What We've Learned - UC San Diego Student Affairs

SPRING QUARTER 2023

Weeks 5-6: Learned to return edition.

Oh hey, WWL-earners! Happy Sun God Eve.

As you’re probably aware, yesterday marked the official end of COVID-19’s “public health emergency” status after more than three years.

We’ve all been through (and learned) a whole helluva lot since the beginning of 2020, and like you, we’ve been doing our best to adapt along the way. Your resilience – coupled with a willingness to adhere to evolving requirements – has been admirable, to say the least.

Here's What We’ve Learned since the last time we sunned your inboxes.

Enjoy, be safe, and stay kind to one another. - Ian

Normal, anew.

With the ‘peaks-and-valleys’ phase of the pandemic fading faster each day, COVID case rates – like the average rise on a current pair of jeans – are consistently lower than they’ve been in years.

Frankly OSHA. UC San Diego’s COVID-specific policies will now be outlined by Cal/OSHA, while we continue to: a) respond to the lessons we’ve learned institutionally since the start of the pandemic; and b) embrace personal responsibility for our individual health and well-being.

Make sense out of change.

Here’s how these new developments will affect your day-to-day, Tritons:

The Return to Learn website will now redirect to our EH&S COVID-19 webpage.
The Daily Symptom Screener is no longer required if you’re coming to campus – unless you’re symptomatic, you’ve been exposed to COVID-19, or you’ve recently tested positive.
Wearing a mask is optional in all non-health care settings.
Symptomatic testing is no longer required for students – but is strongly recommended.

Plunge into it. While screening, testing and masking may no longer be required in certain situations, these measures are still encouraged, especially if you’re not feeling well. And if your fellow Tritons decide to mask up, please respect that they’re making the best choices for themselves and their loved ones.

No edits.

Amidst the shifting requirements detailed above, there are several policies and operations that will remain in place:

The UC Vaccination policy continues to apply.
UC San Diego wastewater testing will continue until further notice.
The COVID-19 Daily Dashboard will remain active.
Rapid antigen tests will still be available via campus vending machines.

We’ll be in touch. Any additional changes will be communicated to the campus community in a timely fashion, either via a campus notice and/or UC San Diego Today. And of course, you know that WWL will hit you with a digest of all the deets and dates every couple weeks.

Quick Hits and Bits

Star spangled banger.
If you’ve got what it takes to belt out F.S. Key’s 1814 bop in front of thousands of classmates, fill out an application to sing the national anthem at All Campus Commencement before midnight on May 14.