It has been a busy fall semester for ASI, as the organization mulls over ideas to possibly reopen the BRIC in the spring while working on some capital projects during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The BRIC has been closed ever since the campus’ shift to virtual instruction last March, which continued into the summer and the current fall semester.
Krista Smith, associate executive director at ASI, discussed plans for the BRIC to possibly reopen in the upcoming spring 2021 semester.
“We’re continuing to finalize and prepare in the event that it’s deemed safe to do so, for us to reopen,” Smith said. “That’s a major project for us in that regard in terms of evaluating all of our operating procedures, our emergency response plan, staffing model, operating hours, to be able to reopen.”
Smith also mentioned that with approval from the LA county and support of the university, the BRIC would be allowed to reopen with a 10% maximum capacity. Along with this, ASI anticipates that their hours reflect more of their holiday operating hours as part of the phased reopening.
If the BRIC reopens this spring, ASI will implement a new touchless access system for entering the facility using an app, organize a disinfection plan and provide staff with personal protective equipment.
Fifth-year kinesiology student Carlos Rivas and former operations attendant at the BRIC, expressed his desire to get the BRIC up and running as well as starting work there again. While he has some concerns, Rivas believes that ASI will do its part in assuring students and staff a safe return, noting that staff were required to sanitize equipment even prior to the pandemic.
“We normally had to clean the equipment and everything and once the pandemic started, everybody was aware of it and we sanitized even more,” Rivas said.
Like Rivas, Ahiezer Lopez, a fourth-year electrical engineering student who frequented the BRIC before the pandemic closed the campus, is excited about returning to the BRIC in the spring.
“I’d love the idea of being able to go back to the BRIC and work out,” Lopez said. “It’s a place where I went to often with my friends and I really enjoyed having that CPP community atmosphere. It would give me a chance to be somewhere else besides the house especially since we’re all under quarantine.”
Lopez is also keen on ASI’s plans for reopening when it comes to the issue of safety.
“Of course, the BRIC is a place where a lot of people go and it’d be nice to hear more ideas that would prevent the spreading of COVID,” Lopez said.
