Board of Trustees Passes Resolution to Develop District COVID-19 Vaccination/Testing Program

At its Special Board Meeting on August 4, the Cerritos College Board of Trustees passed a resolution outlining COVID-19 safety protocols for in-person attendance this fall. The resolution will take effect on August 5 through the conclusion of the academic year through June 30, 2022, with implementation set for September 30, 2021. The Board will re-convene on August 18 to discuss the District’s plan for execution.

Nearly three weeks after the statewide relaxation of pandemic-related mandates and protocols on June 15, COVID-19 cases across California and Los Angeles County have surged again due to the emergence of the Delta variant. As a result, on July 26, the State of California announced a requirement for all state and health care workers at in-person work environments to show proof of negative COVID-19 infection weekly or have received full vaccination.  

Governor Newsom encouraged all local government employers to adopt a protocol to combat the spread of COVID-19 to protect vulnerable communities, similarly, requiring weekly test results or proof of vaccination. The District’s leadership team, including representatives from all campus constituent groups, recommended the District implement a similar local vaccination/testing program for the safety of the portion of the Cerritos College community returning to campus. 

With the resolution, the Board directs President/Superintendent Dr. Jose Fierro to develop a District vaccination/testing program that minimizes administrative hurdles while providing the safest possible environment for students, staff, and faculty as the campus reopens. 

“Given the science and the circumstances, it only makes sense for Cerritos College to follow in lockstep with so many other public and private entities across the state,” said James Cody Birkey, president of the Cerritos College Board of Trustees. “We trust that as more and more of us become vaccinated, the overall risk to our in-person campus community will decrease. In the meantime, a comprehensive, but streamlined vaccination/testing program will greatly improve the health and safety of our students, staff, faculty — and their loved ones. Safety is unequivocally the top priority for in-person attendance this fall.”