Announcement on Campus Reopening & Status for Spring 2022 Quarter

Dear Pacifica Community,

Before addressing the latest developments in the status of our reopening, we must first acknowledge the developing situation with the invasion of Ukraine.  The Institute is formulating a more substantive response to be posted for the community shortly, but we must express our sadness for the Ukrainian people and stand with much of the world in denouncing this unjust and illegal war.  Our hearts go out to those lives affected, including those within our community who have family and friends in that region.

In regards to reopening, when it was announced in January that campuses would remain closed for the duration of the winter quarter, we stated the intention to make a determination about the status of spring quarter by the end of February or early March. To make a secure decision, we needed to assess the status of the pandemic, especially the Omicron surge, which only recently crested in Santa Barbara, before committing to reopening the campus and the type of course delivery.   During this time, we have continued our practice of careful analysis of all health/safety matters and collaborating with faculty and staff leaders regarding the needs and considerations related to reopening.  We are now ready to proceed with reopening campuses on April 1.

Spring quarter sessions will be conducted in the concurrent classroom method that we had originally planned for the winter quarter.  As a reminder, the concurrent delivery allows students to join live classes in-person or remotely.  The complete details about the policies that will govern how students are able to attend and the on-campus health/safety protocols, will be sent early next week.  Our intention today is to notify you of the decision to reopen and prepare for the timely, clarifying information that is forthcoming in the days ahead.  At this time, we have permission from WASC for a concurrent model for spring quarter only. We will let students know about plans for the summer quarter at a later date.

IMPORTANT NOTE TO STUDENTS IN COURSEWORK: The Guest Services Office will be sending out Guest Services Registration forms early next week, in conjunction with the spring policies and protocols on vaccination, masking, and the concurrent classroom. This form is where all students who are currently registered or plan to register in coursework for spring 2022 must state their chosen mode of attendance: either in person or remotely. The selected mode of attendance that students note on the form is the method by which they will be expected to attend for all sessions of the 2022 spring quarter. In order to adequately plan for classes, housing accommodations, and meals, your immediate attention and response to this form is essential – please assist us by giving this your highest priority once sent.  ALL FORMS ARE DUE BY MARCH 10.

We appreciate your attentiveness to the forthcoming communications.  Work to successfully re-orient all of us to campus life and prepare for the concurrent classroom has been underway for some time and will be a primary focus for us in the coming weeks.

We look forward to realizing the opportunities ahead in reopening this spring and engaging in this new and dynamic classroom format; however, the commitment and demands required of all of us to continue our important work together, regardless of our role at Pacifica, remain essential. Our personal and institutional challenges and transitions are embedded in the context of a world still managing an ever-present virus and increasing instability and uncertainty across the globe.

Please look for additional communication next week regarding our spring reopening and other community developments and statements.

Sincerely,

Joseph Cambray, Ph.D.
President/CEO

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