Mask Status Update

Sent: September 1, 2022
From: Interim President Steve Perez

Fellow Spartans,

The new academic year is in full swing and the positive energy around campus is palpable. We are happy to share some positive news about our campus status related to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

Based on the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) metrics, COVID-19 cases and related hospitalizations in Santa Clara County have dropped to “Medium” level and have remained there for the past two weeks. Our policy permits a change to the masking policy if the County remains in the “Medium” category or lower for three weeks. Given Santa Clara County’s current status, we expect to adjust effective Monday, September 12, assuming that County metrics remain stable. 

Mask Status Change

  • Wearing masks in most indoor spaces on campus - masks will remain required within campus healthcare settings - shifts from being required to strongly recommended and strongly encouraged.
  • Our campus mask status can be found at www.sjsu.edu/healthadvisories.
  • We will be messaging confirmation of this status change again before September 12.

Exposure and Illness

  • Masking is strongly recommended for those who have been exposed to COVID-19. Please wear a mask as soon as you find out you were exposed and continue masking for 10 full days.
  • If you are ill with COVID-19 or are experiencing symptoms but have yet to be diagnosed, masking is strongly recommended around others in all settings unless you are alone, and you should wear your mask through Day 10 following positive diagnosis (and potentially beyond if symptoms persist).
  • If you are at risk for serious illness if exposed, masking is strongly recommended.
  • For questions about COVID exposure and illness, employees should contact Yazmin Perez (yazmin.perez@sjsu.edu or 408-924-2155) or up-leaves@sjsu.edu.

Be Community-Minded

  • Removing masks in indoor spaces will likely cause a higher level of anxiety for some of our campus community. Please remember that some people remain at high-risk for more adverse outcomes from COVID-19 or regularly share spaces with someone who is.
  • Please be considerate of those who may be uncomfortable being near individuals who are not masked.
  • Distinct rules cannot be made within individual classrooms or departments.
  • Those who continue to choose to mask should not feel they are unwelcome or subject to scrutiny.

Stay Flexible

  • As we’ve been doing for more than two years now, we should all be prepared to stay flexible and be prepared to increase safety measures when needed. 
  • If Santa Clara County CDC metrics move from a lower to higher Community Level, SJSU will change safety strategies after giving one week’s notice.
  • People should be prepared to resume wearing masks indoors if external conditions worsen.

SJSU will continue to adhere to required safety measures from the California Department of Public Health and the Santa Clara County Public Health Department. Our overall approach essentially remains the same, based first and foremost on the care, health, and well-being of our campus community. 

As the situation continues to change and evolve, we’ll adjust and modify our approach, and our decisions about campus protocols and practices. We’ll continue to communicate whenever there are changes to our policies and approaches. Thank you, as always, for your flexibility and willingness to adapt. 

Thank you,

Steve Perez
Interim President