Latest Updates:
Updates from Westcliff University President
Date: March 30, 2020
Dear Westcliff Family,
As the news continues to change everyday, I feel it is important to stay in touch with everyone regarding the goings-on at Westcliff University. I am unbelievably proud of how well our staff, students, and faculty have adapted to our 100% online classes and fully remote working environment. We are a university defined in part by our ability to acclimate quickly to change and maintain a high level of quality and service in the process. I can personally attest to the work our leadership team continues to put in to make sure we are able to continue moving forward as university and a family during these difficult times.
With news of a massive governmental relief package being signed into law today, I do hope this provides some support to those of you impacted by COVID-19. These certainly are unprecedented conditions for the entire world, and I am so impressed with those of you who continue pursuit of your educational goals despite all of the distractions and disruptions this pandemic has brought on all of our lives.
For those of you who live close to the Westcliff main campus, Orange County announced a phone hotline for residents to call with questions about COVID-19. That number is (833) 426-6411. Please use it if you have questions about the pandemic, the county’s response, or any other related matters.
Added Security
Zoom has become quite a popular tool for both the business world and the rest of academia in the past few weeks. With that added popularity comes some additional risk of unauthorized individuals gaining access to our Zoom accounts. To ensure the security of our classrooms, Westcliff has implemented a password protection for each Zoom session starting on Monday, March 30. This password can be located in GAP right next to the Zoom link. We expect this additional security measure will be sufficient in blocking any unauthorized access to our accounts. The entire Technology department has done and continues to do extraordinary work supporting our student and faculty transition to online classes and remote work.
Academic Resource Center
Westcliff has made the Academic Resource Center (ARC) remotely available to all Westcliff students with both a scheduled appointment process and drop-in times. Our ARC specialists have been very busy coordinating and providing academic support services to our students. Students have logged many hours in the ARC getting additional support in their pursuit of academic success at Westcliff. I encourage all students interested in additional academic support to schedule time with an ARC specialist today.
Stress Awareness Month
How timely it is that April is Stress Awareness Month. For students experiencing additional stress related to COVID-19 or for those just looking to manage general stress more effectively, Westcliff will be sharing strategies for stress management throughout the month of April. I encourage every Westcliff student, faculty, and staff member to put their health (including their mental health) as a top priority during these trying times. We are inherently social creatures, and the social isolation many of us might be experiencing right now can take its toll. Stay on the lookout for more from our Student Services department on strategies for effective stress management.
We will get through this together! Please do not hesitate to let me or other members of our leadership, staff, or faculty know if there is anything Westcliff can do for you as we wait out the COVID-19 pandemic and look forward to a return to normalcy when it is deemed safe to do so. My best to you all.
Regards,
Dr. Anthony Lee
President/CEO
Updates from Westcliff University President
Date: March 20, 2020
Dear Westcliff Family,
Yesterday, California Governor Gavin Newsom announced a “Stay-At-Home” order applicable to all businesses deemed non-critical or non-essential. Westcliff University remains fortunate in our ability to continue providing students with high quality distance education and remote support services even under these statewide conditions. The staff and faculty of Westcliff are working tirelessly to ensure we stay updated on the COVID-19 pandemic and what we can do to meet the needs of the Westcliff family.
Additional Resources
Students are encouraged to visit the Westcliff University COVID-19 website (https://www.westcliff.edu/covid-19/) which was established for the explicit purpose of providing all Westcliff stakeholders access to information and resources. This site is being refreshed regularly to ensure that all parties are aware of the most recent updates on the university’s response to the pandemic and are provided with access to resources to ensure they are able to get their essential needs met.
Students seeking additional answers to questions they have should reach out to StudentServices@westcliff.edu. Faculty and staff should contact hr@westcliff.edu or their manager with any additional questions or concerns.
Update on Commencement
Given the uncertainty surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic and after careful consultation with my leadership team, I have made the decision to postpone the 2020 commencement ceremony. A new date has yet to be determined, but I will alert our entire academic community when that new date has been established. Thank you for your understanding regarding the very difficult decision to delay the celebration of our university’s graduates. It is something I look forward to every year, and yet I felt the postponement was necessary until we have a clearer picture of the future as it pertains to the safety of travel, congregation, and interaction.
A Word On Social Responsibility
Much has been said about COVID-19 and how businesses, schools, and governments are responding to the pandemic. As an institution of higher education, Westcliff University encourages all members of the Westcliff family to do their own due diligence and critical reasoning in researching factual information about the virus and what the response efforts are intended to accomplish.
Of particular importance is observing the responsibility we owe to one another. By all accounts, most people who get this virus will not suffer greatly from it; however, many of us are expected to be carriers (roughly 56% of California’s population per Governor Newsom’s report this week), and even those who are not in high-risk categories can pass it on to those who are. I implore all members of the Westcliff family to do right by one another and the rest of your communities by adhering to social distancing and refraining from interaction outside of your households whenever possible. The spread of this outbreak is projected to place a great burden on our healthcare system, and the more we do to prevent further spread translates to more people getting access to the healthcare they need.
Westcliff University is an institution defined by caring, and now is the time for us to demonstrate this caring through our actions and behaviors. Please join me in doing our part to reduce the speed of this outbreak so that resources remain available for those who need them.
As always, I’m available as well if you need anything at all.
Kind regards,
Dr. Anthony Lee
President/CEO
Message From The President
Date: March 16, 2020
Dear Westcliff Family,
As new information continues to emerge about the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, Westcliff University has made the decision to extend the transition of all classes to 100% online the entire remainder of the Spring 2020 semester. All Westcliff classes will be 100% online through April 26, 2020.
In addition, Westcliff University is taking additional precautions to support the well-being of all stakeholders by closing the Cerritos and Irvine campuses effective March 17, 2020. The date to reopen the campuses is to-be-determined, and only certain staff members will be permitted on campus during this time.
All university services remain available remotely, and students are advised to consult with their advisors as needed to ensure they are able to get their educational needs met. In addition, please use the following email addresses to gain access to university services:
Technology support: techgroup@westcliff.edu
Student Services: studentservices@westcliff.edu
Financial Aid: financialaid@westcliff.edu
Office of the Registrar: registrar@westcliff.edu
Admissions: admissions@westcliff.edu
Career Services: wucareerservices@westcliff.edu
Billing Department: billing@westcliff.edu
For students seeking additional academic support, please reach out to your faculty member or to the Westcliff Academic Resource Center (ARC) at arc@westcliff.edu.
To book an appointment with an ARC specialist – https://westcliffarc.youcanbook.me
To virtually “stop by” the ARC and ask a question – https://zoom.us/j/2788077984 (between the hours of 10am-3pm PDT)
Westcliff University continues to have zero reported instances of COVID-19 positive tests among staff, faculty, and students. Our goal is to do our part to support our community as a whole to stay safe, healthy, and avoid overburdening our healthcare system.
Please do your best to focus on your studies and continue striving for academic excellence. Westcliff is here for you, Westcliff believes in you, and Westcliff is extremely proud of the achievements and the perseverance of all of its Warriors!
Regards,
Dr. Anthony Lee
President/CEO
Message From The President
Date: March 12, 2020
Dear Westcliff Family,
In the wake of escalating concerns regarding the coronavirus (COVID-19), Westcliff University has decided to move up its transition to all classes being 100% online. The new effective date for this transition is March 13, 2020.
No member of the Westcliff University staff, faculty, and students has tested positive for COVID-19. However, the university understands that the risks of the virus spreading have increased, and it is our goal to accommodate all of our stakeholders with their health and well-being as our highest priority.
As with the announcement yesterday, all classes are still being held at the same days and times with some minor adjustments (see previous communication).
Please direct any and all questions StudentServices@westcliff.edu.
Regards,
Dr. Anthony Lee
President/CEO
Message From The President
Date: March 11, 2020
Dear Westcliff family,
My leadership team and I have been closely monitoring the impact that the Coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) has had on our academic community, our region, and the world. The spread of this virus has captured the public’s attention and dominated our news, our conversations, and our concerns for each other’s health and well-being. At this time, we have no reported instances of COVID-19 among the faculty, staff, and students of Westcliff University. However, the flurry of updates I receive from and send to our Emergency Response Team underlines to me both the significance of what is happening and the dedication the staff and faculty at Westcliff have for the safety of one another.
We are fortunate to live in an age of technology in which we are able to minimize the potential for the spread of this virus without significantly disrupting our way of life. Westcliff, in particular, is well-suited to make accommodations for our stakeholders given the existing integration of technology in our processes thus far.
Westcliff Class Adjustments
Rising levels of student and faculty concern coupled with adjustments from our regulatory bodies (for which we are quite grateful) have led us to the following decision:
- To ensure that we do our part to protect the welfare of our students, faculty, and staff, all classes which currently have an onsite component (including study hall sessions for student-athletes) are transitioning to fully online, effective Monday, March 16.
- All sessions that were previously held onsite are going to be maintained at the same day and time (with some minor adjustments – students should check your Westcliff email for details) and with the same attendance requirements, but will be conducted remotely using videoconferencing technology (Zoom).
Students who lack access to the technological resources needed to participate in an online class (which may include a desktop or laptop with camera, a tablet, or a smartphone) should contact StudentServices@westcliff.edu to explore what options may exist for them.
At this time, the shift to hosting all classes online is effective through Week Four of the current session (which ends on March 28), though the situation will continue to be monitored closely and any updates will be shared with you as soon as they are available.
Campuses Remain Open
During this time, the Westcliff campuses remain open, and students are welcome to come to campus for advising, tutoring, computer lab use, and other services, with the following exceptions:
- Students experiencing any symptoms of illness should avoid going to campus until their symptoms have completely cleared.
- Students who have been in contact with someone with symptoms of illness should avoid going to campus until at least 14 days after their last point of contact with someone who is symptomatic.
- Students who have traveled internationally should avoid going to campus until they have been back in the US for 14 days.
Students may also access many services remotely through GAP or email. For example, tutoring services can be set up remotely through GAP in each class and facilitated over Zoom.
We have made these decisions based primarily on our concern for the health and welfare of our students, staff, and faculty. Please take every preventative measure possible to keep yourself and those around you healthy.
US Center for Disease Control (CDC) Guidance on Prevention https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/about/prevention-treatment.html
If you develop flu-like symptoms, please seek medical attention immediately. Students with questions about available healthcare services should contact StudentServices@westcliff.edu.
For more information, please visit www.westcliff.edu/covid-19.
Regards,
Dr. Anthony Lee
President/CEO