October 21, 2022

Los Rios Board Votes to End Vaccine Mandate

At their Wednesday night meeting, the Los Rios Board of Trustees voted to end our district’s COVID-19 vaccination requirement for employees and students as soon as practicable. District and college staff have already begun the process of operationalizing this decision, and will provide more information about specific implications in the days and weeks ahead. In the meantime, the current vaccine requirement remains in place.

In their decision, the Board was careful to note that the public health crisis surrounding COVID-19 is far from over, and Los Rios will continue to heed the relevant guidance from state and local public health experts relating to measures to mitigate the spread of infection. We will also continue to strongly encourage that all students and employees get vaccinated and stay up to date with the most current booster regimens, though it will no longer be a condition of enrollment in on-ground classes or of employment.

This was not an easy decision for our Board, and one that they made only after significant thought and discussion. We are incredibly proud of our Board and our entire Los Rios community for handling such a complicated issue -- one that has divided communities all around the country for the past 2 years -- with grace, collegiality and professionalism.

As more information is available about the operational impacts of this decision, as well as next steps regarding our campaigns to continue keeping our community healthy and safe, we will share it with you all.

So Fresh!

Did you know that two in five students qualify for CalFresh? CalFresh can help you buy food and eat healthier. An eligible student will get $234 each month, it won’t affect your financial aid, and you don’t need your parent's tax return information to apply! 

Find out more and apply at the Students CalFresh Portal.

LGBT History Month

October is LGBT History Month, an annual month-long observance of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) history, which includes the history of the gay rights and related civil rights movements and celebrates the contributions of the LGBTQ+ community. To commemorate LGBT History Month, learn more about 31 LGBT icons including youth activist Jazz Jennings, WNBA all-star Sue Bird, CNN news anchor Victor Blackwell, Jeopardy champion Amy Schneider, and author Hans Christian Andersen.

Internship Info Month Wraps Up

Next week is the final week of Internship Info Month events hosted by the Los Rios Work Experience and Internship Program. Don’t miss out on this opportunity to learn about available, quality, local internships and the organizations that are offering them!

The final events include:

Accounting Internships with Frank, Rimerman + Co.

Monday, October 24, 12:00 to 1:00 pm

Register in Advance

Paid Internship With 3Fold Communications

Tuesday, October 25, 12:00 to 1:00 pm

Register in Advance

Kaiser Permanente’s KP LAUNCH Internship Program

Thursday, October 27, 12:00 to 1:00 pm

Register in Advance

Summer 2023 Internships with SMUD

Friday, October 28, 12:00 to 1:00 pm

Register in Advance

Study Abroad - Deadline to Apply is Nov. 4

The final deadline to apply for the Los Rios Study Abroad program trip to Florence, Italy in Spring 2023 is Friday, November 4. Don't let this life-changing opportunity pass you by! There’s still time to attend an online informational meeting to find out more - Monday, October 24, and Monday, October 31, 12 to 1 p.m., via Zoom. 

Do Your Part to Stop Cyberbullying

October is National Bullying Awareness Month. Cyberbullying is a major concern these days, especially with many college students active on social media. In fact, a recent study from the American Counseling Association found that 22% of college students reported being bullied online and 38% of participants knew someone who had been bullied online. Cyberbullying comes in many forms, including trolling, catfishing, and sexual harassment. To learn more about cyberbullying, what to do if you are being bullied, and how to report cyberbullying, visit the Cyberbullying on the College Campus webpage. Remember, we all have a part to play in ending bullying!