✕
View All

March 21, 2020

COVID-19 Student Bulletin: Safely Resuming Spring 2020 and Protecting Your Own Health

Dear Students,

There are over 10 million people in Los Angeles County. In order to further limit the community spread of COVID-19 in this large population and prevent overwhelming critical medical services, effective March 20 and through April 19, all residents of L.A. County have been ordered to stay safe at home and are prohibited from gathering more than 10 people at a time in public places (within the city of Los Angeles, no gatherings of any size are permitted outside of homes). All indoor malls, shopping centers, playgrounds and nonessential retail businesses are now closed.

“Safer At Home” Mandate

To clarify these new mandates…

You are permitted to:

  • Go to the grocery store;
  • Go to the pharmacy to pick up medications and other healthcare necessities;
  • Go to medical appointments (check with your doctor or provider first);
  • Take a walk, ride your bike and be in nature for exercise — just keep at least six feet between you and others in the community;
  • Walk your pets and take them to the veterinarian if necessary;
  • Help someone to get necessary supplies.

You are not allowed to:

  • Go to work unless providing essential services as defined by the order;
  • Visit friends and family if there is no urgent need;
  • Maintain less than six feet of distance from others when you go out;
  • Travel to or from a job outside the city, unless to perform essential activities;
  • Travel to or from a vacation home outside the city;
  • Visit loved ones in a hospital, nursing home, skilled nursing facility or other residential care facility.

These are considered essential services:

  • City/county government services
  • Healthcare providers
  • Food and grocery service
  • Hardware stores and nurseries
  • Plumbers, electricians, exterminators, custodial/janitorial workers, handyman services, funeral home workers and morticians, moving services, HVAC installers, carpenters, landscapers, gardeners, property managers, private security personnel and others who provide services to maintain the safety, sanitation and essential operation of properties and other essential activities
  • Banks
  • Organizations and businesses that provide food, shelter, social services and other necessities of life for economically disadvantaged or otherwise needy individuals (including gang prevention and intervention and domestic violence agencies)
  • Laundromats/laundry service
  • Newspapers, magazines, television, radio, podcasts and other media services
  • Educational institutions, including public and private K-12 schools, colleges, and universities — for purposes of facilitating distance learning or performing essential functions provided that social distancing of six feet per person is maintained to the greatest extent possible

Personal Health and Self-Care

Because ArtCenter is providing what has been identified as an essential service and is committed to completing your Spring 2020 semester using distance learning technologies, we also want to stress some very important information regarding the precautionary, self-care best practices being promoted by public health officials and government authorities in the continuing effort to address this global pandemic, especially as we all prepare to resume classes through remote technology on March 23.

As you now know, “social distancing” is a critical public health strategy that requires every individual to minimize contact with others. Social distancing helps reduce the possibility of infection by a virus like COVID-19 when it is spreading through a community, but it is only effective when every individual practices social distancing for the benefit of all others in the community. Note that as of March 20, the existing scientific data has shown that 40% of the hospitalizations related to COVID-19 have been for people aged 20-50. The College is practicing social distancing by restricting all access to the campus, and enabling offices and staff to work remotely, just as you and your faculty will be doing, starting March 23.

Travel Restrictions (all students) and International Student Concerns

If you have traveled anywhere (domestically or internationally) recently for urgent personal or business reasons, you must impose a minimum 14-day quarantine on yourself and monitor your own health. If this impacts your ability to continue your classes after March 23 when ArtCenter will utilize a number of remote teaching methodologies to complete the semester, you must communicate directly with your affected instructor(s) and/or your academic department chair and staff (director/coordinator).

Please be aware that this restriction is an ArtCenter directive that is completely aligned with public health advisories, and ArtCenter is fully complying with national, regional, and local directives. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the U.S. Department of State have applied heightened levels of travel warning and advisories, meaning that there is ongoing community transmission in the U.S., and all travelers (even those who do not leave the country or re-enter from another country) must apply these additional precautions. The specific recommendations from the CDC include:

  • All travelers (domestic or international) should monitor their health and practice social distancing for 14 days after returning from travel.
  • Travelers (domestic or international) should avoid contact with sick people and wash their hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. If soap and water are not readily available, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer that contains at least 60% alcohol.
  • Travelers (domestic or international) who are sick with fever, cough, or have trouble breathing should stay home and call ahead before seeking medical care.
  • Older adults and people of any age with serious chronic medical conditions should consider postponing nonessential travel.

For more medical guidance, see:

https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/travelers/travel-in-the-us.html
https://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel/notices/alert/coronavirus-global

If you have traveled outside of the United States, be aware that your return and re-entry will certainly be impacted by factors that are known and some that we cannot predict or control:

  • Availability (and costs) of commercial air travel are subject to change;
  • The operations of U.S. consulates to process visa applications (and the costs and time required to process such applications are subject to changes and can vary country-to-country) are subject to change. Restrictions on non-U.S. nationals have already been implemented. (Future decisions may also apply to all travelers, regardless of nationality.) As of March 20, all U.S. consulates and embassies worldwide have temporarily suspended all visa processes for persons who are not U.S. citizens, but remain open to U.S. citizens. Please refer to the state.gov website in general, and specifically to: https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/News/visas-news/suspension-of-routine-visa-services.html

If you do leave the U.S. and return, you should research (in advance of scheduling and purchasing return travel): any travel advisories or restrictions that apply to you, and be aware that you may be subject to health protocols such as enhanced screenings at airports, and mandatory quarantines, which can prevent you from starting work or school for approximately 14 days after your entry into this (or any other) country. Therefore, choosing to leave the U.S. may have serious consequences on your academic progress and your visa status, for reasons that ArtCenter cannot predict or control. Ultimately, your decision(s) to travel in and out of any country is a choice that you must make on your own (or in consultation with, and in agreement with your loved ones/dependents). Unless required to by a government or public health authority, ArtCenter will not make this decision for you.

If you are an international student and you have already left the U.S., please email international@artcenter.edu to explain your travel itinerary, and any expected or planned date of return so that we can properly update your international student visa records as we are required to do with the U.S. federal government. Failure to inform us so that we can update those records may affect any future re-entry to the U.S. or any future visa applications (of any sort). Note: all international students enrolled in Spring 2020 courses will maintain visa status by completing the semester as instructed by your faculty and chair (using remote technology).

Please refer the following website as your resources when you or/and your family make any decisions on international travels (and you can also find additional information in the “Student Bulletin: Reference Resources” that was emailed to you on March 17):

CDC Travel Health Notices
CDC After Travel Precautions
U.S. Department of State Travel Information

You should also take careful note of any travel or health advisories that your home country is communicating directly to you and/or your loved ones. Please understand that the decision to stay in the U.S. or in any other country, or the decision to leave one location for a home country is a deeply personal one that considers finances, family, health needs, etc. ArtCenter will not tell you what decision you should make; instead, we will give you the most accurate information available at any time, but the decision will be yours.

Addressing Insecurities

If, after classes resume on March 23, you experience severe housing insecurity, severe food insecurity, and/or technological insecurity, please contact the Economic Response Team (ERT), at this confidential email ert@artcenter.edu. There is an Emergency Fund available for these unique circumstances. Your needs will be addressed on a case by case basis.

Stay Informed

All campus updates related to COVID-19 can be found on a publicly accessible website here: http://www.artcenter.edu/about/get-to-know-artcenter/newsroom/covid-19.html

Please be sure you share this resource with your loved ones, and your emergency contacts.

Also, continue to carefully read all campus communications sent to you by email, including these Student Bulletins for additional information about taking care of yourself, accessing your student health insurance benefits, etc.

Because all physical access to the campus will remain restricted for all students and employees, the CSE’s services and programs will continue to be impacted. The CSE will announce to all students whatever operations can safely continue, as soon as those adjusted plans are confirmed. We all look forward to remaining engaged with you, in support of your success.

Thank you,


The Center for the Student Experience\
cse@artcenter.edu