Vaccination/Test Requirements

March 25, 2022

NOTE: Some of this information is outdated. The main COVID-19 Updates page has up-to-date information.

Answers to frequently asked questions about COVID-19 vaccination and testing requirements for accessing our campuses and facilities.

Employees Students Volunteers Campus Partners Clubs and Organizations

Visitors

The College of the Canyons Board of Trustees approved a resolution outlining the requirements visitors must follow at the Valencia and Canyon Country campuses. The following FAQs are a resource for quick information. We will do our best to keep these FAQs current and updated regularly. If you have a question not addressed here, it may be submitted to COVIDquestion@canyons.edu.

As a visitor to campus, we understand you may not be here for long periods of time. Below we outline how you can come to campus.

• Where on campus are masks required to be worn?

  Employees, students and visitors are required to wear face masks in all indoor instructional spaces when they are being used for College of the Canyons courses, plus student services spaces. This includes:

  • All student computer labs
  • Counseling
  • TLC
  • Library
  • Admissions & Records
  • Financial Aid
  • Student Business Office
  • Welcome Center
  • Assessment Center
  • Veteran’s Center
  • EOPS/CalWORKS/Care/INSPIRE
  • Undocumented Resource Center
  • Academic Accommodations Center
  • Student Health Center
  • Campus Life & Student Engagement
  • BaNC
  • Student Employment Office
  • Non-Credit Enrollment Services
  • Athletic training room
  • Locker rooms
• What is considered a face covering? 
  The phrase “face covering” includes material made of common fabric, usually multiple layers of cotton that securely covers the nose and mouth without exhalation valves or vents or a N95 and KN95 mask/respirator. Bandanas and scarves are not permissible face coverings. Individuals who cannot wear a face covering due to a disability or medical condition may instead wear a face shield with drape at the bottom edge that is either form-fitting under the chin or tucked into a shirt or collar.
• Are there any spaces on campus where masks are not required to be worn?

  Although the college follows the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health guidelines and strongly recommends that masks be worn when indoors, they are not required in these spaces or situations:

  • Athletic practices and competitions, not classroom instruction
  • Rehearsals and performances for performing groups (performing arts, speech, etc.)
  • Visitors, community users, and commercial performers in the Performing Arts Center
  • Events such as the Women’s Conference, upcoming events/celebrations
  • In-person board meetings and foundation board meetings
  • University Center partners and programs
  • Civic Center rental locations
  • Academy of the Canyons
  • Communication Center and Mailroom
  • Meetings that are not held in classrooms or student services and support areas
  • Departments and common areas that are not within a student services/support area
• As a visitor to campus, am I required to be vaccinated or have a negative COVID-19 test and wear a face covering to attend an appointment with an advisor, counselor, or others on campus?

  Scheduled in-person appointments require visitors to be vaccinated or show proof of a negative test that was conducted three (3) calendar days prior to the appointment.

• What if I have a religious and medical exemption to being vaccinated?

  The District requires that employees/students either submit proof of vaccination or provide a weekly negative COVID test. If you have a religious or medical exemption to being vaccinated, you must still provide a weekly negative COVID test to be on campus for work or class.

• Which type of COVID test can I get to satisfy the requirement to test weekly?

  The District will accept the results from tests administered by a healthcare provider, including PCR, rapid test and saliva tests. The results must include the provider name, your name, date of the test, date of the result, the result and that the test was taken specifically for COVID. The District will not accept a result from a home COVID test.

• Do I need to show proof of vaccination to complete a quick transaction on campus?

  Yes, if you are visiting a location where you will interact with a person on campus (i.e., Bookstore, BANC location, questions for Admissions and Records). These visits require that visitors be vaccinated or show proof of a negative test that was conducted within three (3) calendar days prior to the appointment.

  An exception applies to vendors who are on timed, regular visits with quick transactions. These vendors include:

  • Garda
  • LACOE Brown Bag
  • Paper Cuts Shredding
  • Pepsi
  • SCV Concessions
• As a visitor, I would like to attend a performance in the Performing Arts Center. Do I need to be vaccinated or test prior to the event?

  At this time, the District is requiring visitors to be vaccinated or show proof of a negative test that was conducted three (3) calendar days prior to the event.

  Students, employees, and volunteers who are participating in these events are required to be vaccinated or have weekly tests to attend these events.

• I would like to attend a sporting event. Do I need to be vaccinated or test prior to the event?

  At this time, College of the Canyons is not requiring spectators to be vaccinated or show proof of a negative test to attend outdoor sporting events on campus. Spectators of outdoor sporting events are required to limit their movements strictly to within the designated sporting area of the specific event they are attending and its associated closest parking areas. Use of restrooms is allowed. Any visitor who leaves the sporting area for any purpose beyond returning to their transportation will be subject to the standard visitor screening process for vaccination or negative test results as outlined above. For indoor events, spectators must wear face coverings and be vaccinated or show proof of a negative test that was conducted within three (3) calendar days of the event.

Volunteers

• Where on campus are masks required to be worn?

  Employees, students and visitors are required to wear face masks in all indoor instructional spaces when they are being used for College of the Canyons courses, plus student services spaces. This includes:

  • All student computer labs
  • Counseling
  • TLC
  • Library
  • Admissions & Records
  • Financial Aid
  • Student Business Office
  • Welcome Center
  • Assessment Center
  • Veteran’s Center
  • EOPS/CalWORKS/Care/INSPIRE
  • Undocumented Resource Center
  • Academic Accommodations Center
  • Student Health Center
  • Campus Life & Student Engagement
  • BaNC
  • Student Employment Office
  • Non-Credit Enrollment Services
  • Athletic training room
  • Locker rooms
• What is considered a face covering? 
  The phrase “face coverings” includes material made of common fabric, usually multiple layers of cotton that securely covers the nose and mouth without exhalation valves or vents or a N95 and KN95 mask/respirator. Bandanas and scarves are not permissible face coverings. Individuals who cannot wear a face covering due to a disability or medical condition may instead wear a face shield with drape at the bottom edge that is either form-fitting under the chin or tucked into a shirt or collar.
• Are there any spaces on campus where masks are not required to be worn?

  Although the college follows the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health guidelines and strongly recommends that masks be worn when indoors, they are not required in these spaces or situations:

  • Athletic practices and competitions, not classroom instruction
  • Rehearsals and performances for performing groups (performing arts, speech, etc.)
  • Visitors, community users, and commercial performers in the Performing Arts Center
  • Events such as the Women’s Conference, upcoming events/celebrations
  • In-person board meetings and foundation board meetings
  • University Center partners and programs
  • Civic Center rental locations
  • Academy of the Canyons
  • Communication Center and Mailroom
  • Meetings that are not held in classrooms or student services and support areas
  • Departments and common areas that are not within a student services/support area
• Do I need to be vaccinated or do weekly COVID-19 testing to volunteer on campus?

  Yes. You must submit your vaccine documentation or weekly negative COVID-19 test results through the Self-Certification Form.

• What if I have a religious and medical exemption to being vaccinated?

  The District requires that employees/students either submit proof of vaccination or provide a weekly negative COVID test. If you have a religious or medical exemption to being vaccinated, you must still provide a weekly negative COVID test to be on campus for work or class.

• Which type of COVID test can I get to satisfy the requirement to test weekly?

  The District will accept the results from tests administered by a healthcare provider, including PCR, rapid test and saliva tests. The results must include the provider name, your name, date of the test, date of the result, the result and that the test was taken specifically for COVID. The District will not accept a result from a home COVID test.

Campus Partners

• As a campus partner, vendor, contractor, or civic center user⁷, do I need to be vaccinated or test prior to being on campus?

  Entity	Compliance Required
  Academy of the Canyons	Must comply with District requirement to provide proof of vaccination or negative test result.
  Auto Fair	Because the Auto Fair is an outdoor event, vendors do not have to provide proof of a negative test weekly.
  Bookstore	Must comply with District requirement to provide proof of vaccination or negative test result.
  Canyons Aquatics	Employees and children entering campus facilities must comply with District requirement to provide proof of vaccination or negative test result. If a parent intends to stay indoors longer than 15 minutes, they must also comply.
  Construction Workers	Because workers at campus construction sites do not interact with students, they do not have to provide proof of vaccination or negative test result.
  ECE/Child Care Center	Employees and children entering the center must comply with District requirement to provide proof of vaccination or negative test result. If a parent intends to stay in the center longer than 15 minutes, they must also comply.
  Farmer’s Market	Because the Farmer’s Market is an outdoor event, vendors do not have to provide proof of vaccination or negative test result.
  Film Crews	Film crews test on a weekly basis as a part of their own protocols. Must comply with District requirement to provide proof of vaccination or negative test result.
  Food Delivery	Individuals delivering food for restaurants, including delivery services such as DoorDash, Grubhub, Uber Eats, Postmates and others, do not have to provide vaccination status or weekly test results. However, they are not allowed to enter college buildings. All deliveries and transactions must occur outdoors.
  Garda	Proof of vaccination or testing is not required for quick transactions of 15 minutes or less.
  ISSI Food Service	Must comply with District requirement to provide proof of vaccination or negative test result.
  L.A. County Office of Education	Proof of vaccination or testing is not required for quick transactions of 15 minutes or less.
  Paper Cuts Shredding	Proof of vaccination or testing is not required for quick transactions of 15 minutes or less.
  Pepsi	Proof of vaccination or testing is not required for quick transactions of 15 minutes or less.
  SCV Concessions	Proof of vaccination or testing is not required for quick transactions of 15 minutes or less.
  SCV Economic Development Corp.	Must comply with District requirement to provide proof of vaccination or negative test result.
  University Center Partners	Must comply with District requirement to provide proof of vaccination or negative test result.

   

• Where on campus are masks required to be worn?

  Employees, students and visitors are required to wear face masks in all indoor instructional spaces when they are being used for College of the Canyons courses, plus student services spaces. This includes:

  • All student computer labs
  • Counseling
  • TLC
  • Library
  • Admissions & Records
  • Financial Aid
  • Student Business Office
  • Welcome Center
  • Assessment Center
  • Veteran’s Center
  • EOPS/CalWORKS/Care/INSPIRE
  • Undocumented Resource Center
  • Academic Accommodations Center
  • Student Health Center
  • Campus Life & Student Engagement
  • BaNC
  • Student Employment Office
  • Non-Credit Enrollment Services
  • Athletic training room
  • Locker rooms
• Are there any spaces on campus where masks are not required to be worn?

  Although the college follows the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health guidelines and strongly recommends that masks be worn when indoors, they are not required in these spaces or situations:

  • Athletic practices and competitions, not classroom instruction
  • Rehearsals and performances for performing groups (performing arts, speech, etc.)
  • Visitors, community users, and commercial performers in the Performing Arts Center
  • Events such as the Women’s Conference, upcoming events/celebrations
  • In-person board meetings and foundation board meetings
  • University Center partners and programs
  • Civic Center rental locations
  • Academy of the Canyons
  • Communication Center and Mailroom
  • Meetings that are not held in classrooms or student services and support areas
  • Departments and common areas that are not within a student services/support area
• What if I have a religious and medical exemption to being vaccinated?

  The District requires that employees/students either submit proof of vaccination or provide a weekly negative COVID test. If you have a religious or medical exemption to being vaccinated, you must still provide a weekly negative COVID test to be on campus for work or class.

• Which type of COVID test can I get to satisfy the requirement to test weekly?

  The District will accept the results from tests administered by a healthcare provider, including PCR, rapid test and saliva tests. The results must include the provider name, your name, date of the test, date of the result, the result and that the test was taken specifically for COVID. The District will not accept a result from a home COVID test.

Notation

7. Excluding the Performing Arts Center.

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Clubs & Organizations

• As a student or faculty member, I would like to attend an in-person club or organization meeting or event. Do I need to be vaccinated or test prior to the event?

  All students and employees who are participating in these in-person events are required to be vaccinated or have weekly tests to attend these events. Students and employees must submit their vaccination card or negative COVID-19 test result three (3) days prior to the in-person meeting or event through the Self-Certification Form.

• What if I have a religious and medical exemption to being vaccinated?

  The District requires that employees/students either submit proof of vaccination or provide a weekly negative COVID test. If you have a religious or medical exemption to being vaccinated, you must still provide a weekly negative COVID test to be on campus for work or class.

• Which type of COVID test can I get to satisfy the requirement to test weekly?

  The District will accept the results from tests administered by a healthcare provider, including PCR, rapid test and saliva tests. The results must include the provider name, your name, date of the test, date of the result, the result and that the test was taken specifically for COVID. The District will not accept a result from a home COVID test.