Los Rios Vaccine Requirement to be Lifted for Students and Employees on November 14

At their October 19, 2022 meeting, the Los Rios Board of Trustees voted to end the Los Rios Community College District's COVID-19 vaccination requirement for employees and students as soon as practicable. The vaccine requirement will be lifted for all Los Rios students and employees beginning on Monday, November 14.

Beginning on November 14:

• Any student or employee can access any Los Rios facility regardless of their vaccination status.
• Faculty will no longer see students' vaccination ("cleared/not cleared") status on class rosters.
• Students and employees with approved medical or religious exemptions no longer need to provide a negative test in order to come to any college or district facility.
• Students enrolling for the Spring 2023 semester will not need to upload any vaccination information in order to enroll in in-person classes.

Los Rios will continue to heed all relevant guidance and requirements from state and local public health experts relating to measures to mitigate the spread of infection. As we have consistently over the past several years, if public health guidance changes then we will respond accordingly.

Public health remains a top priority for Los Rios and our colleges. Consistent with guidance from local public health experts, we continue to strongly recommend wearing masks and appropriate face coverings when indoors. We also strongly recommend that everyone eligible continue to stay up-to-date on their COVID-19 vaccine and booster regimens.

Los Rios is committed to creating a safe and welcoming environment for all students and employees. We expect that those who opt to wear masks, regardless of the reason, will be treated with dignity and kindness. None of us can fully understand what our colleagues' or classmates' family health dynamics are, and we will respect those individuals' choices without judgment or derision.

About the Board's Decision

In their decision, the board was careful to note that the public health crisis surrounding COVID-19 is far from over. This was not an easy decision for our board, and one that they made only after significant thought and discussion. We are incredibly proud of our board and our entire district for handling such a complicated issue – one that has divided communities all around the country for the past two years – with grace, collegiality, and professionalism.