Campus Operations for the Next Week

To: The Caltech Community
From: Thomas F. Rosenbaum, President
David A. Tirrell, Provost
Kevin M. Gilmartin, Vice President for Student Affairs

Several wildfires continue to burn and are the source of a considerable amount of smoke, ash, and particulate matter causing poor air quality throughout the region. Campus employees have taken considerable care to ensure that indoor spaces mitigate smoke intrusion by limiting the circulation of outdoor air, deploying air purifiers, and upgrading filtration systems. Yet air quality remains variable throughout the day and overnight.

The Institute plans to return to in-person classroom instruction to the extent possible on Monday, January 13. But because so many members of our community have been displaced, instructors will have the discretion to determine their preferred modality for teaching (in-person, online, or hybrid). For courses taught in-person, course materials should be posted in a manner that makes them available to remote learners. Students who are not able to return to campus should understand that we have returned to in-person learning, but they can take advantage of available remote learning options. The intent is to return fully to in-person learning on Tuesday, January 21.

Employees should work directly with their managers and supervisors to determine the best working arrangements based on the needs and requirements of their role. Supervisors should continue to be flexible and understanding in their arrangements, recognizing that personal circumstances vary significantly.

Over the next week, we will continue to monitor air quality, continue ash clean-up indoors and outside, and work to procure and deploy additional air purifiers for residential spaces and offices where external air circulation, and the smell of smoke, may otherwise be elevated.

Thank you for your continued cooperation and patience as we respond to an evolving situation. Special thanks to our essential personnel, including grounds, custodial, security, facilities, and student affairs colleagues, who have worked tirelessly and at great personal sacrifice to make the campus a safe place for all.