Employees and supervisors should review the details about USC’s screening, symptom and exposure reporting process for employees who are working onsite.

As we prepare to begin the fall semester, we wanted to share our COVID-19 testing strategy and other established health protocols for students who plan to return to campus.

The Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP) recently issued fall 2020 guidance for F-1 students.

Please join USC President Carol Folt, Provost Charles Zukoski, VP for Student Affairs Winston Crisp, members of the faculty and university health experts for a special webinar for students and parents focused on plans for the 2020 fall semester.

View the testing numbers at USC Student Health (excluding other patients of Keck Medicine of USC) for July 5 – 11, 2020.

We recently received information about a confirmed case of COVID-19 from an Auxiliary Services employee who worked in the central kitchen area for McKay’s and Rosso’s. The last dates the individual worked shifts were July 13 and 14. Employees with possible exposure were contacted and received instructions for self-monitoring. Patrons, who based on our records, visited Rosso’s on July 13 and 14 are being notified.

In the summer, our on-premise and near-premise campus population is much smaller than during the fall and spring semesters. However, we are seeing some worrisome trends emerge from this smaller population that our community should take into consideration. Over the last two weeks, the COVID-19 test positivity rate increased from 5% to 9% among students.

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security stated that newly admitted F-1 international students who are currently outside the United States should not enter the country on a student visa, unless they are able to enroll in a full in-person academic program. If you have not already begun your journey to the United States, we recommend that you stay home and take your fall coursework online.

USC’s Financial Aid Office shares an update with incoming students regarding financial aid packages and room and board costs.

USC’s Financial Aid Office shares an update with continuing students regarding financial aid packages and room and board costs.

We were very pleased to learn that the U.S. Department of Homeland Security agreed to rescind its July 6 guidance. This would have, among other things, required our international students to take in-person classes in order to maintain their visa status.

Following last week’s government directive requiring international students to take at least one in-person class to maintain their visa status, USC immediately began reaching out to bring together some of the leading research institutions, liberal arts colleges, and public universities in the western United States to block the directive from being enforced. Today, our powerful coalition of 20 schools filed its own lawsuit against the federal government.

In the past few days, a cluster of 15 positive cases of COVID-19 among houses located on 28th Street has been identified and is being evaluated. Patients with confirmed positive tests are in self-isolation at home or are in the process of being privately transported to isolation. We have seen a rapid acceleration in community spread in the last three weeks. The current positivity rate for L.A. County is 11%, which is up from 5% about three weeks ago.

In line with local and federal public health guidance, we have updated the delivery method for many fall courses to include hybrid, in-person and online learning. At your earliest convenience, please access Web Registration and check for changes to any of your fall semester courses.

We are deeply troubled by the updated guidance that U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) released Monday requiring international students to take at least one in-person class to maintain their visa status. Given the broad range of courses being offered, both in person and online, we are optimistic we will be able to support our international students to study in person safely if they wish, but it may take a few days.

The university is requiring all USC students who are living on campus or coming to campus to complete the ‘Health, Hygiene and Safety Training’ module in TrojanLearn (requires flash-compatible browser). In addition, students, employees and visitors are required to complete a daily symptom check prior to entering facilities on our campuses.

View the testing numbers at USC Student Health (excluding other patients of Keck Medicine of USC) for June 28 – July 4, 2020.

USC Housing and Residential Education share the increased health and safety guidelines that all USC Housing residents will be required to follow to ensure a safe and healthy community environment. We are hopeful that this information will allow you to make an informed decision on whether an on-campus living environment or an online experience from your permanent residence is the better choice for you to succeed academically and thrive as an individual during the fall semester.

Charles Zukoski, Provost and Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs, and David Wright, Senior Vice President for Administration, share an update on undergraduate classes for fall 2020, including scheduling, and on-campus housing.

In light of the rising COVID-19 cases in Los Angeles, we remind employees on campus to adhere to safe physical distancing and diligent face covering wearing when around co-workers and others on-campus.

Our decisions for the fall semester require that we remain nimble, especially as COVID-19 cases in Southern California continue to rise. Reducing on-campus density in buildings, outdoors and during activities will be needed to ensure your safety and to comply with L.A. County Department of Health guidelines.

Felicia Washington, Senior Vice President of Human Resources, and Charles Zukoski, Provost and Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs, share an important update with faculty and staff on COVID-19 training and daily wellness checks.

As we prepare for the start of USC’s fall semester, we address various topics that are pertinent to incoming undergraduate international students.

USC student-athletes will begin a phased return to campus for voluntary workouts beginning on June 24.

USC Transportation shares an update regarding fall semester parking permits and campus parking for the remainder of the summer.

As we begin a phased approach toward resuming some on-campus activities, Provost Charles Zukoski shares the progress we have made in a number of areas.

President Carol Folt, Vice President of Student Affairs Winston Crisp, and Provost Charles Zukoski invite USC students to a webinar on Monday, June 22 from 1-2:30 p.m. to discuss Project Restart and the return to campus.

USC Hospitality shares updated hours of operation for the USC Village dining hall and announces a new partnership with Grubhub.

USC has a potential budget gap of $300 to $500 million in FY 2021. The gap arises from lost revenues and increased costs associated with COVID-19. We are preparing for a prolonged economic recovery that could impact our finances for several years. We remain confident that we can close this gap for FY 2021, and over the next year, develop plans to emerge stronger from the pandemic.

President Folt shares some of the key Project Restart decisions that the university has made so far. While we still have many details to work out, we are planning for an in-person fall semester for students beginning on Aug. 17, 2020. This is a week earlier than originally scheduled.

From May 20 through May 27, students should review their final spring 2020 semester grades in OASIS and then carefully consider the grade option they wish to elect for each course in Web Registration.

President Carol Folt thanks faculty and staff for protecting our university, our students and our patients during this challenging time.

Zoom recently released Zoom 5.0, which includes stronger data encryption, centralized security controls and other meeting safeguards. Beginning on May 30, all Zoom software must be upgraded to Zoom 5.0 in order to join meetings.

We will salute our class of 2020 on Friday, May 15 with a 12-hour virtual celebration filled with videos, photos, social streams, inspiring personal messages, performances and special celebrations from our individual schools. We hope you will join in the festivities and drop in and out during the day, or even get comfortable and stay with us for the duration.

USC Housing extended the spring semester move-out period through June 12. Students who would like to return to campus and retrieve their belongings must make an appointment in the USC Housing application portal.

We established Project Restart, which is comprised of working groups involving over 100 faculty, staff, and students. These teams are charged with envisioning how we can return each specific element of university life to on-campus operations. The teams are planning in great detail, considering contingencies, and preparing us to be both nimble and thorough in our approach.

ITS shares its recommendations with faculty for how to best administer or proctor spring 2020 final exams.

USC Student Health is conducting a study to estimate the percentage of USC students who have developed antibodies (a marker of exposure) to the virus that causes COVID-19. This study may help us learn more about infection rates of COVID-19 on the USC campus and among USC students and help the university prepare for the physical re-opening of the University Park Campus.

USC Provost Charles Zukoski shares several decisions in key areas concerning the upcoming summer sessions and planning for fall 2020.

USC President Carol Folt shares important details with the Class of 2020 regarding the virtual conferring of degrees on May 15.

Winston Crisp, USC’s Vice President for Student Affairs, shares health, well-being, housing, career and financial resources with students.

Beginning on Monday, April 27, we plan to offer students the opportunity to return to campus to pack and move out their belongings. USC Housing shares additional details about the schedule, check-out process, social distancing requirements, campus vehicle access and parking.

USC Village dining hall will reopen for the remainder of the spring semester on Saturday, April 18, 2020. Everybody’s Kitchen (EVK) will close following dinner service on Friday, April 17, 2020.

USC Student Health shares updates regarding summer operations, mental health resources and important information for graduating students.

USC Provost Charles Zukoski shares numerous updates for graduate and professional students, including information about grading policy and withdrawals, qualifying exams, thesis and dissertation submissions and emergency grants.

Even as the challenges continue, the spirit, creativity, and generosity of Trojans everywhere are a force for good. President Folt shares several stories that lift our spirits and remind us that our empathy, creative thinking, humor, and progress in science and medicine will get us through this crisis stronger and more united than ever.

We recently received information about a confirmed case of COVID-19 from an EVK employee who worked in the Community Kitchen. The last date the individual worked a shift was April 7.

Cybercriminals are working overtime to capitalize on this pandemic and resulting distractions. Now, more than ever, it is important for you to take simple steps to implement secure behaviors into your day-to-day online activities.

It is increasingly important for you to practice daily behaviors to protect the privacy and security of your and your students’ information.

USC Housing shares an update regarding room and meal plan pro-rated refunds and the retrieval of belongings from university housing.

By following cybersecurity best practices, you can better protect yourselves and those you care about against cyberattacks.

Based on direction of the Mayor of Los Angeles, the use of face masks and/or cloth face coverings is now required in public settings on the USC campuses, effective April 10, 2020.

Effective Friday, April 10, 2020 and until further notice, numerous protections must be adhered to by all on-campus USC faculty, staff, and students.

View important updates for employees regarding paid administrative leave, use of face coverings, child care, dependent care, parking and transportation, flexible spending accounts, employee assistance programs and more.

The university issued face covering recommendations for USC employees working on-campus and USC students residing on-campus.

Social distancing must not mean emotional distancing. As members of a global Trojan family, we are deeply connected to one another across space and time. Take advantage of the many resources we have for ensuring our emotional and spiritual health.

View numerous university updates regarding hiring, compensation, travel, capital projects and summer programs.

USC Housing will conduct health and safety checks from April 6-10. All spaces will be entered by USC Housing staff looking for open food items and other perishables. Inspections will include all refrigerator and freezer units.

Keeping our USC community healthy and safe remain the highest priorities of the Department of Public Safety during this COVID-19 pandemic. DPS staff are continuing to patrol and provide high visibility on and off-campus. Read several safety tips.

For students, faculty and staff who test positive for COVID-19, notifications will be made for locations and individuals who may have had a close contact exposure. Although we will continue contact notification at this time, a sudden rapid surge in positive tests in Los Angeles may render that protocol obsolete.

Undergraduate students will have the freedom to opt for a letter grade, a Pass or a No Record up to a week after official class grades are posted. The deadline is May 27 to select these options.

Watch a video from President Carol Folt to discover how you can help USC students, health care workers, community members and employees who are most affected by COVID-19.

USC ITS is committed to providing students with the tools, services and online resources to learn effectively. Keep several tips in mind to help with your online learning experience.

USC ITS is committed to providing faculty with the tools and services to teach effectively. View numerous resources for online teaching.

Maintaining a healthy work environment, especially for our faculty and staff who must work on our campuses, is critical to limiting the risk of exposure to COVID-19. The only employees who should be working on-site at this time are those who have express clearance from their managers to be on-site to perform critical functions.

Sarah Van Orman, USC’s Chief Health Officer for USC Student Health, shares important guidance about workplace health and safety.

USC’s Department of Environmental Health & Safety and the Office of Research invite faculty to donate personal protective equipment to support continued health care delivery at our Keck Hospital and other local healthcare organizations, first responder groups, and more.

Rosso Oro’s is serving lunch and dinner seven days a week for $7 per meal. Guests have a choice of walk-up or drive-thru service.

In order to effectively help us protect the community, we need all residents to follow several distancing guidelines. Failure to do so endangers those around you and will not be tolerated.

Sarah Van Orman, USC’s Chief Health Officer for USC Student Health, shares guidance for students returning from international travel and the latest updates regarding availability and criteria for COVID-19 testing.

USC ITS instituted several Zoom security changes to ensure a safe, protected and inclusive online learning environment.

USC ITS instituted security changes in Zoom to ensure a safe, protected and inclusive online environment for our entire university community.

Read the latest updates from President Carol Folt and Provost Charles Zukoski about commencement, university housing, paid administrative leave for employees, pay for student workers, and more.

All lectures must be recorded to support asynchronous education and ensure all students are able to receive a USC quality education, regardless of personal circumstances.

With the increase in testing across the country, we can expect many positive test results or presumptive positive cases. Read more about the process currently in place for notification of close contacts of known cases.

USC has taken several significant actions to help reduce the spread of COVID-19, similar to steps the city of Los Angeles and other local municipalities have announced.

Our primary concern remains your safety and health, and the safety and health of our employees and communities. In order to effectively help us protect the community, we need you to complete a brief survey — regardless of whether or not you plan to remain in university housing.

Deadlines were extended for students to choose Pass/No Pass course grading, and for students to withdraw from classes.

President Carol Folt and Provost Charles Zukoski share the latest updates regarding child care for employees, scholarships and financial aid, course grading options, guidance for employees working from home, and more.

On March 20, we will begin rolling out a process for screening all staff and faculty who are entering our facilities, focusing on our clinical sites initially.

Parties, concerts, athletic events will all come back into our lives when the moment of pandemic infection passes; but for now, we are all taking a pause from these activities so we can protect the most high risk among us—our elderly relatives and neighbors, friends with immune suppression and underlying medical conditions—from preventable serious illness.

In anticipation of the need for stricter personal distancing, we ask that you prepare to dramatically reduce the number of people in your labs and core facilities.

President Carol Folt and Provost Charles Zukoski share the latest updates regarding classes, university housing, commencement, campus access, guidance for employees, and more.

Under the Clery Act, which requires the University to share certain information with the community, we wanted to share an update regarding two positive COVID-19 test results.

We received notification that a USC undergraduate student—who recently returned from international travel and arrived directly in Orange County—has tested positive for the COVID-19 virus. We are currently proactively contacting any individuals who may have had an exposure.

As COVID-19 changes campus life this semester, President Folt shares her thanks with a video update to the USC community.

We are still planning to resume in-person classes on Tuesday, April 14. With online instruction in place, we are also moving forward with work from home options for staff from March 16 through Monday, April 13. View additional updates regarding athletics, travel and events.

As we head into Spring Recess and an extended period of remote teaching, cancellations and delays of events, and uncertainty about the next few weeks and months, President Carol Folt expresses her gratitude for everyone in the Trojan family.

Felicia Washington, USC’s SVP of Human Resources, shares information about social distancing guidelines, including work from home options.

USC is now extending our period of remote instruction until Tuesday, April 14. Students who are leaving campus for Spring Recess may not return until at least Monday, April 13.

View updates related to the visitor policy, international and domestic business travel, upcoming events, cleaning efforts, screening and testing procedures, and more.

Online classes will continue after Spring Recess from March 22 through March 29. View additional updates regarding university-sponsored events, intercollegiate athletic events and university-related travel.

In our ongoing efforts to ensure the well-being of our employees in light of the recent outbreak of COVID-19, Keck Medicine of USC and the Keck School of Medicine of USC are implementing a temporary ban on business travel for all international and domestic trips effective immediately.

All students, faculty and staff are strongly advised against all international travel – including popular spring break destinations such as Cabo San Lucas and Cancun in Mexico.

We will test our online lectures and seminars starting Wednesday, March 11 through Friday, March 13. The online modality will replace in-person classes for those three days.

In light of the recent outbreak of COVID-19, Keck Medical Center of USC is taking steps to ensure the well-being of our staff by providing up-to-date preparedness measures.

Here’s what you need to know about COVID-19.

We have your student’s health and well-being at the top of our minds. Their safety is our absolute highest priority.

In the interest of protecting the safety of our students, faculty and staff, the university is closely monitoring the evolving situation. View updates regarding student travel programs, environmental safety measures, health care resources, and more.

The safety and well-being of our faculty, staff, students, and patients are extremely important to us. While there are no cases of COVID-19 at USC, we want to ensure you are updated on our planning and preparation.