We hope this finds you healthy, safe, and well. As we near the conclusion of the Fall semester, we want to take this opportunity to share an update regarding COVID-19 safety and operational measures planned for the Spring semester.

Spring 2021 will begin remotely
As you heard from Provost Charles Zukoski last week, we will likely begin the Spring semester remotely. While we hope for a different outcome, cases are again surging across Los Angeles County, and it is unlikely that bringing additional students to campus will be advisable for the near future. We are, however, continuing to prepare our physical spaces for in-person attendance in academic instruction and activities; if and when conditions improve, the University will be ready to safely re-introduce additional in-person activities.

Living on or near our campuses in Spring 2021
Given current public health guidance, USC Housing is not able to accept applications for new residents for the Spring semester at this time. Students who were previously granted a hardship exception this Fall are permitted to continue living in university housing for the Spring.

We know that a number of you are considering leases in private housing near campus. Given the surge in cases that resulted in our need to begin the semester remotely, our advice is to stay in your current environment and delay entering into a binding lease agreement for local housing.

Health requirements
The University is taking steps to maximize the health and safety of our campus communities for the time when we are able to increase campus density. For the Spring 2021 semester, all USC students will be required to update their current addresses in OASIS by January 15, 2021.

Students residing locally on or near campuses and on-site employees will be eligible for access to university facilities and services—including isolation and quarantine facilities and COVID-19 testing—as permitted by the University and approved by local public health officials, provided they meet the requirements for access:

1. Immunizations, including influenza
2. Required COVID-19 testing
3. Completion of symptom check systems (Trojan Check), and
4. Compliance with student conduct expectations and policies

Additional information on these four requirements follows:

1) Immunizations: All USC students will be required to complete their required immunizations. Measles and mumps (often combined with rubella as a two-dose MMR vaccination), varicella (chicken pox), meningococcal disease (for students under 21), TB tests (for students from specific international countries), and the seasonal influenza (flu). Additional requirements apply to students in the health professions degree programs.

Students are strongly recommended to complete vaccination requirements in advance of the Spring semester. For students who are unable to receive vaccines in their home locations, vaccinations will be available by appointment only in USC Student Health. As previously announced, all on-site faculty and staff are required to complete the seasonal influenza (flu) requirement through the end of the Spring 2021 semester.

2) Surveillance Population Testing: Undergraduate students who reside in USC Housing or come onto our campuses will be required to test twice weekly for COVID-19. Graduate and professional students, faculty, and staff who come onto our campuses will be required to test once weekly. These required tests will be provided by the University at no cost to our current students, faculty, and staff. Additional details on testing operations will be announced in December.

Keck Medicine of USC employees will continue to be supported through their established protocols involving daily screening, ensuring appropriate PPE and distancing is maintained throughout facilities, and rigorous contact tracing and testing based on exposure tracking through Employee Health Services. Practices are routinely evaluated for effectiveness, and adjustments are made where appropriate.

3) Symptom Check (Trojan Check): Just as we currently require for the Fall semester, all students, employees, and visitors this coming Spring will be required to complete a daily symptom check prior to entering facilities on our campuses. In order to access Trojan Check, students and employees must first complete the appropriate “Health, Hygiene and Safety” online module, accessible through Trojan Learn.

4) Expectations and Policies: Shared Accountability: For those who are currently living or working on or near our campuses, as well as for all of you we hope to welcome back soon, you are accountable for prioritizing the health and safety of those around you. All students, faculty, and staff coming onto our campuses must agree to uphold the Trojan Commitment , a pledge to abide by a set of safeguards that maximize the health and safety of the entire USC community.

Student fees
Given the continuing economic impact this pandemic is having on students, the University has extended to the Spring 2021 semester only, its prior reduction of combined central student fees of $100, including health and activities fees. Student health care services and programs will continue to be available in person and remotely, and the University will continue to offer engagement opportunities through virtual live events, performances, speakers, and more.

In-person events and gatherings
The current Los Angeles public health orders include restrictions on events and gatherings. In alignment with these directions, USC has prohibited all university-sponsored on and off-campus events until we receive further public health guidance. Gatherings are defined by the County of Los Angeles and by the University as more than two people within six feet of each other for 15 minutes or longer. The only exceptions that may be granted for the near future are related to instruction, training, and operations that are considered essential. For additional details, please consult the official university guidance.

We will keep you apprised of any further developments. In the meantime, we hope you continue to stay safe and stay well during the Winter break.

The new case total for Saturday, November 14, was the highest single-day total for Los Angeles County since the summer; please follow all face covering, hand hygiene, and physical distancing guidelines. Limit contact with others outside of your household for the next 14 days.

If you were around groups of people not wearing face coverings or physical distancing, please self-quarantine for 14 days and consider getting tested. USC students and employees who are working on-site on campus are advised to test through the surveillance population testing program (Pop Testing).

Western States Travel Advisory
On November 13, the State of California announced an advisory regarding travel into and from California, in conjunction with similar advisories from the state governments of Oregon and Washington. USC is directing its employees and students to comply with this advisory, as referenced below:
“1. Persons arriving in California from other states or countries, including returning California residents, should practice self-quarantine  for 14 days after arrival. These persons should limit their interactions to their immediate household. This recommendation does not apply to individuals who cross state or country borders for essential travel.

2. Californians are encouraged to stay home or in their region and avoid non-essential travel to other states or countries. Avoiding travel can reduce the risk of virus transmission and bringing the virus back to California.”

For Students Traveling to a Winter Break Destination

• Test before traveling out of Los Angeles: USC students are advised to test through the surveillance population testing program (Pop Testing) before traveling to their Winter break destination, especially if out of state or out of the country. Test again upon your arrival at your destination, if possible. Remain at your destination for the duration of Winter break. Additional Spring semester testing information and requirements will be released shortly. Testing will continue to be available throughout the Winter break.

For Faculty and Staff

• Faculty and staff are strongly advised to follow State of California public health guidance and any local public health guidance that is issued for Los Angeles County and the City of Los Angeles. If travel is essential, employees who are working on-site on campus should also test before traveling and after return from travel. Additional Spring semester testing information and requirements will be released shortly. Testing will continue to be available throughout the Winter break.

For All USC Community Members

• Do not travel if you have any symptoms, including: chills or fever of 100 degrees or higher; loss of taste or smell; muscle soreness or headaches or fatigue; cough or runny nose or sore throat or congestion; difficulty breathing or shortness of breath; conjunctivitis (“pinkeye,” inflammation of the eye including redness, itching and tearing) along with feeling feverish; gastrointestinal symptoms (stomach upset, such as abdominal pain or diarrhea or nausea or vomiting).

If you develop any symptoms, please begin self-isolation. Contact your health care provider to arrange for symptomatic testing; contact USC Student Health to arrange for symptomatic testing if you are a USC student or employee working on-site on campus—Tel: 213-740-9355 (WELL), book online at https://usc.edu/myshr (go to the “Messages” section and select the “Request COVID-19 Screening” option). Keck Medicine of USC employees who have symptoms should contact Keck Medicine Employee Health at Tel: 323-442-5219.

For questions contact covid19@usc.edu or call Tel: 213-740-6291, 7 days a week until 9 p.m.

Dear Trojan Community,

I write to share USC’s new Policy on Prohibited Discrimination, Harassment, and Retaliation , which is effective immediately.  The Policy incorporates the required Title IX regulations, as well as a University-wide approach to preventing and responding to discrimination and harassment on the basis of protected characteristics, retaliation, and specific forms of harassment based on sex: sexual assault, dating violence, domestic violence, stalking, and related forms of conduct.  The Policy provides resources, supportive measures, and care to all USC community members – students, faculty, and staff – who make a report under the Policy, as well as fair and equitable resolution processes in response to a formal complaint of conduct prohibited under the Policy.

Office of Equity, Equal Opportunity, and Title IX
Reports of discrimination, harassment, retaliation, and sexual misconduct under the Policy will be addressed by the Office for Equity, Equal Opportunity, and Title IX (EEO-TIX Office) under the leadership of Catherine Spear, our new Vice President for Equity, Equal Opportunity, and Title IX who will onboard at the end of this month.  The EEO-TIX Office combines the Office of Equity and Diversity (OED) and the Title IX Office to provide a centralized resource for all community members.  Similarly, the Policy coordinates and replaces USC’s existing student, faculty, and staff policies to streamline access to reporting options, resources, and procedural options.

Final Title IX Regulations
The changes to our policies and processes were required by the May 19, 2020 release of the final Title IX regulations by the U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights (OCR), as well as the terms of Resolution Agreements between the University and OCR in 2018 and 2020.  The Title IX regulations provide detailed requirements for processes related to reporting, supportive measures, informal resolution, and formal resolution that must be implemented by August 14, 2020.

The regulations, which have the force of law, have been in development since the fall of 2017 when OCR rescinded prior guidance from 2011 and 2014.  Proposed regulations were released for public comment in November 2018, with more than 120,000 individual commenters responding.  The final regulations, spanning 2033 pages, are complex, voluminous, and not without controversy.  Multiple lawsuits have been filed seeking to prevent their implementation, including by attorneys general on behalf of 18 states, and similar lawsuits by civil liberties groups seeking to enforce implementation are expected.  We are tracking each of these developments, as well as concerns that have been raised by community members and advocacy groups across the country.

Importantly, while the regulations include many required elements, colleges and universities can continue to prohibit discrimination and harassment and respond in a way that is consistent with institutional values.  We want to reassure our USC community that the revised Policy and processes maintain core elements of care, equity, and fair process for all.  Please see the FAQ for more information.  While we are obligated to comply with federal law, we will continue to prioritize our efforts to foster a climate free from discrimination and harassment, to seek to reduce barriers to reporting, and to hold individuals accountable for conduct that violates University policy.

Inclusive Process
The Policy was developed through an inclusive process that involved consultation with University administrators and staff in OED and Title IX, the incoming Vice President for EEO-TIX, external subject matter experts, and a newly-created internal committee that includes student, faculty, and staff representation.  Although the timing of the release of the regulations was unfortunate, in light of the pandemic, the compressed time frame, and the window for action occurring when most of our community are on summer break, the University convened a Policy and Community Advisory Committee (PCAC) to receive education and information about Title IX and the new regulations, and to provide inputs about support measures, care, reporting, and equity in the development of the Policy.  PCAC includes faculty and staff from schools and departments across the University, as well as the presidents of the Academic Senate and Staff Assembly, and representatives from Graduate and Undergraduate Student Government.  We are grateful to this committee that has been meeting since June to engage in dialogue about Title IX, harassment and discrimination, and the impacts of the new regulations for University stakeholders and constituents.  PCAC is an ongoing committee that will continue to provide a forum for community engagement.

Annual Review
The Policy builds in an annual review, which will permit the University to amend the Policy and resolution processes as necessary or appropriate in light of legal developments and feedback from implementers and University community members. During the course of the fall and spring semesters, we will be providing multiple opportunities for community input and feedback as part of this process.  Those opportunities will include continued engagement by PCAC, virtual meetings (or webinars), and an online survey where University community members can submit comments about the Policy and processes.  We encourage all University community members to review the Policy and processes carefully and to submit any comments, observations, feedback or questions here.

Overview of Policy Provisions
The Policy includes the University’s Notice of Non-discrimination, which prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, creed, sex, age, marital status, national origin, ancestry, military status, medical condition, pregnancy, disability, political belief or affiliation, military or veteran status, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, gender expression, genetic information, and any other class of individuals protected from discrimination under state or federal law.  Members of the University community can find information in the Policy about scope and jurisdiction, confidential resources, reporting options, supportive measures, the definitions of prohibited conduct, affirmative consent, incapacitation, employee reporting responsibilities, and how the University protects privacy and confidentiality.

Overview of Resolution Processes
The Policy is accompanied by two sets of resolution processes, one that applies to all forms of sexual harassment, sexual assault, dating violence, domestic violence, stalking, and retaliation, and one that applies to all other forms of prohibited discrimination and harassment based on protected characteristics.  Both sets of resolution processes follow a parallel process for intake and outreach, initial assessment, the provision of supportive measures, investigations, and informal resolution.  The parties can be accompanied at any meeting or proceeding under both resolution processes by an advisor of their choice. The investigation procedures are robust, including an opportunity to present witnesses and information, review all of the evidence at the end of the investigation, submit written comments, review a written investigation report, and submit written comments in response to the investigation report.

As required by the Title IX regulations, the resolution process for sexual misconduct includes a live hearing (may be virtual) in front of a neutral and impartial decision-maker where a party’s advisor has the right to pose relevant questions of the other party or witnesses.  Any statements that are not subject to this questioning (cross-examination) cannot be considered by the decision-maker.  The University will provide an advisor for any individual who does not have an advisor at the hearing.  The resolution process for other forms of discrimination and harassment is the same as that for sexual misconduct, except that the investigator, in consultation with the delegate of the VP for EEO-TIX, makes the determination of responsibility and no live hearing with cross examination is required.

Additional Resources
Additional information is available on the University’s updated EEO-TIX website, including links to an infographic with information about the new Policy, supportive measures, and options for reporting and filing a formal complaint; the Policy and the resolution processes ; a flow chart to guide the parties through each process; and an FAQ document.

While the Policy and processes are important components for combatting discrimination, harassment, and retaliation, our work does not stop here. We must hold ourselves accountable to USC’s mission of fostering a diverse community where all members can be safe and thrive. Through education, awareness, and focused attention on treating every individual with elevated respect, we can prevent discrimination, harassment, and retaliation.

I thank you for sharing in the commitment, effort, and partnership to promote a healthy, safe, and enriching environment at USC for all of our community members.

Sincerely,