University Housing Services (UHS) and the University Village strongly encouraged students to return home on Mar. 20 in response to the Los Angeles County “Safe at Home” order due to the COVID-19 pandemic. UHS will remain open to students who choose to stay, but they must abide by new rules and guidelines.
For students still living on campus, resources available to them have limited hours now. Centerpointe Dining Commons and the Vista Market are the only on-campus dining options for students, both with takeout options only. Centerpointe Dining Commons now only allows 10 people to receive their food at a time. Other customers must wait by the door for their turn.
As well, the UHS office has limited hours. The main UHS office is open 8 a.m. to noon, Monday through Friday. For package pickups, Secoya (Building 74) is open from noon to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday.
UHS residents are not allowed to have visitors within their rooms and suites, due to Gov. Gavin Newsom’s “Safe at Home” order. The only visitors that are allowed are those helping a resident move out.
For some students, the recommendation for students to move out of their dorms did not come as a surprise.
“I kind of figured that the school was going to be closed based on the other schools,” said Kyle Recker, a second-year architecture student and resident of Vista Sol in the residential suite. “It wasn’t a big surprise.”
(Elizabeth Hernandez | The Poly Post)
College campuses nationwide have adhered to COVID-19 prevention by transitioning students to online classes and sending them home. Students at CPP expected the campus would follow the same pattern in order to slow the spread of COVID-19 and ensure the well-being of the community.
Although students understand the severity of the situation, some are upset. The transition from moving out and continuing classes online has been difficult for some.
“I’m kind of upset due to not wanting my last semester at CPP ending like this,” said Damar Blanchet, a fourth-year kinesiology student and resident of Vista Bonita in the residential suites. “I was ready to enjoy the last few weeks with my friends and then all of a sudden we had to say goodbye with knowing I might not see them anymore.”
In order to accommodate students who decided to leave, UHS will send partial refunds through those students’ Bronco accounts. As well, UHS employees are still available to answer any concerns student residents have, whether they still live on campus or not.
UHS has also been accommodating and understanding toward its student employees.
“Housing was very good and understanding of the situation of their workers,” said Kyle Jackson, a second-year business student and business services student assistant for UHS. “Many (student employees) were working in person and I heard about online work coming soon.”
UHS student employees’ jobs usually include answering students concerns, handling clerical work for the UHS office and tending to the needs of residents.
Due to most employees moving back home, UHS will offer its student employees the option to work from home soon as well. It has yet to be decided what kind of work will be offered or when it will become available.
Despite some student housing employees returning home, essential residential advisors and student assistants continue to work on campus.
They still perform their work in person and help students that remain in housing while taking sanitary precautions.
Students still have the option to move out of their university housing.
To cancel a housing contract, students need to log in to their housing portal and fill out the “Petition to Cancel” form.