It is time for Cerritos College to allow the campus to move forward. Other campuses have removed testing and vaccine requirements for both students and staff, such as  Mount Sac, Rio Hondo, College of the Canyons, Citrus, CSUDH, Riverside Community College District, Coast Community College District, along with the 2nd largest school district in the Nation LAUSD. LAUSD is also ending indoor mask requirements, weekly testing, and daily check-ins.

We demand the complete removal of BP 2905 which was implemented “to fulfill these statutory obligations and to protect the campus community from further spread of the SARS CoV-2 (COVID-19) virus and its variants” which is outdated and ineffective, regardless of vaccination status anyone can catch the virus. This policy has been divisive and has created a hostile working environment. Employees are dealing with enormous stress and anxiety relating to the hassles of testing and daily check-ins. The uncertainty of knowing whether you will get your test back in time, dealing with closed locations, long lines, and even out-of-pocket expenses. If everyone who entered campus was tested, then it would make sense to leave the protocols in place. But only employees who submitted their exemption are discriminated against and are forced to test to be allowed on campus! Moving forward visitors and vendors will not be required to test or complete a check-in.

As an inner-city Community College that represents underserved and underrepresented populations in both its employees and student body, Cerritos needs to remove barriers to higher education, not implement them. A large number of students are stressed about not having any available online classes to take because they are not allowed on campus! Many are going to other campuses to take classes while they continue to take some online classes at Cerritos. This is not showing equality to our students!

To satisfy the district’s responsibility to provide safe working conditions as required by California law that “requires the Board of Trustees to cooperate with Los Angeles County Public Health Department”, the policy for covid testing should be universal and everyone should be forced to test if BP 2905 stays in place!