Dear Students,

As a follow-up to last week’s message from President Folt and Board of Trustees Chair Johnson on the Trojan Family Relief Fund, we are writing to share an update on the grant application process and other Los Angeles wildfire relief efforts at USC.

The Trojan Family Relief Fund grant application process is now open.

Students, faculty, staff, and postdocs who have been displaced by the wildfires and need support with transitional expenses, such as temporary housing, family care, and emergency supplies, are welcome to request a grant. For details, including eligibility and a list of frequently asked questions, visit the L.A. Wildfires Relief Grants page.

USC Admissions is offering flexibility for affected students applying to the university.

Undergraduate Admissions: For students and their families facing significant challenges from the L.A. wildfires, USC Undergraduate Admissions is offering flexibility with upcoming deadlines. If a student you know will not be able to submit their application by the Jan. 15 Regular Decision deadline, please encourage them to reach out to their admission counselor to discuss an alternative option.

Graduate Admissions: Students applying to a graduate program are encouraged to contact the program to which they are applying as soon as possible to discuss their situation.

The following resources continue to be updated to keep you informed on the latest.

The community resources page is kept up-to-date to provide USC community members displaced by the fires with the most current resources available to them. The page includes a list of evacuation centers and temporary housing options, animal shelters, state and federal assistance links, USC benefits, vendors offering discounts, information on state and federal assistance, and more.

The USC Emergency site, the central hub for information impacting our university community, provides the latest operational updates from USC.

We appreciate your continued resilience and spirit of community as we navigate such devastation at the start of a semester. Please know that the university is here for you. Be well and stay safe.

Sincerely,

Monique S. Allard, vice president for student life

Andrew McDonnell Stott, vice provost for academic programs and dean of the Graduate School

Dear Fellow Trojans,

Last week, President Folt and Board of Trustees Chair Johnson shared information on the Trojan Family Relief Fund. Today, we write to share an update on the grant application process and other Los Angeles wildfire relief efforts at USC.

The Trojan Family Relief Fund grant application process is now open.

Faculty, staff, postdocs, and students who have been displaced by the wildfires and need support with transitional expenses, such as temporary housing, family care, and emergency supplies, are welcome to request a grant. For details, including eligibility and a list of frequently asked questions, visit the L.A. Wildfires Relief Grants page.

We sincerely appreciate the tremendous support of the community to this Relief Fund. Our community has serious needs and we encourage anyone interested in donating to visit https://giving.usc.edu/LAfire.

USC is relaunching the Major Disaster Leave Sharing Plan.

With the LA wildfires declared a major disaster, USC is relaunching its Major Disaster Leave Sharing Plan, which last operated during the COVID-19 pandemic. This plan allows faculty and staff to voluntarily donate their accrued vacation or paid time off to a pool of hours that other employees – who have exhausted their own accrued hours due to a declared major disaster, like the LA wildfires – can utilize.

The program will open for donations tomorrow, Wednesday, Jan. 22, 2025, with the vacation request process scheduled to launch on Monday, Jan. 27, 2025. Faculty and staff wishing to make a donation or submit a request are encouraged to visit the USC benefits section of the community resources page for eligibility and other detailed information.

USC Admissions is offering flexibility for affected students applying to the university.

Undergraduate Admissions: For students and their families facing significant challenges from the L.A. wildfires, USC Undergraduate Admissions is offering flexibility with upcoming deadlines. If you or a student you know will not be able to submit their application by the Jan. 15 Regular Decision deadline, please contact your admission counselor to discuss an alternative option.

Graduate Admissions: Students applying to a graduate program are encouraged to contact the program to which they are applying as soon as possible to discuss their situation.

The following programs will be available to benefits-eligible faculty and staff who lost their primary residence or whose primary residence is uninhabitable.

We recognized the tremendous amount of time, energy and effort it will take to rebuild or repair homes impacted by the LA wildfires. That is why the university is launching the following two programs for benefits-eligible faculty and staff who lost their primary residence or whose primary residence has been deemed uninhabitable by a local municipality due to the local wildfires.

Vacation cashout program: Eligible employees will be able to cash out a maximum of 10 accrued vacation days. The program will launch on Wednesday, Jan. 29, 2025, and be in effect through June 30, 2026. Be sure to check the USC benefits section of the community resources page on or after the launch date for more information.

Temporary bank of up to 40 hours of time off: Eligible employees will be provided a time code with up to 40 hours, which they can then use to work with cities, insurance companies or contractors without having to use their accrued time. Hours will be available in Workday by Monday, Jan. 27, 2025. If you meet the criteria for this program but do not see the hours in Workday by this date, please contact your HR Partner.

Time given must be used by June 30, 2025. Any time off needs after that date will first be addressed through accrued vacation, followed by applying for donated vacation hours (once accrued vacation is exhausted) under the vacation donation program that is being launched.

The following resources continue to be updated to keep you informed on the latest.

The community resources page is kept up-to-date to provide USC community members displaced by the fires with the most current resources available to them. The page includes a list of evacuation centers and temporary housing options, animal shelters, state and federal assistance links, USC benefits, vendors offering discounts, information on state and federal assistance, and more.

The USC Emergency site, the central hub for information impacting our university community, provides the latest operational updates from USC.

We admire the selflessness, strength, and resilience of our Trojan Family. Together, our Fight On! spirit will guide us forward as we heal individually and as a community. Be well and stay safe, Trojans.

Sincerely,

Andrew T. Guzman, provost and senior vice president for academic affairs

Steven Shapiro, senior vice president for health affairs

Stacy Giwa, interim senior vice president of human resources

Scott Rabenold, senior vice president for university advancement

Dear Trojan Family,

This past week has us all heavy-hearted. In the face of such a disaster, Los Angeles feels much smaller, and more connected. We’re proud and moved to see how Trojans from around the world are reaching out to help those in need. We’ve heard stories of Trojans helping the wildfire response efforts through Navy Reserve deployment and others doing search and rescue work in the affected communities. Across our campuses, Trojans are looking at ways to use their expertise to rebuild our communities. Your courage, strength, and resilience will help us all get through this.

The L.A. wildfires have displaced more than 130,000 people. Many Trojan family members have asked how they can help, so today we want to share more information about our recently launched Trojan Family Relief Fund. Donations to this fund, which can be made at https://giving.usc.edu/LAfire,  will go directly to current USC students and active faculty and staff who’ve been displaced by the fires and need support with transitional expenses, such as temporary housing, family care, and emergency supplies. Our goal with these funds is to assist people as quickly as we can, while also continuing to build the fund for additional needs that arise. We will continue to direct people to the many other types of assistance that are or will become available in the coming days and weeks.

If you are a current student, active faculty or active staff member needing support, the application process will be launched Tuesday, Jan. 21. We will begin to review and process applications immediately, focusing on relief support for people who have been displaced and faced loss or damage to their homes. Please continue to check the community resources for emergency response support page for updates and more information.

Take care of yourselves, your loved ones, and one another. As always, we will Fight On together.

Sincerely,

Carol L. Folt, president, Robert C. Packard President’s Chair

Suzanne Nora Johnson, chair, USC Board of Trustees

Message from Sarah Van Orman, Chief Campus Health Officer and Vice President, Campus Health, and Deona Willes, Executive Director, USC Environmental Health & Safety (after quick-reference information)

Quick Reference Phone Number:
USC L.A. Wildfires hotline: 213-740-6291, email: campushealth@usc.edu

Key USC Websites

• USC Emergency site for university updates
• Wildfire Operations at USC, FAQ page
• Air Quality Index page (for both campuses)
• Community resources for USC employees
• Employee form: LA Wildfires Employee Impact Form

Additional information

• Los Angeles Times map of active wildfires. The University Park Campus is located near “Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum” and the Health Sciences Campus is south of Lincoln Heights, using “Keck Hospital of USC” for location identification.

As Los Angeles enters its second week of the regional wildfire emergency, the following health and safety reminders can guide members of our community as they navigate the current situation.

Many who live in our local community may be directly impacted by the wildfires, and their safety and wellbeing weigh heavily in our concerns.

Human Resources is maintaining an ongoing community resources page for employees; and additional information on navigating the current emergency may be found on emergency.usc.edu.

A 24/7 phone line has been established: 213-740-6291, and questions and concerns may also be sent to campushealth@usc.edu for timely reply.

The university is working to compile accurate information on our faculty and staff who have experienced serious disruptions, in connection with channeling support from the Campus Support and Intervention team. If you have been severely impacted, please complete the L.A. Wildfires Employee Impact Form.

The information here will streamline response time from the Campus Support and Intervention (CSI) team, so please use this form for wildfire-related reporting rather than contacting the CSI team directly by email. This information will also allow the university to better understand the scope and scale of impact that this regional emergency has had on our colleagues.

Air quality

The Environmental Health & Safety team continues to monitor air quality for both campuses, which will be a fluid situation as wind conditions and fire containment levels change. Key websites for air quality levels are aqi.usc.edu (for campuses) and the South Coast AQMD (for the region) websites. An AQI of 101 or greater is unhealthy for sensitive groups (people with asthma, COPD, heart conditions; those who are pregnant; older individuals; and children.)

The most important thing you can do to protect your health is to actively monitor the air quality and minimize your time outdoors during periods of time when the air quality index is high.

Wearing an N95 mask outdoors can reduce your exposure to particulate matter when the air quality index is high.

Limit physical exertion (refrain from outdoor exercise) when the air quality is poor or hazardous.
Portable air cleaners can be effective in reducing indoor pollutants, if you have one available to you.

Employees who work outdoors are provided N95 masks to limit their exposure when the air quality index may be high; departments, students, faculty and staff can obtain masks by contacting ehs@usc.edu or filling out this from  (for voluntary use) at no cost.

In light of current conditions, any activities that are outdoors for a prolonged duration are not recommended at this time, as air quality may change quickly.

Geographic context

USC is not located near the existing wildfires and our USC campuses are not impacted by current evacuation orders.

As reference for parents and family members outside of our region, you may view updated fire and evacuation information on the Los Angeles Times map of active wildfires. The University Park Campus is located near “Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum” and the Health Sciences Campus is south of Lincoln Heights, using “Keck Hospital of USC” for location identification.

Safety alerts

All members of our community are reminded that the Trojans Alert system is activated to reach all members of our university with timely and accurate information. Please pay attention to these alerts for emergency communication from USC.

Our community

Although the wildfires are not directly impacting the campuses, our hearts are heavy with the knowledge that so many of our friends, colleagues and family members experiencing loss, grief and the ongoing stress of the situation.

Our ties within this community are strong and longstanding, and we can lean on each other for support and understanding. Many have already been checking in on each other, and doing their best to provide excellence in care and support during this difficult time for all of Los Angeles. As always, counseling resources are available to students, faculty, and staff: The WorkWell Center for employees; Counseling and Mental Health Services for students; Care for the Caregiver for health care employees of Keck Medicine of USC.

Stay informed and stay safe, Trojans.

Spring semester classes will begin Monday, Jan. 13, in person as scheduled.

The USC University Park and Health Sciences campuses are not near the wildfires and remain safe.

Read the previous posts on the university’s emergency page for details.

Dear Trojan Family,

Our thoughts and concerns are with those affected by the Los Angeles County wildfires. We’re in close touch with those in need and deeply grateful to the first responders battling these devastating fires.

Our dedicated staff has been working hard to get our campuses ready for the spring semester. We’re thankful for their selfless service, and are ensuring that no one is performing physically strenuous activity outdoors.

We’ll keep you updated on the status of the University Park and Health Sciences campuses and our plans for the spring semester as they evolve over the next week.

As a reminder for those not familiar with the Los Angeles area, USC is not near the wildfires.

1. Our campuses are open, and the spring semester will start as planned on Monday, Jan. 13, with in-person classes.
2. We are monitoring air quality closely. It may be helpful to remember that our HVAC systems were upgraded during the pandemic, and all buildings re-circulate and filter indoor air. Wearing a N95 mask outdoors can reduce exposure when air quality is poor.
3. Many students are already on campus, and all activities have been moved indoors.
4. Students who have difficulties attending in-person classes at the start of next week should contact their faculty members, who have been asked to provide maximum flexibility.
5. New student orientation activities also are continuing indoors, and Panhellenic rush activities are proceeding in person indoors. USC’s varsity athletics competitions will continue as planned.
6. We have established a Wildfire and Air Quality hotline, 213-740-6291, to help answer questions or email: campushealth@usc.edu. An FAQ is located here.
7. Please stay informed by checking the emergency website for regular updates. Thank you.

As we navigate these challenging circumstances, we are inspired by the caring and compassion we are seeing across the Trojan community. The Trojan Family is strong, determined and resilient. Your spirit and hope are powerful healers in these times. Your safety and well-being are our top priorities. Let’s continue to support each other and stay connected. Together, we will fight on and overcome this, and embrace the term ahead with the promise and excitement we love at USC.

Sincerely,

Carol Folt, president, Robert C. Packard President’s Chair
Andrew T. Guzman, provost and senior vice president for academic affairs
Steven Shapiro, senior vice president for health affairs
Stacy Giwa, interim senior vice president of human resources
Sarah Van Orman, chief campus health officer and vice president, campus health

Updated 3:30 p.m. Thursday: The wildfires, high winds and evacuations in Greater Los Angeles have affected areas including Altadena, Calabasas, the Hollywood Hills, La Cañada Flintridge, Pacific Palisades, Pasadena, Sylmar and Woodland Hills. The USC University Park and Health Sciences campuses are safe and not located near the Southern California wildfires.

USC employees affected by the situation should reach out to their supervisors for support and potential remote work options. Spring semester classes are scheduled to begin Monday, Jan. 13, as planned. Visit the USC emergency page for more information, including the latest update from university leadership on operational and safety issues.

The university is monitoring the situation, including air quality at the University Park and Health Sciences campuses. Air quality information for our campuses is posted on the university’s Environmental Health & Safety website.

Individuals should continue monitoring conditions at their home and use their best their judgment in determining how to safely move around. Employees in affected areas should reach out to their supervisors for support and potential remote work options.

Useful resources include:

• USC’s Campus Operations FAQ about L.A. Wildfires page for answers to frequently asked questions.
• USC’s inclement weather website.
• The city of Los Angeles emergency page.

USC spring semester classes are scheduled to begin Monday, Jan. 13, as planned. Visit the USC athletics website for updates on sports schedules.

Please stay safe, Trojans; our thoughts are with all those impacted.

Sent 4:30 p.m. 

From:
Andrew T. Guzman, USC provost and senior vice president for academic affairs
Steven D. Shapiro, senior vice president for health affairs
David W. Wright, senior vice president of administration
Sarah Van Orman, chief campus health officer and vice president, campus health

Dear Trojan Family,

We continue to monitor the wildfires burning throughout Los Angeles County, and the shifting wind conditions that affect air quality. While our campuses have not had major impacts, we want to share some specific information about health and operations with you. Your safety and wellbeing are our highest priority.

Spring semester: The university will be fully operational on Monday, Jan. 13, for the start of the spring semester. Residence halls are re-opening as scheduled.

New student orientation and moving into university housing: New student orientation activities are continuing this week at the University Park Campus. For new students who are moving into university housing for the semester and need to arrive at a later date, please notify USC Housing.

Resources for impacted community members: Local evacuation, shelter and other resources can be found at https://lacounty.gov/emergency/.  Campus Support & Intervention can also help connect those impacted with emergency resource information.

Events: New student convocation will not be held on Friday.

University departments will implement contingency plans, if needed, for outdoor activities. Informal group activities (such as clubs and recreational groups) also are advised to follow contingency plans regarding outdoor activities.

Spring Panhellenic recruitment activities have been paused for today (Wednesday, Jan. 8).

Air quality: The university is monitoring air quality in the Los Angeles region for both the University Park Campus and Health Sciences Campus. To stay updated please visit the Air Quality Index page on the USC Environmental Health and Safety website or visit the South Coast Air Quality Management District website or download their mobile app:  http://www.aqmd.gov/mobileapp.

Limiting outdoor exposure for employees: Supervisors of employees who work outdoors are advised to provide personal protective equipment (N95 masks) and to monitor conditions throughout the day. Individuals who have sensitive health conditions should take additional precautions to limit their exposure.

If you are a supervisor and need N95 masks for your employees who work outdoors, please email ehs@usc.edu.

Resources for our community:

• The WorkWell Center staff is available for emotional support for faculty and staff at 213-821-0800 or email at  workwell@usc.edu.
• The Campus Support & Intervention staff team is available at 213-740-0411 or uscsupport@usc.edu .
• Counseling and Mental Health clinicians at USC Student Health are available for emotional support for students at 213-740-9355 (WELL).

Labs: There is a the possibility of power outages due to high winds. Lab managers are advised to check your refrigerators and ultra-low freezers for power. Please keep the unit doors closed in case of an outage.

Environmental health information: The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health urges everyone in areas where there is visible smoke or the smell of smoke or unhealthy air quality to avoid unnecessary outdoor exposure and to limit physical exertion (whether indoor or outdoor), such as exercise.

Children, older adults and people who are pregnant or have other air quality sensitive conditions, such as heart disease, asthma and other chronic respiratory diseases, should follow these recommendations and stay indoors as much as possible even in areas where smoke, soot or ash cannot be seen or there is no smell of smoke.

If your condition worsens, contact your health care provider immediately for medical advice. For students, contact USC Student Health 24/7 at 213-740-9355 (WELL) or through secure messaging to the Advice Nurse in MySHR.

Updates: This is a very fluid situation and changes may occur rapidly. The university is posting updates on our emergency page.

Please take care of yourselves and your families during this difficult time, and know that we support you.

Sent 11:27 a.m.

Dear Trojan Family,

We know many of you and your loved ones have been impacted by the fires throughout Los Angeles County and are still facing great uncertainty. Please know that the Trojan Family is with you. With the ongoing threat of wildfires continuing throughout the region, we ask that everyone remain vigilant and heed public safety warnings; your safety is of our highest concern.

If you are able to work today, please know you should do so from the safest place that gives you the greatest flexibility to respond to any personal/family needs. Please remain connected, as you are able, to supervisors and let them know your status.

Campus is largely unimpacted and open; we are not the impacted area. We are monitoring the air quality in real time. A separate communication is forthcoming with more specific information and guidance for campus activities.

New student orientation activities — held mostly indoors — will continue as planned at the University Park Campus. If your travel plans are flexible or you need more time to travel, new students can arrive at a later date this week/weekend and will have ample opportunities to make connections and take part in the Trojan Welcome experience. Please notify USC Housing for any arrival changes.

As we have many faculty, staff, and families of students who have been impacted by these tragic fires, new student convocation will not be held on Friday. An event to celebrate our new students will be held at a later date.

Spring Panhellenic recruitment activities have been paused for today (Wednesday, Jan. 8).

Residence halls are re-opening as scheduled and we anticipate that the university will be fully operational on Monday for the start of the spring term.

The university is posting updates on our emergency page with the latest information.

We encourage you to know about and use resources that are available to you:

• The Campus Support & Intervention staff team is available at 213-740-0411 or uscsupport@usc.edu.
• The WorkWell Center staff is available for emotional support for faculty and staff at 213-821-0800 or email at workwell@usc.edu.
• Counseling and Mental Health staff at Student Health is available for emotional support for students at 213-740-9355 (WELL).

Please stay safe, Trojans. Our thoughts are with all those impacted.

Sincerely,

Carol L. Folt, president, Robert C. Packard President’s Chair
Andrew Guzman, provost and senior vice president for academic affairs
Steven Shapiro, senior vice president for health affairs
Stacy Giwa, interim senior vice president of human resources
David Wright, senior vice president for administration