This email was sent to the CalArts community about the recently state-released guidelines for the opeing of higher education institutions.
Dear Fellow CalArtians,
This summer seems full of bad news… but this time, we have something good to report!
Yesterday the State of California released its guidelines for the Higher Education sector's reopening in the fall of 2020. Our first analysis shows that our "CalArts Returns" guidelines generally exceed the safety protocols and requirements of the State, which has been our aim all along: to keep health and safety first.
This guidance today, and the follow-up from the County of Los Angeles which will arrive shortly, puts us in good stead with our plans to provide safe and desired access to art making facilities and equipment during the fall.
The State’s guidelines take into direct consideration many forms of work and artmaking that relate to CalArts, and should allow for access to shops, labs, studios, and other resources. While all course instruction remains remote, many of you have told us of your deep desire to get access to materials, facilities, and equipment that you otherwise would not be able to use or procure.
Deans and other faculty and staff will reach out in the next few weeks with more detailed information about plans and specifics regarding spaces, policies, and procedures for access to campus.
I’m proud of the work done by the CalArts community this summer to create our own reopening guidelines and restrictive safety procedures that not only adhere to but exceed the health and safety precautions required by the state in these new rules. As always, all of our decisions are grounded in putting the health and safety of our students, faculty, and staff first, and the access to artmaking spaces this fall will be governed by that priority. While how we are able to use the campus will be significantly restricted due to safety protocols we are putting into place (including screening, cleaning, and other measures), we now know, more confidently than before, that this kind of use will be possible.
No matter where we are in the world, we have to stay safe while making art, but we must keep making art.
Be safe, support one another, and I’ll see you soon.
Ravi