Dear SDSU Community,

We are very pleased that more than 1,500 students have been tested since we announced the on-campus COVID-19 testing requirement on Tuesday. This is a wonderful turnout and more than we expected in just a few days. Further, despite this increase in daily testing, the rate of new cases being identified continues to decline.

This, among other measures, indicates that the public health plan we have in place is working. Our epidemiology and infectious disease faculty are working closely with county public health partners. Our on campus students are largely following guidance to protect themselves and others. We thank all of you.

Also, our health metrics show that cases within the SDSU community alone do not move the county into the state’s “purple” monitoring tier, the more restrictive tier. San Diego County case counts have continued to increase since Labor Day, even when excluding all on- and off-campus cases among SDSU students.

We invite you to read our full message online. It contains additional information about the SDSU testing requirement, about how cases are counted on and off campus, our regional situation, and what we must continue to do to reduce the spread.

SDSU began this semester with only 7% of classes occurring with some in-person or hybrid component. This percentage has been further reduced to 1% of all classes since Sept. 3, with the beginning of the four week pause. To date, and because of these proactive efforts, there have been no positive COVID-19 cases associated with on-campus research or instruction.

Our testing priorities, new testing requirements, and also our surveillance testing model are important tools that are part of our ongoing efforts. Many of these were initiated prior to the start of the fall semester. It is critical to take everyday actions and change our behaviors to protect ourselves and others in our community.

"With a strong plan and unique county partnership in place, SDSU is appropriately addressing what it can control: its on campus community, where the positivity remains quite low compared to those in the general community. And while most other universities do not report any cases that occur among their off campus students, SDSU has been incredibly transparent. This makes comparisons difficult. This is a global pandemic and a national issue for college campuses across the system and the country. There is also difficulty in controlling the behavior of young people everywhere who don’t see this as a health threat. This is not unique to SDSU." - Jack McGrory California State University Board of Trustees Member

We know that wearing a facial covering, washing our hands frequently, physically distancing and avoiding large gatherings is the best we can do to minimize the risk of infection and transmission. This is true whether you are on campus, at the grocery store, exercising in a public setting, or visiting a restaurant for takeout.

We thank you, and we deeply appreciate everything you are doing in support of your own health and the health of our community.

Adela de la Torre, Ph.D.
San Diego State University President

J. Luke Wood, Ph.D.
Vice President for Student Affairs and Campus Diversity

Eyal Oren, Ph.D.
Interim Director of the School of Public Health

Christian J. Holt
Associated Students President