Dear Whittier College Community:
As we informed you previously, Whittier College has been waiting for official guidelines from the state of California to finalize our campus reopening plans for fall 2020. While we have not received guidelines from the state, the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health (LADPH) has now released draft guidelines for the reopening of institutions of higher education (IHE).
LADPH is adopting a staged approach—based on science and public health expertise—to allow IHE to slowly reopen. However, due to recent increases in COVID-19 cases and related testing and hospitalization rates in Los Angeles County, LADPH is urging colleges and universities to "have plans in place to continue with distance learning.” Moreover, in the absence of updated state guidelines, colleges and universities in Los Angeles County are not yet permitted to open for in-person learning or housing of students.
With the goal of providing clarity for students and families to adequately prepare for the quickly approaching academic year, College leadership is announcing that for fall 2020 all courses will only be offered remotely (with possible exceptions—see the FAQ for more information). Additionally, on-campus housing will be extremely limited.
Housing will only be available for international students and students who anticipate facing housing insecurity in the fall. Students who have not previously reported anticipated housing insecurity may request on-campus housing by completing this form by August 9. Whittier College expects to house approximately 50 students on campus this fall.
Please note all other prior approved housing assignments will be held for students for an anticipated winter opening if public health restrictions are lifted. Any deposits made toward fall housing will be credited to students’ accounts.
We understand that this is a disappointment for students who are eager to resume on-campus activities. Our goal is to continue providing all our students with engaging, personalized, and interactive academic and student life activities that define the Whittier College experience.
We will continue to provide updates as they become available. Please check your email regularly and visit the Whittier College Moving Forward site for the latest COVID-19 updates—we will be updating FAQs and other content on the site regularly.
Sincerely,
Linda Oubré, Ed.D., MBA President and Professor of Business Administration
