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Office of The President California State University, Sacramento

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Presidential Communications - Summer 2022

President Robert S. Nelsen’s messages to students, faculty, and staff.

COVID-19 planning for the fall semester

Aug. 10, 2022 - As the COVID-19 pandemic has evolved, so too has our response to managing it, leading us to again update Sacramento State’s COVID-19 policies and procedures. We now face a coronavirus variant that is highly transmissible but causes less-severe illness, especially in populations that are up to date on vaccinations. We will continue to actively manage COVID-19 by revising previous protocols and establishing new protocols that enable students, faculty, and staff to live, learn, and work in a safe environment that aligns with local public health recommendations. We expect all faculty, staff, students, and visitors to take personal responsibility to mitigate the spread of COVID-19 and all other illnesses.

Vaccination Requirements

The CSU’s COVID-19 vaccination requirement remains in effect for the Fall 2022 semester. To access campus facilities and programs, all students, faculty, and staff must be up to date with COVID-19 vaccinations or have been granted a religious or medical exemption. Individuals who already have a religious or medical exemption from the University do not need to reapply. Individuals can update their COVID self-certification whenever their status changes.

Being fully vaccinated, including recommended boosters, remains the single most effective way to avoid serious illness from COVID-19. For more information about vaccines, please visit our COVID-19 FAQ page. You can also visit My Turn California to schedule a free vaccination near you. Information about booster eligibility can be found on the CDC website.

Exposure Notices and Testing

During the spring semester, we continued to require twice-weekly rapid COVID-19 surveillance testing for unvaccinated individuals on campus. However, this summer we discontinued this program, except weekly testing for employees represented by the CFA, with which we continue the meet-and-confer process. We instead are focused on testing symptomatic individuals (see below) and encouraging students and employees to report positive cases. All faculty, staff, and students must test if they are symptomatic, and all positive tests must continue to be reported to the University.

We will continue to offer free testing to students who are symptomatic through Student Health and Counseling Services (SHCS) at the WELL. Students who are symptomatic or test positive are required to report their positive test via the student health services reporting link. SHCS will provide guidance to students. Faculty should continue to be fair and flexible with students who miss class due to illness.

Per state law, employees will continue to be notified of close exposure to a person testing positive in the workplace, and test kits will be made available in these instances. Individuals who receive a notification of possible exposure should read the notification carefully and ensure that they follow the instructions and guidance. Individuals exposed to someone who is COVID-19 positive but remain asymptomatic are not required to quarantine. Employees who test positive must inform their appropriate administrator/MPP immediately and file with Risk Management an official confidential report for staff and faculty members. Risk Management provides detailed information on next steps for all employees who test positive for COVID-19.

Face Coverings

Sacramento State, in line with guidance from county public health officials, this spring lifted its indoor face covering mandate. However, the University strongly recommends – though does not require – that individuals wear face coverings indoors. Face coverings, however, remain required within health care settings, including the SHCS. We will continue to follow all county public health guidelines with respect to face coverings.

The choice whether to wear a face covering is a personal, and we will not tolerate disrespect of individuals for their choice.

Employees and students can access free face coverings and N95 masks at several campus locations, such as the Library checkout counter and the University Union information desk. As always, please do not hesitate to reach out to Risk Management Services if you have questions and/or if you need to order COVID-19 supplies.

Residence Halls

We ask all students living in North Village residence halls to test for COVID-19 before arriving on campus. North Village residents will be tested upon arrival. Anyone who tests positive upon check-in will be asked to return home to isolate and return to campus after 10 days. Room and board for isolated students will be prorated to account for their absence. Students living in North Village and Hornet Commons will be provided free test kits upon arrival and will have access to test kits throughout the semester.

The University this year also will require all North Village residential housing students to receive a flu vaccination when it becomes available this fall. SHCS is prepared to offer all Sacramento State students free flu vaccinations this fall.

Students in North Village or Hornet Commons who test positive for COVID-19 or the seasonal flu should not attend class or work. They will be asked to isolate in their rooms, wear a face covering, and minimize contact with others. Those in isolation should avoid shared areas of the residence halls. North Village students will be permitted to pick up grab-and-go meals. Students may also choose to return home. Students will be cleared to return to normal activities by SHCS. In medically required instances, University Housing will accommodate the highest-risk North Village students with isolation from roommates.

Conclusion

We will continue to monitor the status of cases on campus and in our surrounding community and will update policies or protocols as needed. As we have throughout the pandemic, we will base these important decisions on local, state, and federal public health guidelines and recommendations.

I am grateful for the continued care that the Hornet Family has taken for one another as we have fought COVID-19 together. I am looking forward to being back together on campus soon. Stingers Up!

COVID-19 surveillance testing program to end

Aug. 9, 2022 - In August 2021, Sacramento State began implementation of California State University’s COVID-19 Interim Vaccination Policy. At that time, anyone who received a medical or religious exemption from the vaccination requirement, and individuals who failed to certify their vaccination status, were required to participate in regular COVID-19 testing on campus.

After consulting with our COVID-19 Taskforce, I have decided to end the campus surveillance testing program, beginning next week. The testing program, however, will continue for CFA-represented employees as we continue in meet-and-confer process.

To date, not one person in the program has tested positive. Given the wide availability of home testing kits, and the recommendation by health officials, including those with the National Collegiate Athletics Association (NCAA), to test only when there are symptoms, we are confident that it is safe to end the program now.

If you have been in close contact someone who has tested positive, or experience COVID-19 symptoms, please follow testing guidelines. For the most up-to-date information about health and safety policies and procedures, including links for reporting positive COVID-19 tests, students should visit our COVID-19 Information for Students page. Employees should visit the Campus COVID-19 Safety Information page. Faculty and staff can order safety supplies and face coverings by completing the Risk Management order form.

Thank you for your continued commitment to keeping one another safe and healthy. Stingers Up!

Important information about monkeypox

Aug. 8, 2022 - Last week, Gov. Newsom declared a state of emergency in California due to the spread of monkeypox. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services also declared that the spread constitutes a public health emergency. These state and federal designations signal a need to curb the outbreak through increased education, vaccination, and testing. Monkeypox is a public health issue relevant to everyone – it is not specific to or spread by any one group. The virus causes symptoms such as a rash, fever, and headache. The virus is rarely fatal, and testing and vaccines for it are available.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), monkeypox is spread through close, personal contact, usually skin-to-skin, including:

  • Direct skin-to-skin contact with sores, rashes, or bodily fluids from a person with monkeypox.
  • Close and prolonged contact with respiratory secretions (mainly shared when living with or caring for someone with monkeypox).
  • Sexual or intimate contact, including kissing.
  • Shared bedding, towels, or unwashed clothing.

We are closely monitoring the guidance from Sacramento County Public Health, the California Department of Health, and the CDC. Current guidance recommends that individuals:

  • Avoid close contact with someone who has symptoms of monkeypox, including sores and rashes.
  • If you cannot avoid contact with someone who has symptoms, wear personal protective equipment (masks, gloves).
  • Practice good hygiene, including handwashing.
  • Communicate openly with sexual partners about possible exposures, recent illnesses, and any new or unexplained rashes.
  • If infected, isolate until symptoms resolve and keep rashes covered until completely healed. Contact Student Health and Counseling Services or your personal physician for further evaluation, testing, and treatment.

Monkeypox is NOT spread through

  • Walking near someone who has monkeypox.
  • Casual or brief conversations.

We are committed to keeping all members of our Hornet Family safe and healthy, and we will continue to work closely with public health officials to ensure we have accurate and timely information about best practices for health and safety. Students may access care through Student Health and Counseling Services. Faculty and staff should contact their primary health care provider.

Thank you for your continued care for one another and for all that you do to keep our Hornet Family safe and healthy. Stingers Up!

Important information about salary increases

Aug. 5, 2022 - I want to keep this message short and sweet. It is always good to be the bearer of good news.

Many already know that the CSU and the CFA negotiated a 4% General Salary Increase (GSI) for 2021-22, a 3% GSI for 2022-23, and a 2.65% post promotion increase. The CSU and the CFA also negotiated a one-time $3,500 COVID Service Award. The award and the 2021-22 raise already have been allocated, and the additional 3% GSI went into effect July 1.

At the July 12-13 Board of Trustees meeting, trustees authorized the CSU to allocate a 7% GSI augmentation for all remaining represented employees, effectively matching the faculty’s 7% GSI. They also authorized a one-time $3,500 COVID Service Award for members of CSUEU and SUPA (Units 5, 7, 8 and 9). Teamsters (Unit 6) will receive a $2,500 COVID Service Award. We are still awaiting ratification of the successor agreement with APC (Unit 4), and will share information as it becomes available. For most employees, the 7% GSI will be retroactive to July 1.

Visit the Chancellor’s Office website for the most up-to-date information about each of the collective bargaining agreements. Details are being determined on the timeline for implementation, but it is possible that the first two months of the raise will not be disbursed until the October check. The CSU is working to get increases and service awards disbursed as quickly as possible. Human Resources will provide details in the coming days.

On July 13, Interim Chancellor Koester authorized the creation of a 7% merit compensation pool and also approved a $3,500 COVID Service Award for MPP (M80) and Confidential (C99) employees (i.e., administrators) effective July 1. To be eligible for the merit compensation, the administrator must have been appointed to an MPP position by April 1, 2022, and must have a performance evaluation for FY 2021/2022 with a performance rating at or above “Meets Expectations.” Vice presidents are included in this plan as are non-state-funded and reimbursed MPP and Confidential positions.

For the sake of transparency, I will receive a 7% GSI but not the COVID Service Award. Also, I will not receive the Triennial Performance Review Equity Adjustment. Only 14 of the 23 presidents will receive that award of up to a 10% augmentation. Those augmentations are based on peer group median salaries of other presidents across the country. The peer groups were established by an outside consultant. The goal is to raise the salaries of the CSU presidents to meet the median of their peers. While I am below the median of my peers, I do not qualify for the program because my triennial performance review that would have triggered the raise was before the program was implemented.

It is very unfortunate that the recommendations of the Staff Salary Survey conducted by Mercer Consulting, hired by the CSU to determine how our compensation levels align with market value, were not funded by the Legislature this year. The plan includes salary steps and greatly simplifies and clarifies the path forward for advancement. The overall cost of the plan is $287 million. We will advocate for its funding and implementation in the next legislative session. In the meantime, we will work to smoothly roll out the GSI’s and COVID Service Awards outlined above.

President Nelsen's Fall Address set for Aug. 25

Aug. 4, 2022 - Please save the date and join your colleagues and the rest of the Hornet Family for my Fall Address at 9 a.m. Thursday, Aug. 25, in the University Union Ballroom. This fall we will celebrate Sacramento State’s 75th anniversary, and I look forward to envisioning the University’s future.

Please RSVP to attend in person or view the livestream. Sacramento State seeks to ensure that our events are inclusive and that all attendees are able to participate fully. ASL interpretation and real-time captioning will be provided. If you require additional accommodations for this event, please contact events@csus.edu.

I am excited to be together again as a Hornet Family. Stingers Up!

Our response to hateful graffiti on campus

Many of you arrived on campus on Thursday, July 7, and saw lewd images and homophobic language spray painted on a campus sign and a vehicle. The graffiti was quickly removed, but it undoubtedly upset people who encountered it. I am deeply troubled by this graffiti, as it does not represent who we are as a Hornet Family. University police are investigating the incident, and its perpetrators will be held accountable.

Everyone who comes to this campus deserves to feel safe, and to know they belong. Defacing University property is a crime, and the display of lewd images and hateful language erodes our culture of care. There is no place for hate at Sacramento State, and we must continue our work to create a campus culture where all feel safe, welcome, and that they belong.

Supreme Court's abortion decision is a step backward for equality

June 24, 2022 - Yesterday, we celebrated the 50th anniversary of Title IX, a law that ushered in enormous progress in gender equality and opportunity for women. Today, we awoke to the devastating news that the U.S. Supreme Court has struck down Roe v. Wade, a move that represents a giant step backwards for equality, as women have lost the right to control their own bodies.

I know that some will disagree with me as they read this message, but I ask for compassion, compassion that is at the heart of Sac State and how we treat each other. Many people are hurting today, myself included, feeling a range of emotions including sadness, anger, and fear about the future of women’s rights in this country. In large sections of our country, pregnant people will no longer have access to a safe, legal abortion, as many states already have trigger laws in place to immediately criminalize abortion. This decision not only greatly undermines the right to privacy; it also permits the criminalization of people who seek abortions for any reason, including rape, incest, ectopic pregnancies, illness, and other health conditions.

I hope that those who need support will utilize our campus resources for students, faculty, and staff. Students should visit Student Health and Counseling Services online, or call 916-278-6461. Sacramento State has counselors ready to support faculty and staff through our Employee Assistance Program (EAP) online and at 800-367-7474.

On a day like today, as our nation undoes much of the progress we have made for gender equality over the last 50 years, hope can seem elusive. We know that this decision does not represent the will of the majority of Americans. According to recent polls by the Wall Street Journal, two-thirds of Americans favor retaining Roe v. Wade, and 57% affirm the right to obtain an abortion for any reason.

But our nation has a history of fighting for what is right, and we must use our voices to ensure that our leaders know that we will not lose the compassion that binds us together as Americans. We must secure the rights of all people to make their own health care decisions and to control their own destinies.

Today, I am particularly grateful for the work that we do at Sacramento State to educate the next generation of leaders. We cannot let the next generation inherit a nation in which half the population lacks full autonomy over their bodies. We must trust women, now. Together, let us raise our voices in support of equal rights and demand liberty and justice for all.

Celebrating the 50th anniversary of Title IX

“No person in the United States shall, on the basis of sex, be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any education program or activity receiving federal financial assistance.” - Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972

June 22, 2022 - With the adoption of these words into the Education Amendments of 1972, the lives of generations of people were changed as women were guaranteed equal academic and athletic opportunities in education. On Thursday, June 23, we celebrate the 50th anniversary of Title IX, the landmark civil rights law that prohibited discrimination on the basis of sex in educational programs that receive federal funding.

Title IX was an enormous step for gender equity that has impacted countless lives and changed the educational landscape. The year that Title IX became law, fewer than 30,000 women in the United States participated in collegiate sports. Today, that number has grown to just over 215,000. The law also ensured that women would have equal access to academic opportunities, including graduate programs, helping increase the number of women in professions that previously were dominated by men. Importantly, Title IX also provides legal protection against sexual harassment and assault, and discrimination based on pregnancy. More recently, Title IX has been the basis of protections for transgender students.

But work remains to achieve full gender equity. According to the Women’s Sports Foundation, there are still 60,000 more collegiate sports opportunities for men than for women. The same study reveals that BIPOC women make up only 14% of college athletes. Economic inequities also remain, with some men’s athletic programs receiving better facilities, equipment, and other resources than programs for women. Additionally, recent events, some within the CSU, show that colleges and universities must work to strengthen institutional culture to eliminate sex-based discrimination, sexual harassment, and sexual misconduct, and to ensure that individuals are held accountable for their actions and that those who report such behaviors are protected.

The 50th anniversary of Title IX is a time to celebrate the many opportunities that have been created by this important law and to recognize the progress that has been made in gender equity in education and athletics. It is also a time to reflect on the work that remains and to commit to living up to the promise of Title IX by ensuring our campus is an equitable, inclusive, and safe space for all individuals to pursue their dreams. Stingers Up!

Celebrating Juneteenth

June 17, 2022 - Sunday marks the 157th anniversary of the liberation of the last enslaved people by Union troops in Galveston, Texas, in 1865. One year ago, President Biden signed legislation that finally designated June 19 as Juneteenth National Independence Day, a federal holiday. Juneteenth National Independence Day is the first new federal holiday since Martin Luther King Jr. Day was established in 1983, though many states have not yet adopted it as a paid holiday. In California, lawmakers are considering legislation that would make Juneteenth a paid holiday for state workers.

In honor of Juneteenth, Sacramento State was proud to support the California State University’s inaugural Juneteenth Symposium at CSU Dominquez Hills this week. Twenty-five members of the Hornet Family joined me for this two-day celebration of African American history and achievement. CSU administrators, faculty, staff, students, and other members of the higher education community came together to hear speakers, watch student performances, engage in critical discourse, and share innovative and inspiring information about our collective efforts toward antiracism, equity, and justice.

While celebrating Black excellence, the CSU Juneteenth Symposium was a reminder that we have a responsibility to act to identify and abolish policies and practices that perpetuate racism and exclusion in higher education. On this Juneteenth, let us recommit to doing the work to advance access and success for all students. Stingers Up!

Today is the ten year anniversary of DACA

June 15, 2022 - Today marks the 10-year anniversary of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program. This program has literally changed thousands and thousands of lives by allowing undocumented students to pursue their dreams of education and a better life by granting protection from deportation and allowing them to obtain renewable work permits. Today, Sac State celebrates the accomplishments of our DACA students, and we honor their resilience and determination. Sacramento, California, and America are stronger because of these students and because of DACA. I am incredibly proud of each and every one of our DACA recipients and of our nation that has always supported immigrants (and I hope always will).

At the same time, we must recognize that DACA recipients have faced a decade of uncertainty and inaction by Congress. DACA was not meant to be a permanent fix, and it does not grant legal status or a pathway to citizenship. As a result, DACA recipients – our Sac State students – live in continuous fear about what may or may not happen to them, fear of having their dreams demolished. The future of DACA itself is uncertain, and the threat of termination lingers. This summer, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit will hear an appeal by the Biden administration to a previous court ruling that found DACA unconstitutional. Sadly, legal experts believe that the Court of Appeals may rule against DACA, which is all the more reason our nation needs comprehensive immigration reform.

Current DACA recipients should consult with an immigration attorney about renewing their status. Undocumented students without DACA should also meet with an attorney to talk about other options for immigration relief. Sac State’s Dreamer Resource Center offers free legal services to students, staff, faculty, and their immediate family members. On Saturday, June 25, in partnership with the Coalition for Human Immigrant Rights (CHIRLA), the Dreamer Resource Center will host a DACA and Naturalization Clinic. The clinic is open to all students, staff, faculty, and immediate family members. CHIRLA will cover the $495 DACA fees and $785 Citizenship petition fees. To register, contact the Dreamer Resource Center at drc@csus.edu or 916-278-7734.

Though DACA has had a significant impact in the lives of thousands of undocumented young people, this executive order is not enough. Today, as we celebrate the 10 year anniversary of this important program, I ask that we renew our call for comprehensive immigration reform that addresses the ongoing uncertainty DACA recipients face and extends immigration relief to more young people and their families.

To our DREAMers, DACA students, and mixed-status students, we we want you to know that you are true, important, and respected members of the Hornet Family. Together, we will continue to advocate for your rights and fight for equity and justice for all. Stingers up.

Recognizing Adult Learner Week

June 14, 2022 - Did you know that one in four Sac State students is over the age of 25? During Adult Learner Week, I want to recognize our adult learners and celebrate their contributions to the Hornet Family.

Adult learners bring with them a diverse set of skills, goals, and circumstances. Many are balancing their education with families, jobs, and other responsibilities. Their work and life experiences enrich our campus culture, in and out of the classroom. They provide unique insights, creative ideas, and connections with communities and organizations.

Here at Sac State, we understand that adult learners may have specific needs that differ from the traditional-aged college student population. We continue to develop resources and support systems to meet those needs. Some examples include: HornetAttain!, Parents & Families Program, Veterans Success Center, and the many credit and non-credit programs offered by the College of Continuing Education.

Through these efforts and more, we are working to transform Sac State into an even stronger student-centered University, an adult-friendly and adult-supporting campus. We know that the better we serve our adult students, the better we will serve all of our students.

Please join me in celebrating all of our adult learners this week. Stingers up!

Archive of Presidential Communications