Given all the effort everyone has spent responding to the global pandemic, societal manifestations of structural racism, and widespread wildfires over the last several months, looking ahead to the new academic year brings a welcome opportunity for change and renewal. As Chancellor Khosla noted in the recent campus announcement about fall operations, the university has been planning, testing, and adapting for months in preparation for the 2020-21 academic year. The campus Fall Plan is an important milestone in support of the university’s mission as we establish what our “new normal” will encompass. By bringing a limited number of people back to campus in a controlled manner and implementing key safety requirements, we can provide our students with many of the benefits of a campus experience while reducing public health risks.

It is important to note that campus is not reopening at full capacity: Activity on campus must remain below 25% of normal occupancy per San Diego County orders. All employees who have been working remotely should continue to do so until further notice. If a staff member’s supervisor or an academic appointee’s department chair does approve their doing some work on campus through the Return-to-Campus process, the employee is expected to follow the latest public health guidelines and adhere to campus safety regulations. The health and safety of our students, faculty, and staff, will depend on the full cooperation of our entire campus community.

Since Fall Quarter begins in a few weeks, this newsletter focuses on guidance about the current status of the university’s plans for the year ahead, emphasizing the Academic Affairs context. Of course, UC San Diego will continue to monitor public health data and follow government agencies’ orders as they develop -- and campus operations will need to adapt in real-time as the situation evolves. Please remember to be flexible, patient, and compassionate with your fellow Tritons.

Finally, as we plan for the educational and scholarly aspects of Fall Quarter, I echo recent messages from our VC-EDI and VCSA asking that we also sustain this summer’s focus on combating racism and anti-blackness on our campus. The EDI Office has developed an accessible toolkit to assist. Each of us has the responsibility to be active advocates and allies in our collective approach to making our campus community safe and welcoming for all.