November 9, 2018 – Campus closure update

To: Faculty and Staff
From: President Gayle Hutchinson

After significant and careful consideration of many factors, including fire conditions, air quality, and impacts to our faculty, staff, and students, classes are suspended until Monday, November 26, following the fall break.

While the campus continues to remain safe from the fire and no evacuation warnings for our area have been issued, campus operations also will remain closed to faculty, staff, and student employees through Friday, November 16, except for essential personnel. During closure, emergency campus closure leave shall be granted to all employees who were scheduled to work. Students living in the residence halls who choose to remain on campus will have instruction from University Housing and receive an email with pertinent information. All students who remain in Chico should look to their email for programming that will be available to them during this time.

Faculty, staff, and management who cannot return to campus after November 16 need to notify their supervisors and/or deans, who can also answer questions about the campus closure.

Please continue to check email throughout the break for updates and information. Also be on the lookout for a survey we will be sending to all University community members via email that will help us learn more about how we might help people recover from this unprecedented disaster. Academic Affairs will be providing follow-up information to instructors as soon as possible that will address schedule disruption, learning outcomes, and related details.

Air quality has degraded, and we expect that to continue in the coming days. Campus community members who stay in the Chico area should try to remain indoors with filtered air or use an N95 mask. For the latest road conditions and fire status, visit the Cal Fire incident page.

During your time away from campus, please check in with one another, and as you are able to, consider helping others. We know our students, faculty, and staff have been severely impacted by the fire, many have been displaced, and others are supporting loved ones who were impacted. We look forward to sharing details with how we will support affected members of our Wildcat community as Butte County recovers from this tragedy.

Counseling services will continue to be available. Students can call the Counseling and Wellness Center 24/7 at 530-898-6345. Faculty and staff can also utilize 24/7 counseling through the Employee Assistance Program at 1-800-367-7474 or mylifematters.com (password: csuchico).

We all need the support and the empathy that always have made our University and the North State a strong and a caring community—one that will grow even stronger as we help our family members, friends, neighbors, and one another rebuild in the months and years to come.

I thank each one of you for the grace, strength, and compassion you have shown one another during this difficult time. I have never been more proud to be part of the Chico State community.