Coronavirus (COVID-19) Student Affairs Updates

Last updates 10:20 am 05/01/20

This page contains updates on services within the Division of Student Affairs. Please also see the campus coronavirus information page for more updates and the campus FAQ page for general questions. For specific information about housing, please visit our COVID-19 housing page. 

By now you’ve probably seen the campus messages from Chancellor Christ extending remote instruction through the end of the semester. This is designed to help limit coronavirus (COVID-19) risk. If you haven’t read it, please do. The information section below gives you more guidance.

The facts related to COVID-19 at UC Berkeley are changing rapidly, so it’s important to keep checking in. Please read all email communications. The campus is also busy updating websites to keep you informed. The most up-to-date information can be found online on the campus coronavirus information webpage.

General questions

• What if I have concerns about the coronavirus? University Health Services (UHS) has a useful FAQ page with details on how to stay healthy and what to do if you think you may be sick.
  • If you think you may be sick, and are not sure whether you need to come in, call the Nurse Advice Line (24/7) at 510-43-7197
• Is the campus closing? No. Campus buildings will remain open, and many campus units, including student housing, dining, health services, and counseling and psychological services, will continue to provide services, though some services may be modified. Please pay attention to future communications in case this changes.
• What’s different? We are moving away from most in-person classes (please read communications from your instructors), canceling large gatherings, and rescheduling other gatherings, encouraging people to respect some social distance, and doing some meetings remotely. Please continue to read campus emails, and check the campus coronavirus information page. 
• I'm hearing various rumors, are they true? We want to point out that some reports circulating in our community are mere rumors with no basis in fact. When sharing information with others we encourage students to rely on confirmed information from official sources such as campus emails and messages on the campus coronavirus information page. We realize that multiple conflicting reports can add to anxiety and distress - we are maintaining Counseling and Psychological Services appointments and walk-ins to the extent possible, and continue staffing our Primary Care clinics with behavioral health providers as we understand physical and behavioral symptoms can go hand-in-hand.

Cal Housing and Cal Dining

For specific information about housing, please visit our COVID-19 housing page. For dining updates please visit the Cal Dining information page.

• Do students need to stay on campus? Students can choose to remain in Berkeley or leave, depending on what is best for them. We will support their choices.
• What steps are Cal Housing and Cal Dining taking to prevent the spread of germs?
  • ​Staff is focusing on cleaning tables and touch points throughout our facilities. This includes: Hourly wipe-down of touch areas, e.g. building entrances and exits, elevator buttons, light switches, etc.; Increasing wipe-down of common area tables; Utilizing hospital-grade disinfectant/detergent that is a cleaner, sanitizer, fungicide, mildewstat, and virucide.
  • Staff are instructed to wash hands frequently. This is currently part of production standards with staff washing hands between tasks, after taking breaks, between changing gloves and as required by health code.
  • Culinary staff wear disposable nitrile gloves anytime they are producing a product that is ready to eat for the consumer. They also use gloves when serving the customer.
  • Dining has several stations throughout each facility that provide sanitizer to guests
• What if I need housing options? If you are returning to Berkeley now (for example from a study abroad program) and need housing options, please contact Cal Housing at reshall@berkeley.edu. The Cal Housing team can assist you with options. 
• Do I need to move out of my residence? No. You may remain in your on-campus residence. 
• Will there be Cal Dining services? Yes, Cal Dining services will continue to operate, although there may be modifications to services or hours of operations. Check the Cal Dining website for the latest updates. 

University Health Services

• Will I be able to access health care at University Health Services? Yes. University Health Services (UHS) also has a useful FAQ page with details on how to stay healthy and what to do if you think you may be sick. If you think you may be sick, and are not sure whether you need to come in, call the Nurse Advice Line (24/7) at 510-43-7197.
• Other UHS resources:
  • Managing Fear PDF
  • Staying Healthy 
  • UHS coronavirus update
• ​​Mental Health Resources: Counselors at University Health Services (UHS) at the Tang Center are available on a drop-in basis for urgent concerns: Counseling and Psychological Services website or 510-42-9494 (after hours counseling line 855-817-566 ).

Other campus well-being resources:

Please visit deanofstudents.berkeley.edu/well-being. For help navigating our many resources, please contact: deanofstudents@berkeley.edu.

• What should I do if I have studied abroad and am returning to campus? Please visit http://studyabroad.berkeley.edu/alerts for information.
• What should I do if I have Basic Needs questions or need resources? 
• The Basic Needs Center serves as a resource hub for undergraduate and graduate students who need support around their food, housing and financial needs. Services include case management, emergency housing, CalFresh and emergency food resources, as well as basic needs drop-in services. If you or someone you know is in immediate need of emergency food, housing or financial resources, please email basicneedssupport@berkeley.edu or call 510-859-7507 (MON-FRI 9-6 PM) for immediate support. 
  • Will the Food Pantry be open? Yes, however note that Basic Needs Center is transitioning from a daily food pantry operation to a weekly operation. Basic Needs Center/Food Pantry COVID-19 updates are here: tinyurl.com/UCB-BNC-C19

More Student Affairs Details and Information

Campus Travel Guidelines

Please read the recent campus message with travel guidelines.

Technology Needs

The University wishes to ensure that all students have equitable access to the technology resources they need to support research, teaching, and learning during the COVID-19 pandemic.
If the technology resources you have available to you do not enable your effective participation in remote instruction or other academic work, please consider the following resources.

• Take advantage of special student discounts on devices from major retailers.
  • Ensure any device purchased meets Minimum Security Standards for Networked Devices.
  • If you need additional funds to purchase a computing device, you may request a cost of living adjustment.
• Indicate you have an unmet need in this technology needs assessment. We will follow-up with you to try to meet your needs with a low-cost or free option, if available.
• Check availability for semester-long check-out of devices from Moffitt (details to be provided here soon).

UPDATE: Please also see the new Off Campus Internet Access page, about providing the campus community with resources for free or reduced cost internet access when off campus.

Cal Housing

If you are returning to Berkeley now and need housing options, please contact Cal Housing at reshall@berkeley.edu. The Cal Housing team can assist you with options. 
IMPT: Students and their families can still move out during the "shelter in place"
Also, please see our COVID-19 Housing FAQs

Cal Dining

Please visit Cal Dining's COVID-19 information site for the latest updates .

Financial Aid and Scholarships Office 

If you have any financial aid-related questions, including about impacts to your financial aid, or  about emergency loans, please open a case online as soon as possible . 

Office of Undergraduate Admissions

OUA offices will be closed through at least May 1, 2020. Please check back for further updates. 

ASUC Student Union
 

ALL Student Union buildings will be closed at least through May 3, 2020.  This closure impacts Anthony Hall and Anna Head Alumnae Hall as well. Visit the ASUC Studnt Union website for details. 

The Amazon store in the Student Union remains open for pick-up and drop off from 9am-9pm everyday.

Events: All events and meetings in the Student Union (including Anna Head Alumnae Hall and Anthony Hall) will be canceled or rescheduled as appropriate. Your event coordinator will be in touch with you as needed. Please reach out to your event coordinator if you have questions. 

Dean of Students Office

For updates, visit the Dean of Students website. 

Also, if you are looking for ways to give back to your community, get involved, or just looking for creative activities, visit the Dean of Students Give Back, Get Engaged During COVID-19.

Recreational Sports

Rec Sports will extend it's closure of all facilities, programs, and services at least through Sunday May 30, 2020. This decision is in support of our campus’s efforts to limit the opportunity of community transmission of COVID-19. For the latest visit the Rec Sports updates website.

Rec Sports is offering a collection of free resources, virtual classes and online videos to the UC Berkeley community. Visit recsports.berkeley.edu/online to find something today.

LEAD Center

For the latest visit the LEAD center's info website. 

University Village Albany (UVA) details:

• All private reservations of the Crossroads room are canceled. We will not be accepting reservations until the semester ends. We are making that decision so that our custodial team can focus their attention on our high-use areas, and so that we limit the number of large gatherings in our space.
• With the exception of Village Office services that MUST be provided in person (move in, lockouts, etc), I request that you call at 510-526-8505. or email at village@berkeley.edu. You may also place work orders online at maintenance.housing.berkeley.edu. Our door will be locked, so please knock for service if you require in-person service. If you are not sure if you need to come in, please call first.
• All evening sports and events at Community Center have been cancelled. Fitness classes, youth recreation classes, Afterschool University, BearBus and rentals will continue as of right now. ECEP remains open.
• Our maintenance staff will continue to make service calls in response to maintenance requests. Please notify staff if any household member is ill at home, as we may ask to defer service for non-emergency situations. We have temporarily reduced staffing which limits our ability to complete all but the most urgent service calls quickly.
• All scheduled in-person appointments with the UVA Social Services team (Zenaida Hernandez, LCSW and Jason Straussman, Social Work Fellow) will continue as scheduled unless otherwise specified. They are providing the option of phone appointments to those of you who already have established care with them. The exception to meeting in person is if you are experiencing ANY symptoms of illness. If you come to a session sick, you may be asked to reschedule your appointment. At that time, they can also help direct you to any medical support that you might need. If you are a first-time client, they ask that you reschedule your in-person session once you have recovered. As always, they are available by phone for consultation or answering any questions as it relates to your care.
• The Social Services team will not be holding Drop-In (Let's Talk) sessions until further notice. All in-person group meetings, Parent Cafes, and Play Dates are canceled.
• For crisis concerns, CAPS will still have crisis drop-in at the Tang Center (3rd floor). You can call 510-642-9494 with any questions regarding that service.
• For all UVA departments, please expect delayed service as we attempt to limit non-essential in-person contact and manage staff illness.

Cal 1 Card

Cal 1 Card has intentionally shut down the self-service check-in kiosks on the first floor to eliminate the risk-factor posed by the touch-screen interface. Instead, visitors will be manually signed in at our work stations as they arrive.

• The Cal 1 Card office will be only open on Tuesdays and Thursdays for in-person support services until further notice.
• The Cal 1 Card office will be only open on Tuesdays and Thursdays for in-person support services from 11am - 3pm until further notice.
• Cal 1 Card career staff will be remotely Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays responding to email requests for Cal 1 Card assistance via cal1card@berkeley.edu and CalNet Tier 1 support services via calnet@berkeley.edu until further notice.
• The Cal 1 Card office will be providing in-person support services by appointment only via the online flex-appointment scheduler until further notice. If there are extenuating circumstances that prevent you from making an online appointment ahead of time, please provide those details by emailing cal1card@berkeley.edu or calling our office main number 510-643-6839.
• Cal 1 Card will be accepting debit card refunds upon request. We will waive our normal refund fee during the Coronavirus Pandemic until further notice. However, please note that your Cal 1 Card funds don't expire, and you may wish to consider keeping them for use upon return to the university. We typically only recommend refunds for those who are graduating or leaving the university permanently. Please note that due to limited staffing on campus, refund requests may take longer than usual to process.

Early Childhood Education Program (ECEP) 

After careful consideration of both our ECEP families and our staff safety concerns during this challenging Coronavirus pandemic, we have decided to close ECEP starting Monday, March 16 until further notice. For more details visit the ECEP website.