Message from CAS Dean's Office

Dear CAS Community,

This week marks the beginning of the Spring 2022 semester, and as you know, we have begun online in recognition of the challenges of meeting the testing conditions for return to campus and traveling back to Redlands.

I write today to share information about next week.  We have been planning to return to in-person instruction on Tuesday, January 18, and that remains our hope.  However, we need to continue to make informed decisions about modalities in the interest of preserving the health and well-being of our community. 

Students should plan to return to campus by Tuesday, January 18, for the resumption of in-person classes.  As students share either their pre- or post-arrival COVID test results this week, we will be able to assess what percentage of our students require quarantine and/or isolation (Q/I) based on a positive result or being a close contact.  Per our stated guidelines, if the number of students who need Q/I exceeds our threshold, we will continue online in order to preserve the integrity of the learning experience for our students.  I have informed faculty of this contingency separately.

I recognize that this does not answer all questions or concerns, but we are proceeding this way in order to rebuild our on-campus community and make decisions based on data from those within the undergraduate community. 

We are excited to return as soon as possible to the in-person classes we all prefer; please understand that our decisions are based on protecting our learning and residential environments as best we can.  We will announce a decision about modality for the week of January 18 no later than Friday, January 14.

With best wishes,

Steve Wuhs

Interim Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences