This page will be updated regularly throughout the fall 2021 semester.  Please check back for news.  If you have questions, call 925-680-1771 (the UF Office) or call Jeff Michels on his cell phone: 925-330-2125.

On August 4, 4CD issued Employee Guidance on Student Face Coverings. Student Face Coverings – Requirements Employee Guidance.

4CD also published several pages of Frequently Asked Questions: Masking Enforcement Q&A.

This followed an order from Costra Costa County Health Services on August 2, mandating that everyone without our county, with some exceptions noted in the order, wear masks while indoors until further notice.  Here is the full text of the County order: County Mask Order.

4CD has collected a number of policies, advisories and announcements on their website here: https://www.4cd.edu/covid19/index.html.

Here is the CDC’s Guide to Mask Wearing: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/prevent-getting-sick/about-face-coverings.html.

 

Here is a recent communication to all employees from Chancellor Bryan Reece:

8/18/2021

4CD Family,

As we prepare for the start of the fall semester, we know the effects of the pandemic and the growing concerns and fatigue over the COVID-19 variants means continued uncertainty for us and our students. I wish the pandemic was over, but it clearly lingering with as. With that said, our focus remains in providing high quality online and on-campus instruction and services to our students that follow professional public health recommendations.

Chancellor’s Cabinet meets weekly to monitor the latest pandemic information to ensure we can make appropriate changes to our operational plan. Thanks to the input received from our constituent groups, we were able to reach the recent decision to require masks indoors regardless of vaccination status prior to the county making the indoor mask requirement a health order. As more people are being becoming infected countywide, we must continue evaluating options such as requiring vaccinations for all employees and students. Although it is currently not required by Contra Costa County health officials, it is practiced by all UCs, CSUS, K-12 districts and numerous community college districts throughout the state. We hope to have a mask/testing recommendation to the Governing Board for their consideration at the September meeting.

Throughout this time, we have been committed to following county and state public health recommendations to ensure the health and safety of everyone. You can read our entire plan at www.4cd.edu/covid19/docs/4CD-COVID-19-Guide-for-Employees-and-Students-2021-08-04.pdf and the 4CD Covid website can be found at www.4cd.edu/covid19/. The essential protocols we are following right now include the following:

• 4CD strongly encourages all who are eligible to get fully vaccinated (we are presently discussing a vaccine mandate);
• 4CD requires the proper wearing of masks indoors when around other people;
• 4CD encourages wearing masks outdoors when in large groups or when you don’t know if everyone is fully vaccinated;
• 4CD stresses the importance of hand hygiene (hand washing and hand sanitizer); and
• 4CD asks all to practice self-screening by staying home when sick.

We are continuing to meet with both unions in the development of specific implementation details. Extended Cabinet (Cabinet, VPs, and constituent leaders) met recently and agreed that we should pursue a vaccine requirement for employees and students. We are working details out for a policy and hope to have agreement on a proposal for the September Governing Board meeting.

I am mindful and have heard many comments how stressful the pandemic has been and continues to be for many. We will continue to support and develop protocols that seek to ensure the safety of you, your family and loved ones, while balancing the needs of our students. We will get through this pandemic if we stick together, if we keep our students in mind in the decisions and work we do, and we respect and take advantage of the unique and wonderful contributions each of us has to offer.

Stay safe and healthy.

Dr. Reece

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