LA Campus Update: March 19
Updated: March 19, 2021 at 1:30pm PT
Dear NYFA LA,
We hope you are doing well as the Spring Semester continues. We encourage you to review the NYFA COVID-19 Health and Campus Guidelines and Information and archived communications to the LA Campus, which are regularly updated on the NYFA Student HUB.
If you have any questions about the information in this LA Campus Update, please email RemoteLearningLA@nyfa.edu.
This LA Campus Update contains important information including:
LA County and Spring Semester Updates
COVID-19 Testing Protocols
Summer Semester Updates
COVID-19 Vaccine Information
LA County and Spring Semester Updates
LA County has now met the threshold for the State’s less restrictive “red tier” that allows for additional re-openings.
NYFA LA has been given permission to resume limited in-person classes on-campus, and will continue to have this permission as long as LA County stays at the “red tier” or lower. NYFA LA is permitted to allow off-campus productions and off-campus production workshops, and will continue to have this permission, as long as LA County and FilmLA give such permission.
As of April 5, 2021, limited in-person classes will resume on-campus. Not all departments and not all cohorts will have on-campus classes during the remainder of Spring Semester. By the end of day on Monday, March 22, each department will contact each cohort about any in-person, on-campus classes that will be scheduled during the final four weeks of Spring Semester.
Students unable to attend in-person classes can attend Spring Semester 2021 classes remotely. However, F1 international students who entered the US for the Spring Semester 2021 must take in-person classes IF they are offered. For questions about your visa status, please contact the International Student Office at lainternational@nyfa.edu.
Any individual participating in any in-person activities, must follow NYFA's COVID Safety Plan and meet NYFA’s requirements for campus entry including:
Self-quarantine for any returning to LA from outside the area
Follow NYFA’s COVID-19 Testing Protocols & Requirements (see more below)
Fill out NYFA’s COVID-19 Symptom Tracker App each day you are scheduled to attend an in-person activity
Sign NYFA’s COVID Acknowledgement and Pledge to Follow Safety Guidelines
Complete NYFA’s COVID-19 Safety Training on the Hub (students) or Paycom (employees)
The State of California and LA County regularly update ordinances and guidance about health and safety. You are encouraged to check these websites for the most up-to-date guidance and information.
COVID-19 Testing Protocols
To ensure the safety of everyone who wishes to participate in any in-person NYFA activity testing is required. COVID-19 testing protocols are as follows:
Prior to your first in-person, on-campus activity:
Before arriving at your first scheduled in-person, on-campus NYFA activity for the Spring Semester, you must submit a NEGATIVE RT-PCR Test administered within 7 days of your first day on-campus.
On-Campus Surveillance Testing:
Individuals who will be attending on-campus activities during the remainder of Spring Semester will be required to participate in on-campus surveillance testing. NYFA has partnered with Binx Health to offer the community access to quality RT-PCR COVID-19 diagnostic testing. Each week approximately 25% of the campus population will be randomly selected to participate in on-campus surveillance testing.
Those selected for surveillance testing will be provided, at no cost, a self-administered nasal swab test on-campus. Read more about surveillance testing here.
Productions (Workshops & Film Shoots):
Per LA County Public Health Appendix J, individuals participating in in-person productions or production workshops must submit a NEGATIVE RT-PCR Test administered within 72 hours of your first day of production.
Single Production: A single test taken within 72 hours of your first day of production will suffice for the week.
Multiple Productions: If you are scheduled for several “Workshops” in the same week, a single test taken within 72 hours of your first day will suffice. However, if you are scheduled for several “student film shoots” in the same week, then a test must be taken within 72 hours of your first day for EACH production.
Per NYFA’s COVID-19 Testing Protocols & Requirements, ONLY results reported from administered RT-PCR COVID-19 Diagnostic Tests will be accepted. Results from Rapid Antigen Tests WILL NOT be accepted.
Here are links to FREE COVID-19 RT-PCR Testing Sites:
Summer Semester Updates
At this time, NYFA LA expects Summer Semester 2021 to be a hybrid of in-person and remote learning.
NYFA LA has been given permission to resume limited in-person classes on-campus, and will continue to have this permission as long as LA County stays at the “red tier” or lower.
NYFA LA will continue to allow off-campus productions and off-campus production workshops for hands-on experience during Summer Semester, as long as FilmLA and LA County are permitting productions.
Students should make decisions about travel and housing that are most comfortable for them, knowing that we will accommodate students for in-person or remote learning.
Students unable to attend in-person classes can attend Summer Semester classes remotely.
Students planning to attend classes in-person must arrive in Los Angeles 10 days before attending their first in person class, to allow for testing and self-quarantine.
Limited in-person, on-campus classes are anticipated to start on May 10, 2021, so students are advised to arrive in Los Angeles no later than April 25, 2021. Students who arrive from outside the LA area after April 25th must quarantine 10 days before attending their first in-person class.
F1 international students who enter the US for Summer Semester 2021 must take in-person classes IF they are offered. For questions about your visa status, please contact the International Student Office at lainternational@nyfa.edu.
Any individual participating in any in-person activities, must follow NYFA's COVID Safety Plan and meet NYFA’s requirements for campus entry including:
Self-quarantine for any returning to LA from outside the area
Follow NYFA’s COVID-19 Testing Protocols & Requirements (see more below)
Fill out NYFA’s COVID-19 Symptom Tracker App each day you are scheduled to attend an in-person activity
Sign NYFA’s COVID Acknowledgement and Pledge to Follow Safety Guidelines
Complete NYFA’s COVID-19 Safety Training on the Hub (students) or Paycom (employees)
COVID-19 Vaccine Information
As of March 1, LA County Department of Public Health opened vaccine eligibility to Educational Workers. Starting on March 15, vaccine eligibility in LA County extended to persons age 16-64 who have certain severe health conditions that put them at the highest risk of getting very sick from COVID-19. After that, LA County plans to move to an age-based strategy.
When you are eligible to receive a vaccine, we encourage all to get vaccinated to protect your health as well as the health of our community. Due to the demand for vaccines, booking an appointment may take some time.
Here are links to make Vaccine Appointments:
Once you are fully vaccinated, you are encouraged to submit a copy of your COVID-19 Vaccination Card to the COVID-19 Administrator at covidteamla@nyfa.edu.
It is not mandatory that you get vaccinated against COVID-19. And it is not mandatory that you share with NYFA your Vaccination Card. However, having records of those community members who are fully vaccinated against COVID-19 will allow NYFA to implement best practice guidelines as they relate to contact tracing, testing, and quarantine protocols for individuals vaccinated against COVID-19.
If you have any questions about the information in this LA Campus Update, please email RemoteLearningLA@nyfa.edu.
Regards,
Dan Mackler
CSO / SVP
Dean of NYFA Los Angeles