Heeding the call of health care professionals, two faculty-led groups at California State University, Dominguez Hills (CSUDH) are using 3D printing to help supply local hospitals with the face shields they need to reduce the risk of infection on the frontlines of the pandemic. Taking on the challenge are Paul Penoliar, lecturer and clinical instructor in the Master of Science in Occupational Therapy (OT) Department, and Kamal Hamdan, Annenberg-endowed professor and director of the Center for Innovation in STEM Education (CISE) at CSUDH. Resourceful and Nimble In mid-March, CSUDH converted all in-person instruction to online classes to help prevent the spread of COVID-19. This ... Read More
Student Health Center Remains Open for the Campus Community
Even as the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has been upending the campus community's lives over the past few weeks, the staff of CSUDH's Student Health and Psychological Services have been working tirelessly to ensure that they remain open and available to those in need of help. “We're still here!” says Irina Gaal, chief of medical services, who has been one of the leaders of their effort to keep services running. “While some things are still a bit up in the air, we are rapidly transitioning to a tele-health model that allows us to continue to help our patients.” The center's psychological services have completely transitioned to a remote model. It was important to transition the services ... Read More
Telecommuting Could Curb the Coronavirus Epidemic
Recent surveys from both the National Household Transportation Survey and the Bureau of Labor Statistics indicate that around 29% of the United States workforce has the option to work at home, and around 15% usually does so. Working from home pays a double dividend during a pandemic. First, it can help to limit the spread of the highly contagious coronavirus. This supports organizations' efforts to limit travel and major public events, and more assertive efforts by governments in badly affected regions to restrict population movement altogether. Restricting travel and canceling events have substantial costs at a time when businesses are already dealing with absences due to ... Read More
Basic Needs Office Continues Providing Food for Students in Need
Despite operational limitations in place on campus to help prevent the spread of coronavirus (COVID-19), the Basic Needs Office at California State University, Dominguez Hills (CSUDH) has found a new way to continue distributing food to the students who need it most. When the CSU system called on campuses to immediately transition in-person operations to virtual mode, the Basic Needs Office began exploring ways to ensure the food pantries at CSUDH continued to serve the needs of students. Key was the consolidation of two main food pantries in the Office of Student Life and the Women's Resource Center. They also needed to create a system that adhered to social distancing guidelines. The ... Read More
Campus Remains Open: Select Services Available
With the pace at which facts and data are coming at us regarding the COVID-19 health crisis–and at which we are having to adapt advisories to these conditions–I recognize the overwhelming sense of uncertainty and confusion that everyone must be feeling. I write to bring clarity to our current situation and the decisions this university has made–and inform you of new developments. Throughout this crisis, three main principles have guided our thoughts and actions: We will always act to protect and ensure the health and safety of our students, staff, and faculty. This is our highest priority. We will remain committed to our academic mission and intervene in ways that provide the ... Read More
