention strategy. One of the findings of Berkeley’s Safe Campus Initiative was the low positive predictive value of body temperature. Given the prevalence of asymptomatic transmission, the lack of fever may even give one a false sense of security regarding infection. Furthermore, many handheld temperature readers lack sufficient sensitivity.

The Daily Symptom Screener will continue to ask about temperature as one of many symptoms as it is believed to be appropriate in that context.

All residents of Alameda County, and most other counties across the state, are ordered to stop all non-essential work and gatherings between the hours of 10 p.m. and 5 a.m., beginning Saturday, Nov. 21 at 10 p.m. The statewide order applies to residents of counties in the purple “widespread” tier of the state’s Blueprint for a Safer Economy, including Alameda County where UC Berkeley is located. The order remains in effect until 5 a.m. on Monday, Dec. 21, 2020, and may be extended or revised as needed.

The order makes an exception for essential workers carrying out their duties. This includes UC Berkeley employees who have been authorized to work on campus. Please carry your “Shelter in Place Exemption Letter” and Cal 1 Card when traveling to and from work during the curfew. A copy of your letter can be accessed via the People Cards section of the Regional Portal. Click on your name and then “Auth Letter.”

In a statement clarifying the order (PDF), Alameda County explained that “this order does not prevent restaurants from operating after 10 p.m. for takeout and does not prevent people from going to the grocery store or pharmacy for essential needs, or walking their dog in their neighborhood. The order also provides that it does not prevent members of the same household from leaving their residences together, as long as they do not intermingle with others while out.”

The city of Berkeley plans to release an updated COVID-19 health order on Tuesday, Nov. 17 that imposes new restrictions on allowed activities. The order will align local rules with new State of California restrictions that place Berkeley in the “purple” – or most restrictive – tier of the statewide COVID-19 framework. Several business sectors will be required to close or modify operations starting Wednesday, Nov. 18 to align with statewide purple tier rules.

UC Berkeley will be reviewing the new orders closely and announcing any changes to operations as quickly as possible.

California COVID Notify is now live. Help slow the spread of COVID-19 and opt-in today.

Once enrolled, you’ll get an alert if you were in close contact with someone who tests positive for COVID-19. Your identity will never be revealed and your location will never be tracked.

California COVID Notify is another layer of protection for you and your community. In addition to wearing a face covering, physically distancing, and washing your hands, adding your phone will help to keep you and others safe.

iPhone users: Please note that you must update to iOS version 14.2 in order to enroll.

UC Berkeley will be participating in a pilot of California COVID Notify, a smartphone-based COVID-19 exposure notification system from the State of California. It uses the Exposure Notifications System built by Google and Apple to alert you when you’ve been exposed to COVID-19. It will quickly notify you if you’ve likely been exposed, allowing you to seek medical attention and reduce risk for your loved ones.

The technology will launch at UC Berkeley on Monday, Nov. 16. Berkeley will join several other UCs in piloting the technology on behalf of the state of California. Members of the campus community are invited to ask questions about the technology in advance of the launch. Campus privacy, health and student affairs leaders will be answering questions on the UC Berkeley subReddit on Thursday, Nov. 12 at 4 p.m.

The Berkeley Division of the Academic Senate is encouraging the faculties of the schools and colleges to enact flexible and compassionate policies and practices in these challenging times. Their comments on pandemic grading policies (PDF) were approved by the Divisional Council on Monday, Nov. 2.

President Drake has approved another extension to the time allowed for employees to use accrued vacation leave. If eligible, non-represented staff will continue accruing vacation leave through June 30, 2021, even if they are over their maximum. Policy-covered staff who earn PTO should refer to their location’s PTO program for eligibility information. This does not apply to represented employees.

Spring recess will take place as originally scheduled but the following week will be remote and students will be strongly encouraged to avoid travel. According to the CDC, travel increases your chance of getting and spreading COVID-19. Staying home is the best way to protect yourself and others from COVID-19. Over the coming months, the campus will partner with student groups to develop spring recess activities in the Berkeley area.

A group of UC Berkeley researchers have launched a pop-up lab to monitor Bay Area sewage for COVID-19. The researchers spent months refining and optimizing a rapid and low-cost new technique to test wastewater for SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19. Since July, they’ve been working with Environment, Health and Safety to collect samples from University Village and from sewers that drain from residence halls and surrounding neighborhoods.

This month, the team launched a new high-throughput pop-up lab in Hildebrand Hall. The new lab will allow the team to expand their testing across the Bay Area.

Testing of campus wastewater will continue and could serve as an early warning system for a potential outbreak.

Faculty and postdocs are invited to a town hall on visas and immigration status. The meeting will take place via Zoom on Tuesday, Oct. 27 at 10:30 a.m. Check your email for the Zoom link and passcode.

A proposal to pilot a limited number of outdoor instructional activities has been approved by the city of Berkeley Public Health. The pilot will kick off on Monday, Oct. 26 and end on Tuesday, Nov. 24, before the Thanksgiving holiday.

This past spring, a group of operational leaders looked at the feasibility of offering instruction outdoors. They looked at a variety of factors, including access to restrooms and Wi-Fi, wheelchair accessibility and protection from the weather. It became clear that offering instruction outdoors on a regular basis was not practicable.

More recently, another group was formed to look at a different approach. The Joint Academic Senate and Administration Working Group on Outdoor Space for Instructional Activities (PDF) has been charged with looking at other approaches, focused on smaller-scale, intermittent instructional activities. These activities are meant to complement remote instruction and eventually may also complement in-person indoor instruction. The hope is that the use of outdoor spaces will enable us to start very limited in-person instruction sooner, in order to improve instructional outcomes now and also to gain information that will be useful in returning to larger-scale in-person instruction as it becomes possible. The group has developed a proposal for very small pilot programs to take place before the Thanksgiving break.

The proposal is being reviewed by UHS and the Berkeley public health officer for consideration. If approved, the pilot will inform future proposals to expand in-person instructional activities in the spring should public health conditions allow.

The Office of the Vice Chancellor for Research has expanded its guidelines permitting undergraduates to work on-site in research buildings. Students working in paid positions (including work-study), enrolled in formal campus apprenticeship and fellowship programs (SURF, URAP, SPUR), enrolled in a course that offers course credit for research conducted in a lab, or conducting honors thesis research are now permitted. Undergraduate volunteers and other volunteers are not allowed in campus laboratories until further notice. All undergraduates must be counted in the research group/unit’s density budget. Students must complete all required training and be granted approval to work on campus prior to commencing work.

Supervisors and principal investigators are asked to ensure their approved employees are adhering to the requirements for working on campus. Employees must complete the two-part COVID-19 Health and Safety Training, which involves watching the 10-minute UC Berkeley Guidelines on Protecting Workers From COVID-19 and reviewing UC Berkeley’s COVID-19 Health and Safety Guide for Returning to the Workplace. Regular COVID-19 surveillance testing, while not a requirement to be on campus, is recommended once a week and is free and open to students, faculty and staff who are on campus. In addition, as of Nov. 1, 2020, all employees who access UC property need to have obtained a flu vaccine or applicable exemption or accommodation. See People and Culture’s Flu Shot 2020 webpage for more details, including forms.

As reported in Friday’s Response and Recovery newsletter, the campus asymptomatic surveillance testing program, which has been operating at the large Field House at Rec Sports, is expanding to offer COVID-19 testing to more of the campus community and opening an additional testing site.

The effort initially focused on testing students living in congregate housing and staff in higher-risk roles on campus. Now in addition to students who live in on-campus or congregate housing, there is the capacity to test students living off-campus. And along with staff in higher-risk roles who have been getting regular testing, faculty and staff who come to campus for their work can also get tested. This expanded capacity will help when we can start having more on-campus classes and activities. See the UHS surveillance testing page for the breakdown of groups and the required or recommended frequency.

Starting Wednesday, Oct. 9, a second surveillance testing site will open at Memorial Stadium, in the Gate 5 area of the Field Club. Appointments are required and can be booked through the University Health Service’s eTang portal.

Another testing option is through the IGI Fast Study. [UPDATED Jan. 4, 2021: The IGI FAST Study is now closed.]

Along with preventative measures, regular surveillance testing is a critical component of helping to mitigate the spread of COVID-19. This expansion will enable us to conduct 15,000 self-administered nasal swab (PCR) tests per week, with results expected within 48 hours. In addition to the expansion in testing locations and capacity, we continue to research and pilot new COVID-19 testing methods as they evolve and become available.

We continue to find ourselves in uncharted waters in determining how to celebrate something as special as commencement. At this time, we are weighing options for three classes — December 2020, May 2021, and May 2020, the first class whose ceremony was disrupted by COVID-19. While every class is deserving of an in-person ceremony, all decisions depend on the status of the pandemic and on approval from local public health authorities.

At this time, the December Class of 2020 will celebrate virtually on Saturday, Dec. 19, 2020. The May 2021 class is scheduled for May 15, 2021, but it is too early to determine whether that will be an in-person or virtual event. We are considering several options for the May 2020 class as well. We will reassess the status of the two May ceremonies by Feb. 1 to give students time to plan with their families. If we can hold an in-person ceremony on May 15, 2021, all December 2020 graduates will be invited to attend as well.

If you have any questions about commencement, please write events1@berkeley.edu or visit the commencement website.

You can now be fined up to $500 in the city of Berkeley for not wearing a mask. The Berkeley city council has approved an ordinance that allows city staff to issue citations to individuals and businesses that are in violation of the city’s COVID-19 public health orders.

The current orders require you to:

• Cover your nose and mouth with a face covering when in public places.
• Maintaining a separation of at least six feet between members of different households.
• Wash your hands and otherwise maintain good hygiene.
• Stay home when you are sick or may have been infected with or exposed to COVID-19.
• Limit gatherings of persons from different households, and in particular, avoid indoor gatherings involving persons from more than one household.

Since the start of the pandemic, University Health Services has been testing people who are showing symptoms of COVID-19 or who have had a close exposure with a positive case. This type of testing, referred to as clinical testing or symptomatic testing, continues to this day.

In addition, the campus has been screening asymptomatic members of the UC Berkeley community. This type of testing is sometimes referred to as surveillance testing, or community screening. This effort was initially focused on students living in congregate housing who are at higher risk of contracting COVID-19. It kicked off in August with students living in residence halls, who are required to be tested twice per week. This was followed by students living in congregate housing such as Greek houses and the co-ops. These students are also at high risk and are strongly encouraged to be tested.

Testing has also been expanded to clinical trainees and higher risk essential workers. Community screening was moved to the large Field House at the Rec Sports Facility to accommodate this expansion.

Regular surveillance testing is a critical component of helping to mitigate the spread of COVID-19. The campus is working towards having the capacity to conduct up to 60,000 tests monthly and open up testing to more of the campus community. To accommodate this volume, an additional sample collection site will open at Memorial Stadium within the coming weeks.

Faculty and staff who are currently approved to be on campus during the pandemic can also get tested through the IGI Saliva Testing (FAST) Study. Find out more and sign up for an appointment with IGI. [UPDATED Jan. 4, 2021: The IGI FAST Study is now closed.]

University Health Services does expect to see both isolated cases and small clusters within our campus population, given local epidemiology and transmission occurrences in the city of Berkeley. They see no cause for concern at the current rate as long as everyone continues to wear facial coverings, maintains six feet of physical distance with non-household members and follows other public health guidelines. Contact tracing has been working well and those involved have been very cooperative.

With the increase in testing, it is both expected and advantageous that we are identifying cases that might have otherwise gone undetected. Through early identification, isolation, and contact tracing, we are able to get ahead of potential spreads, even before the infected person may be aware they are infectious.

A new series for senate faculty is launching with an event focused on mentoring during the pandemic. “Taking care of the flock (and yourself): Mentoring in the time of COVID” will take place on Friday, Sept. 25 from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. via Zoom. Faculty Core Advisors will discuss the ways in which they are connecting and supporting their students; engaging with graduate students to support their advancement and continuity, keeping their lab and other groups cohesive when they can’t meet, and maintaining equity in the resources they provide to different students. Participants are asked to register in advance. Please note that due to the pilot nature of this program, the events are for senate faculty members only.

The Keep Teaching website has new resources for remote teaching. The update includes a virtual help desk for Zoom, with real time support.

Friday’s student face mask pickup was canceled due to air quality issues. As a result, two additional pickup days have been added. Students can pick up two free “Cal” cloth face coverings on Monday, Sept. 14 and Tuesday, Sept. 15 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the MLK Jr. Student Union Building, Floor 1, off Lower Sproul Plaza. Bring your Cal 1 Card, accept the Keep Berkeley Healthy Pledge in CalCentral and complete the Daily Symptom Screener before coming to campus.

The Golden Bear Tennis Courts located on the Clark Kerr Campus are now open to students and employees who are authorized to work on campus. Please follow the rules posted at the court entrances. These courts are available on a first-come, first-served basis. The Hearst and Channing courts remain closed at this time.

• Free asymptomatic surveillance testing is required twice per week for on-campus residence hall students.
• Free asymptomatic surveillance testing is strongly recommended twice per week for students living in Greek housing, Berkeley Student Cooperative (co-op) housing, and Bowles Hall.

Due to storage limitations in Zoom Cloud, UC Berkeley will be resetting the Zoom cloud retention period to 30 days from Sept. 15 to Oct. 20, 2020. If you currently have cloud recordings (from meetings or webinars) stored in Zoom, you will receive an email communication with instructions and options to download and store your recordings to access in the future.

Beginning Sept. 8, Spieker Pool and Golden Bear Pool will open to currently enrolled UC Berkeley students by reservation only. Faculty and staff who have been authorized to work on campus will also have access to the pools in the coming weeks. You can learn more about how to make a reservation and the rules and regulations on the Rec Sports website. Students need to accept the Keep Berkeley Healthy Pledge in CalCentral and everyone must complete the Daily Symptom Screener before coming to campus.

Berkeley CareBubbles is a new parent-to-parent resource to help UC Berkeley community members meet their child care needs during the Covid-19 pandemic. Find other Cal families looking to trade childcare, share tutors, create social bubbles, and more. This new resource is available from the recently launched Caring for Families website and from this site. You’ll find links to the CareBubbles website under the Students and Faculty and Staff tabs.

Rec Sports is offering a special fall program for children, ages 5-11, of UC Berkeley essential faculty and staff – featuring a full-day of educational enrichment and recreational activities at Strawberry Canyon Recreation Area. Children will receive academic support and tutoring in the morning followed by sports and arts after school activities. The program adheres to the City of Berkeley guidelines for camps and recreational programs, California Department of Public Health guidelines for day camps, and guidelines of the American Camp Association. Sessions are available throughout the fall. Space is limited.

The campus has received the test results of all students tested before moving into the residence halls last week and, for transparency, we are sharing the test results with you.

Of the 1,887 specimens tested, we had three students who tested positive and two students whose tests were inconclusive (we are treating them as positive cases). We had 26 insufficient specimens, which will require retesting, and 1,856 tested negative. 

According to Dr. Guy Nicolette, assistant vice chancellor and head of University Health Services, the results are encouraging so far but it is important to remain vigilant. It is crucial that students continue to follow residence hall sequestering protocols as well as the standard steps, such as frequent hand washing and face coverings, to protect themselves and others.

It is important to note that it can take several days after contracting COVID-19 to test positive for the virus. Someone who tests negative could still be infectious and test positive at a later date. It is also possible to be asymptomatic and transmit this infection. This is why it is so important that students continue to adhere to the sequestering protocols.

Students who tested positive or had inconclusive results were contacted by UHS, which works with the students to identify any close contacts.  UHS coordinates with the city of Berkeley Public Health department to address positive test results and close contacts.

The students who test positive or had close contacts with those students are temporarily housed at the Foothill residential housing complex on campus for isolation and quarantining until they are cleared by UHS to return to their assigned rooms.

Under campus move-in protocols, students were required to be tested at UHS before moving into the residential halls and then required to sequester in their residential room (all students are in single rooms) for 7-10 days. Thereafter, we will have regular follow up testing.

As of August 26, we have 102 students who have not yet moved in. Roughly half of these are students requesting a later move-in date. August  27 is the cutoff date for students to cancel their contracts with a $150 cancellation fee. Any new students moving in will also need to be tested before moving in.

Changes are coming to the UC Berkeley Mobile app to support a safe return to campus for students, faculty and staff. The initial update provides easy access to tools you need like the Daily Symptom Screener, COVID-19 testing options and other information to help you navigate the physical campus safely. Think of it as the on-the-go companion to this site.

If you plan to visit campus any time soon, you should download the latest version of UC Berkeley Mobile from the Apple App Store or Google Play Store.

A new campus website called Caring for Families has launched to connect families to dependent care resources. In the near future the website will include an online parent-to-parent resource for supporting one another with dependent care needs.

The Pac-12 has postponed sports competitions through the end of the 2020 calendar year. The decision was made after consultation with athletics directors and with the Pac-12 COVID-19 Medical Advisory Committee who expressed concern with moving forward with contact practice.

The fourth in a series of live-streamed conversations with campus leaders will take place today from 5-6 p.m. The topic is student engagement and services. Campus leaders will provide information about plans for student services buildings and offices, as well as details about remote services and engagement opportunities. Learn about everything from student advising, tutoring services, departments like the Career Center and CE3, and even student organizations.

Visit the Campus Conversations website at event time to view the live broadcast.

Campus leaders provided more details today on UC Berkeley’s voluntary workforce actions.

UPDATE: A recap and recording of the budget conversation is now available.

The COVID-19 pandemic has had a significant impact on the university’s budget that is likely to have lasting effects. Please join us today, Friday, July 31, at noon for a special Campus Conversation focused on our financial present and future; mitigating steps taken to date; and future actions currently under consideration.

Chancellor Carol Christ, Executive Vice Chancellor and Provost Paul Alivisatos, and Vice Chancellor and Chief Financial Officer Rosemarie Rae will provide updates, forecasts, and answers to your questions. You’re invited to submit a question beforehand or pose questions during the event via Facebook Live.

UPDATE: A recording and recap of the newly admitted students event is now available.

The third in a series of live-streamed conversations with campus leaders will take place today from 5-6 p.m. The topic is the student experience for newly admitted undergraduate students (freshmen and transfer). Visit the Campus Conversations website at event time to view the live broadcast.

The UC Berkeley Library is preparing to expand its on-campus services as the fall semester nears. Plans on the horizon include launching a contactless pickup service and providing access to enhanced research consultations for special collections materials at The Bancroft Library. Both are scheduled for late summer.

In light of the decision to start the fall semester fully remote, Moffitt Library will not open at the beginning of the fall semester as originally planned. When it does open, it will provide students with a low-density on-campus study space and will have limited hours, with strict social distancing protocols in place and no snacks and drinks allowed.

While UC Berkeley’s library buildings are closed, Library users can still access a wealth of resources, including e-books, videos, databases, 24/7 help from librarians, and LinkedIn Learning courses. Learn more about the Library’s services and resources during COVID-19.

This week, the Chancellor’s Cabinet issued updates for those that plan events and gatherings on campus in regard to the pandemic and recovery.

• All department-sponsored in-person events and all non-departmental events on the main campus are now canceled through Dec. 31, 2020.
• It is highly recommended that event sponsors consider converting events to remote delivery wherever feasible.
• You may continue to plan for in person events, but should do so with the likelihood that you may have to cancel them.

For more information about exceptions and background on this update, see the events page on the campus coronavirus website.

UPDATE: A recording and recap of the instruction event is now available.

The second in a series of live-streamed conversations with campus leaders will take place today from noon to 1 p.m. The topic is instruction. Visit the Campus Conversations website at noon to view the live broadcast.

UC Berkeley has announced updated plans for the fall semester, which will begin with fully remote instruction. Preparations continue to implement hybrid and/or flexible modes of instruction as soon as public health conditions allow. Switching to remote instruction is a temporary measure.

• Message to students.
• Message to faculty and staff.

UPDATE: A recording and recap of the student housing event is now available.

The first in a series of live-streamed conversations with campus leaders begins today. The topic is student housing and will take place from noon to 1 p.m.

Visit the Campus Conversations website at noon to view the live broadcast.

ICYMI: A message sent to the campus community on Friday clarified the reporting of COVID-19 cases on campus. In most cases, individuals will not be notified of a case in their unit unless they were determined to be in close contact with the individual who tested positive.

With the increase in COVID-19 testing at University Health Services, we have moved from providing information about confirmed cases in narrative summaries to a dashboards format. This will provide information on new cases as well as trends, at a glance. Perhaps the best feature is that information on new cases is reflected in real time.

If disturbing trends or developments occur, the campus will, in addition, share that information with the campus community via posts on this web site or other campus communications.

The dashboard shows the number of positive cases for tests performed at UHS, and does not include saliva tests performed through the Innovative Genomics Institute’s FAST Study in the campus kiosks.

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security has rescinded its directive that would have forced international students to leave the country if their schools held all classes online due to COVID-19. For more information, see the:

• International Office email to students.
• University of California statement.

The latest episode of the Berkeley at Home Variety Show is now available. It features a professor singing about social distancing, tips for working from home with kids and a “banger version” of Pomp and Circumstance.

UC Berkeley has seen a notable increase in students testing positive for COVID-19. Members of the campus community are reminded to:

• Not attend large gatherings or parties.
• Keep a safe physical distance.
• Wear face coverings.
• Be attuned to your own health.

Read the campus message about the increase in students testing positive for more information.

The Department of Homeland Security has issued new guidance to universities related to international students and fall instruction requirements. Read UC Berkeley’s response to the new requirements. The campus is expected to announce more details soon.

In a series of Campus Conversations, leaders from across UC Berkeley answered questions and discussed plans for the fall semester. Read recaps and watch recordings of each event:

• Overview with the chancellor and provost.
• Instruction.
• Research and operations.
• Student engagement and services.

• Randy H. Katz, Vice Chancellor for Research
• Marc Fisher, Vice Chancellor, Administration
• Maximilian Auffhammer, Professor of International Sustainable Development and Associate Dean in the Division of Social Sciences
• Susan Marqusee, Professor of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology

• Undergraduate students
• Graduate students.
• Faculty, staff, graduate student instructors, and graduate student researchers.

The city of Berkeley’s health officer has expanded face covering requirements starting June 8, 2020. Everyone must carry a cloth face covering when they leave home, have it visible at all times, and put it on when others are nearby.

Face coverings are required for everyone over 12 years old when:

• Shopping at a store.
• Waiting in line to enter a store.
• Using or waiting for public transportation.
• In a taxi or when ride-sharing.
• Seeking health care.
• Inside a workplace.
• Walking outside and within 30 feet of others (about the length of a bus).

For more information, see the city of Berkeley’s face coverings page.

The University of California Education Abroad Program has suspended fall 2020 and 2020-21 year-long study abroad programs.

The city of Berkeley’s indefinite extension of the shelter-in-place order means faculty and staff should continue working remotely until directed otherwise by their supervisor.

Approved essential employees will be issued two cloth face coverings. Additional distribution dates have been added. See the email sent to all approved essential employees for more details.

In an update to graduating seniors, Chancellor Christ announced there will be no summer commencement.

The University of California plans to implement a one-year pay freeze for non-represented staff and faculty.

A document from Environmental Health and Safety on considerations for working safely on campus during the COVID-19 pandemic has been added to the “campus operations” section.

Chancellor Carol Christ answered questions related to UC Berkeley’s response to coronavirus in a virtual Campus Conversation held Monday afternoon. You can view a recording of the live event on the Campus Conversations web site.

In an update on UC Berkeley’s plans for the fall semester, it was announced that nine committees have been formed to continue ongoing planning for the fall semester. A “recovery planning” section has been added and will be updated as this work progresses.

The “telecommuting and paid leave” section has been updated with new information and required actions for employees working outside of California due to COVID-19.

International travel information.

The events page has been updated with a link to guidance for university employees who are responsible for organizing departmental events, gatherings and programs after May 31. As a reminder, all department or administrative events and all events held on university property are canceled through May 31, 2020.

How to support UC Berkeley students (and staff) on Giving Tuesday.

A new section on family and domestic violence has been added.

 Face coverings are now required on campus.

See the lineup for this week’s Berkeley Conversations.

Chancellor Carol Christ and Provost Paul Alivisatos provided an update on UC Berkeley’s budget situation.

A new explainer on masks is now available and has been added to the “Health” section.

You’re encouraged to cover your nose and mouth with cloth when leaving home. Read the message from Marc Fisher for more information.

A staff member has tested positive for COVID-19, bringing the total number of known cases within the UC Berkeley community to 9. The staff member was not on campus during the exposure risk period and is in good condition while isolating at home.

UC Berkeley has made the decision to continue remote delivery of instruction in place of face-to-face classes through Summer Sessions 2020.

• Free and low-cost options for accessing the internet off campus.
• Resources for preventing and responding to sexual and domestic violence

You can now access digital versions of much of the library’s physical volumes via a digital library.

The city of Berkeley is recommending that everyone “everyone cover their noses and mouths with cloth when leaving home for essential visits to doctor’s offices, supermarkets or pharmacies.” Read their press release for more information.

• New live online COVID-19 series connects experts with the public.
• There will be no COVID-related layoffs through June.
• In light of the shelter-in-place order being extended through May 3, additional precautions and information about working from home.
• FAQs on the spring semester grading policy.
• Additional guidance on the hiring freeze.
• Employees who are working remotely from outside of California are asked to complete a new form. The form has also been added to the “working remotely” page.

• An update on the financial impacts of COVID-19, including a campus hiring freeze, was sent to faculty and staff.
• A new section has been added to this page for those who wish to donate PPE or medical supplies.
• The University of California has taken a number of steps to temporarily adjust admissions requirements to ensure that newly admitted students and prospective students are not harmed by educational disruptions from COVID-19.

• UC Berkeley has learned that another student returning from study abroad has tested positive for COVID-19, bringing the total count of known cases to 8.
• Event cancelations have been extended through at least May 3.

For undergraduates concerned about how P/NP grades may affect their applications to graduate and professional schools, the Council of Deans have released this statement:

Recognizing the challenges to teaching and learning during the COVID-19 pandemic, the Provost and Deans of the University of California, Berkeley adopted the following principle:

UC Berkeley evaluates applicants for admission to its graduate and professional schools holistically, meaning that we consider an applicant’s combination of personal accomplishments, letters of recommendation, personal statements, academic record, and test scores in making our admissions decisions. Such a review will take into account the significant disruptions of COVID-19 when reviewing students’ transcripts and other admissions materials from Spring 2020. We understand that many institutions across the country instituted P/NP grading policies during that semester. Thus, we will not penalize students for the adoption of P/NP and other grading options during this unprecedented period, whether the choices were made by institutions or by individual students. Our admissions evaluation will focus primarily on a student’s academic performance prior to this period, and if applicable, following this period. What is most important is that applicants demonstrate that they pursued a challenging curriculum that was relevant to their plan for graduate or professional school.

An additional two UC Berkeley students who recently returned from study abroad in Spain have tested positive for COVID-19.

Two more UC Berkeley students who recently returned from study abroad in Spain have tested positive for COVID-19, campus officials recently learned.

They are both undergraduate students.

One student had studied with the University of California Education Abroad Program in Barcelona, and another student with the UCEAP program in Madrid. Officials with UCEAP have sent letters to program participants and advised them to contact their health provider if they develop symptoms.

University Health Services officials cared for one of the two students and UHS  information indicates the student, who lives in the city of Berkeley and is self-isolating in good condition, spent no time on campus while symptomatic and there is unlikely to be any risk to the campus community. The City of Berkeley Public Health Department has been investigating and will reach out to anyone who may have been exposed.

Regarding the second new case, the student is self-isolating outside of Alameda County. Information provided to UCEAP indicates the student was not on the Berkeley campus after returning from Spain. We have few additional details about this case.

To date, we are aware of a total of five confirmed cases where it was reported to us that Berkeley students tested positive for COVID-19. The majority of these cases have been linked to travel from countries with sustained community transmission.

Please keep in mind that our counts are not comprehensive. When confirmed cases involving members of the UC Berkeley community occur outside of UHS or the local area, there may be no confirmation or delayed confirmation of the cases from public health officials to UHS officials. Further, we know that there are likely many more positive cases within our communities that are not yet counted as confirmed positive because the individuals have not been tested.

It is very likely that there are many more positive cases already in our campus community. According to public health officials, once testing becomes more widely available locally and in the region we can expect to see a much higher number of positive cases here and elsewhere. The coronavirus, and community spread, is very much in our Bay Area communities.

Officials at UHS are committed to providing ongoing services in primary care, social services and counseling and psychology to the extent they can during this pandemic.  They are developing a number of online and virtual services. Please check the University Health Services website if you are a student needing medical or mental health care.

Grading policies have been changed for the spring semester.

UC Berkeley has clarified campus directives in light of the shelter-in-place mandate.

• All in-person instruction is canceled for the remainder of the semester.
• The research community is directed to immediately transition to work remotely whenever possible.
• Staff who are not explicitly instructed to work at the campus in person should not come to work.
• All libraries, Martin Luther King, Jr. Student Union, Eshleman Hall, Cesar Chavez Hall, and the Recreational Sports Facility will be closed.
• All public events planned to take place on the campus through April 7, 2020, should be cancelled or rescheduled.

A member of the UC Berkeley campus community has contracted COVID-19. The individual is a graduate student who does not live on campus or in the city of Berkeley and has self-isolated in their city of residence. The individual is in good condition and has no serious symptoms. Read the message to campus to learn more.

• Campus spaces and venues will not be available for any event with 100 or more expected attendees.
• Intercollegiate Athletics events on campus will be held without spectators.
• Cal Performances events through March 29 will be canceled.
• Cal Day, which was scheduled for April 18, has been canceled.
• A decision has not been made about graduation/commencement events.

1:20 p.m.: Chancellor Carol Christ has announced that beginning Tuesday, March 10, several campus actions will go into place to mitigate the potential transmission of coronavirus in the Bay Area community.

These changes are effective starting Tuesday, March 10 and will remain in place through spring break, which ends March 29. A decision on what will happen on March 30 and beyond will occur at a later date, based on the latest coronavirus information at that time.

Read the full message from Chancellor Carol Christ.