Coronavirus Information and Updates

Domestic/International Travel Update (4/7/21)

The CDC and Los Angeles County continue to urge that everyone avoid nonessential travel during this time when there are hot spots across the country and the world and risk from more infectious variants. Some changes have been made for those individuals who are fully vaccinated.

On April 2, 2021, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) issued guidance related to travelers who have been fully vaccinated. Travelers who are fully vaccinated, meaning two weeks have passed after their second dose for Pfizer or Moderna, or after their single dose of Johnson & Johnson are, however, at lower risk and can now travel and will not be required to test or quarantine upon their arrival in Los Angeles County if they do not have any symptoms of illness.  

Travelers who are not fully vaccinated must quarantine for seven full days after travel if they receive a negative COVID-19 test result taken three to five days after their arrival. If a traveler does not get tested after they arrive in Los Angeles County, they must quarantine for a full 10 days.  All travelers, regardless of their vaccination status, must self-monitor for symptoms for 14 days after their arrival, and should get tested and isolate if they develop symptoms. 

Persons who experience symptoms must contact a medical provider. Any impact to work or classes due to self-quarantine will be mitigated by the use of remote methodologies to ensure the individual can safely meet their obligations. Individuals are instructed to also communicate directly with their supervisor, affected instructor(s) and/or academic department chair and staff (director/coordinator).

If you are an international student and you have already left the U.S., please email international@calarts.edu to discuss your travel itinerary, and any expected or planned date of return so that we can properly update your international student visa records as we are required to do with the U.S. federal government. Failure to inform us so that we can update those records may affect any future re-entry to the U.S. or any future visa applications (of any sort).

International students should also keep up to date on any travel or health advisories from their home countries.

More information can be found on the CDC website. 

Travel Restrictions (9/2/20)

Travel restrictions remain in place for the calendar year. Anyone who has traveled, internationally or outside of California, is required to self-quarantine for 14 days commencing on the day of arrival and monitor their own health. 

Persons who experience symptoms must contact a medical provider. Any impact to work or classes due to self-quarantine will be mitigated by the use of remote methodologies to ensure the individual can safely meet their obligations. Individuals are instructed to also communicate directly with their supervisor, affected instructor(s) and/or academic department chair and staff (director/coordinator).

The CDC and the U.S. Department of State have applied heightened levels of travel warnings and advisories, meaning that there is ongoing community transmission in the U.S., and all travelers (even those who do not leave the country or re-enter from another country) must apply these additional precautions. The specific recommendations from the CDC include:

• All travelers (domestic or international) are required to monitor their health and practice physical distancing for 14 days after returning from travel;
• Travelers (domestic or international) should avoid contact with sick people and wash their hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. If soap and water are not readily available, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer that contains at least 60% alcohol;
• Travelers (domestic or international) who are sick with fever, cough, or have trouble breathing should stay home and call ahead before seeking medical care; and
• Older adults and people of any age with serious chronic medical conditions should consider postponing nonessential travel.

If you are an international student and you have already left the U.S., please email international@calarts.edu to discuss your travel itinerary, and any expected or planned date of return so that we can properly update your international student visa records as we are required to do with the U.S. federal government. Failure to inform us so that we can update those records may affect any future re-entry to the U.S. or any future visa applications (of any sort).

International students should also keep up to date on any travel or health advisories from their home countries.

COVID-19 Travel Policy for Faculty/Staff (7/20/20)

Employees traveling domestically or internationally are subject to these guidelines and the recommendations of medical professionals, public health officials, and institute administrators.  These guidelines are subject to change without notice – we anticipate domestic travel returning before international travel. 

All nonessential Institute-related travel is suspended until further notice. Nonessential travel is defined as travel not requested in writing by the Institute. Essential travel will require the written approval of a Vice President and the President.

While CalArts cannot prevent your personal travel, it will require travelers self-quarantine for 14 days upon their return from travel, whether international or domestic. Anyone intending to travel should be aware of the risks of such travel, including, but not limited to:

• Contracting COVID-19
• being potentially stranded due to government travel restrictions and/or subject to a federally mandated quarantine when the employee returns from travel
• not being allowed to leave a location if a travel ban to/from that location were to be issued; 
• being placed into mandatory quarantine because they show symptoms of the coronavirus or because they have traveled – potentially even if only for a connecting flight – from a location that is considered at-risk; and
• Being subject to in-country quarantine (for international travel) or other disease control measures (for domestic and international travel) that are beyond the control of the Institute.

While the Institute does not expect essential travel, if there is travel that is deemed essential, it must be authorized by an employee’s supervisor and VP/Dean, and approved in writing by a VP/Dean and the President of the Institution. Essential travel is voluntary and there will be no retaliation against an employee who chooses not to travel while this policy is in effect. No employee will be required to travel to a country for which any of the CDC Travel Health Warnings for COVID-19 has been issued. 

Staff or faculty who may need to travel for personal reasons are urged to review the State Department’s Travel Notices and the CDC Travel Health Notices, and to carefully consider whether the value of the travel to them outweighs the risks faced as a result of this travel.

Any staff or faculty member who has travelled internationally or domestically (outside of California) will also be required to self-quarantine for fourteen (14) days (or longer if symptomatic). 

Employees who are subject to quarantine may work from home if feasible or appropriate.  If work at home arrangements are not feasible:

• Employees whose travel was deemed essential may receive administrative leave;
• Employees who need to travel for personal reasons will be required to use accrued vacation, sick leave and/or unpaid personal leave while under the required 14-day self-quarantine.

COVID-19 Travel Policy for CalArts Students  (7/20/20)

Students traveling domestically or internationally are subject to these guidelines and the recommendations of medical professionals, public health officials, and institute administrators.  These guidelines are subject to change without notice – we anticipate domestic travel returning before international travel. 

CalArts will not have any Institute-sponsored travel at this time. 

While CalArts cannot prevent personal travel, it will require travelers self-quarantine for 14 days upon their return from travel, whether international or domestic. Anyone intending to travel should be aware of the risks of such travel, including, but not limited to:

• Contracting COVID-19
• being potentially stranded due to government travel restrictions and/or subject to a federally mandated quarantine when the employee returns from travel
• not being allowed to leave a location if a travel ban to/from that location were to be issued; 
• being placed into mandatory quarantine because they show symptoms of the coronavirus or because they have traveled – potentially even if only for a connecting flight – from a location that is considered at-risk; and
• Being subject to in-country quarantine (for international travel) or other disease control measures (for domestic and international travel) that are beyond the control of the Institute.

Students who may need to travel for personal reasons are urged to review the State Department’s Travel Notices and the CDC Travel Health Notices, and to carefully consider whether the value of the travel to them outweighs the risks faced as a result of this travel.

Any staff or faculty member who has travelled internationally or domestically (outside of California) will be required to self-quarantine for fourteen (14) days (or longer if symptomatic). Every effort will be made to ensure that this self-quarantine does not adversely affect a student’s coursework - and the Institute will work with students to ensure there is no gap in educational continuity. However, students should be aware that travel outside of California, and the subsequent self-quarantine, will result in a student being unable to access the CalArts’ campus for the duration of the self-quarantine - including studios, lockers, etc.