July 15, 2021 TO:           USC Students, Faculty and University Staff FR:            Sarah Van Orman, MD MMM FACHA, Chief Health Officer, USC Student Health,  Keck Medicine of USC; Division Chief for College Health, Keck School of Medicine of USC RE:       Health…

June 29, 2021 We are writing to give you an update on our masking policy. On Wednesday, we will begin teaching some classes in person during our second summer session and are continuing to plan for a full return to…

June 16, 2021 Dear Colleagues, As the state continues to relax pandemic restrictions, many of you have asked if there is a specific date when USC will return to normal operations. While we are ramping up in-person activities throughout the summer and…

Please be advised that COVID-19 testing results (through the Pop Testing program) will be delayed due to pre-scheduled system maintenance on Monday, May 24 and Tuesday, May 25. Test samples submitted on these days will return between Wednesday, May 26 through…

May 6, 2021 TO:      USC Faculty and University Staff FR:       Sarah Van Orman, MD, MMM, Chief Health Officer, USC Student Health                Division Chief of College Health, Keck School of Medicine of USC             Deona Willes, MPH, CLS, Executive…

April 27, 2021 Dear Trojans, I’m proud that our community is leading the way in vaccination efforts in Los Angeles. As of this week, USC has directly administered more than 67,000 COVID-19 vaccination doses to our patients, faculty, staff, and…

April 13, 2021—Following the CDC/FDA announcement of April 13, the USC Student Health vaccinations scheduled at the Lyon Center for April 15 and 16 will now be switched from J&J/Janssen to Pfizer first doses.  Patients are advised to prioritize their…

April 7, 2021 The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health has recently updated its advisory regarding travel, in light of the County’s recent reclassification to the less restrictive Orange Tier in the State of California’s Blueprint for a Safer Economy: Travelers…

As Los Angeles County has moved into the Orange Tier—indicating “moderate” transmission of COVID- 19—and vaccination rates in Los Angeles continue to trend in the direction that take us further into broad re-openings, we are thankful to our community for…

March 24, 2021 We are advising the community about a cluster of several dozen positive cases of COVID-19 in the USC community that can be traced back to recent international travel into California, including multiple cases confirmed to be variants.…

March 23, 2021 Dear Trojan Community,  With the recent decline in COVID-19 cases in the Los Angeles area, the county has officially entered the red tier of California’s reopening framework. This change enables us to accelerate our efforts to return…

Dear Trojan students and families, Commencement is one of the most cherished ceremonies in a student’s academic life. It’s the single time when we come together as a community to celebrate years of hard work by our graduates. Unfortunately, COVID-19…

March 18, 2021 To USC Students, Faculty and Staff: The current COVID-19 case rate continues to trend downward, and with Los Angeles County now in the less restrictive red tier, additional opportunities for in-person activities are now possible, in accordance…

March 11, 2021 Dear Trojan Community, It’s my pleasure to announce the appointment of Dr. Steven Shapiro to the newly created position of Senior Vice President for Health Affairs, effective May 15. In this new role, he will directly oversee Keck Medicine…

March 9, 2021 TO:      USC Faculty and University Staff CC:      USC Students FR:      Sarah Van Orman, Chief Health Officer, USC Student Health,              Division Chief for College Health, Keck School of Medicine of USC Felicia A. Washington, Senior Vice…

March 1, 2021 To: USC Faculty and University Staff As of March 1, LA County has opened eligibility for all employment-based categories in Phase 1B, including education, childcare, emergency services, or food and agriculture sector employees, to receive the COVID-19 vaccine.…

February 22, 2021 TO:      University Employees (Non-Keck Medicine) FR:       Sarah Van Orman, MD, MMM, FACHA, Chief Health Officer, USC Student Health             Division Chief for College Health, Keck School of Medicine of USC RE:      Campus Vaccine Distribution Update As you…

February 19, 2021 Dear Trojan students and families, I am writing to update you on Spring and Fall plans, but first let me take a moment to recognize the hardships that so many of you are experiencing due to frigid…

2/10 — As Los Angeles County authorizes progress into next tiers and phases, USC will continue distribution, guided by criteria for the phases as assessed by USC Environmental Health and Safety, Public Health Policy Advisory Working Group, and the COVID-19…

February 5, 2021 USC Students, Faculty and University Staff: Recently, new case rates for COVID-19 and hospitalizations have continued to trend downward, after hitting a post-holidays peak. As we write this, the availability of ICU (intensive care unit) beds has increased to 13% capacity.…

Charles Zukoski, Provost and Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs, announces that campus vaccination operations under USC Student Health will be opening COVID-19 vaccination appointments to faculty, emeriti, students, and staff ages 65 and older.

All USC on-site employees and students are reminded that beginning January 22 (this Friday) that Trojan Check, the daily symptom check and campus access platform, will allow campus access only if you have completed the appropriate “Health, Hygiene and Safety” online module, influenza compliance, and required COVID-19 testing.

USC Student Health shares updates regarding COVID-19 testing and Trojan Check clearance.

Sarah Van Orman, USC’s Chief Health Officer for USC Student Health, provides updates for students, faculty and non-medical employees regarding COVID-19 testing and campus access.

Sarah Van Orman, USC’s Chief Health Officer for USC Student Health, shares updates regarding COVID-19 vaccine distribution.

Los Angeles County extended the existing “Safer at Home” order and issued a new quarantine requirement for anyone traveling outside of LA County.

Keck Medical Center of USC and USC Verdugo Hills Hospital have received their first shipments of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine.

Sarah Van Orman, USC’s Chief Health Officer for USC Student Health, announces the university’s expanded COVID-19 testing capacity for Spring 2021.

Rod Hanners, Interim Chief Executive Officer of Keck Medicine of USC, will chair a COVID-19 vaccine working group that is principally engaged in developing an evidence-based strategy for the vaccination of USC staff, faculty, students, and patients.

Please be advised that the Los Angeles County Dept. of Public Health has issued a Temporary Safer at Home Order beginning Monday, November 30. Given the current high rate of transmission of COVID-19 in LA County, coinciding with record levels of travel for the Thanksgiving holiday, we are advising all on-site campsus employees to test for COVID-19 prior to returning for on-site work in any on-campus facility.

Sarah Van Orman, USC’s Chief Health Officer for USC Student Health, directs the USC community to follow the California Department of Public Health’s guidelines around the evening curfew, effective starting at 10:00 p.m. on Saturday, November 21.

Sarah Van Orman, USC’s Chief Health Officer for USC Student Health, and David Wright, Senior Vice President, Administration, share updates regarding the upcoming Spring 2021 semester.

Sarah Van Orman, USC’s Chief Health Officer for USC Student Health, advises the USC community to follow Los Angeles County and State of California guidelines regarding health and travel protocols.

Sarah Van Orman, USC’s Chief Health Officer for USC Student Health, and Deona Willes, Director of Environmental Health and Safety, share travel guidelines for the upcoming winter break period.

Sarah Van Orman, USC’s Chief Health Officer for USC Student Health, reminds the USC community to continue to follow health protocols and avoid gatherings in light of the recent increase in the number of COVID-19 cases in both the student and employee populations.

Sarah Van Orman, USC’s Chief Health Officer for USC Student Health, shares health-related updates and reminds the USC community to avoid large gatherings.

View the testing numbers at USC Student Health (excluding other patients of Keck Medicine of USC) for Oct. 11 – 17, 2020.

View the testing numbers at USC Student Health (excluding other patients of Keck Medicine of USC) for Oct. 4 – 10, 2020.

View the testing numbers at USC Student Health (excluding other patients of Keck Medicine of USC) for Sept. 27 – Oct. 3, 2020.

Sarah Van Orman, USC’s Chief Health Officer for USC Student Health, shares updates with the USC community regarding COVID-19 and flu immunization.

View the testing numbers at USC Student Health (excluding other patients of Keck Medicine of USC) for Sept. 20 – 26, 2020.

View the testing numbers at USC Student Health (excluding other patients of Keck Medicine of USC) for Sept. 13 – 19, 2020.

View the testing numbers at USC Student Health (excluding other patients of Keck Medicine of USC) for Sept. 6 – 12, 2020.

View the testing numbers at USC Student Health (excluding other patients of Keck Medicine of USC) for Aug. 30 – Sept. 5, 2020.

Beginning with this weekly period, totals released by USC Student Health will reflect testing numbers through the surveillance population testing program for asymptomatic individuals (Pop Testing provided through the Color company), and the PCR testing for exposed and symptomatic individuals.…

Under the Los Angeles County Health Officer Order, indoor and outdoor parties are prohibited.

Sarah Van Orman, USC’s Chief Health Officer for USC Student Health, provides recommendations for safe activities to engage in during Labor Day weekend.

Interim Senior Vice President of University Relations Samuel Garrison shares university updates with the community and details USC’s current health protocols.

View the testing numbers at USC Student Health (excluding other patients of Keck Medicine of USC) for Aug. 16 – 22, 2020.

View the testing numbers at USC Student Health (excluding other patients of Keck Medicine of USC) for Aug. 9 – 15, 2020.

Sarah Van Orman, USC’s Chief Health Officer for USC Student Health, shares recent COVID-19 case numbers and reminds students to follow health guidelines.

Sarah Van Orman, USC’s Chief Health Officer for USC Student Health, shares important information regarding USC’s COVID-19 contact tracing process.

View the testing numbers at USC Student Health (excluding other patients of Keck Medicine of USC) for Aug. 2 – 8, 2020.

View the testing numbers at USC Student Health (excluding other patients of Keck Medicine of USC) for July 26 – Aug. 1, 2020.

View the testing numbers at USC Student Health (excluding other patients of Keck Medicine of USC) for July 19 – 25, 2020.

View the testing numbers at USC Student Health (excluding other patients of Keck Medicine of USC) for July 12 – 18, 2020.

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.