May 25, 2021

Fall 2021 Update: COVID Vaccine Requirement

Dear Students, Faculty and Staff,

I hope your Summer 2021 term is off to a good start. I am writing to provide an update about ArtCenter operations so that we can all plan for expanded campus access and in-person instruction next semester (Fall 2021). As you know, the College has been managing its response to the COVID-19 pandemic with priority consideration for the safety and wellbeing of all our community members and this will remain our most important guiding principle for returning to in-person campus life.

Beginning this Fall term, the College will implement a new policy requiring all persons who want to access the physical campus in person to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19. We will also continue to require face coverings, physical distancing, hygiene and sanitation measures as an extra layer of protection against COVID-19 and other respiratory illnesses. We will continue to offer a number of remote learning options during the Fall term as well.

This new policy requirement is directly informed by the guidance of public health agencies as we anticipate increased capacity this Fall (above and beyond what is allowed for Summer). Specifically, the College will accept records of Pfizer, Moderna or Johnson & Johnson vaccines as authorized by the U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA) or any vaccine approved by the World Health Organization (WHO) for anyone currently residing outside the U.S.

For those who haven’t yet been vaccinated, free vaccines are in ample supply and widely available for all individuals in the U.S.—including international students, employees and visitors if they haven’t been vaccinated prior to arrival. To view a list of locations offering vaccinations in the Los Angeles area and to schedule an appointment, visit VaccinateLACounty.com or MyTurn.ca.gov.

We are still determining which classes will be offered on campus and which will be offered remotely this Fall, and we are developing the process for students, faculty and staff to confirm their vaccination status with College officials before the start of the Fall term. We will provide additional information about that implementation in the coming weeks.

If you have any questions about the vaccine, please contact Cynthia Quentin, director of Environmental Health, Safety and Risk Management, at ehs@artcenter.edu or refer to the CDC website.

Sincerely,

Lorne Buchman
President
ArtCenter College of Design