The Highlander
UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, RIVERSIDE
For the week of Tuesday, November 16, 2021
VOL. 70, ISSUE 07
est. 1954
NEWS UC Flu Executive Order mandates that all students receive their flu vaccine by Nov. 19 UCR STUDENTS WILL BE PREVENTED FROM COMING TO CAMPUS UNLESS THEY HAVE RECEIVED THEIR FLU VACCINE.
ARCHIVE / THE HIGHLANDER
OF CLASSES BEING IN PERSON NEWS The seventh ASUCR meeting saw multiple reports by the Executive Cabinet and announced their opposition to Senate Bill SB-F21-009
THE MEETING CONCLUDED WITH A DISCUSSION OF THEIR OPPOSITION TO 95%
ABHIJIT REGE News Editor
The Associated Students of UCR’s seventh meeting was called to order on Wednesday, Nov. 11, 2021 in the ASUCR Senate Chamber. All senators were present, excluding senators Chavez, Alba, Vu, Usmani, La and Flores-Aparcio. In addition to the senators, the Executive Cabinet was present as well, excluding Vice President of Internal Affairs Arshneel Kaur, Vice President Elysha Castillo, Transfer/NonTraditional Director Roxanna Vazquez and Personnel Director Lina Nguy. Motions to approve the current meeting’s agenda were called for by Executive Vice President Mufida Assaf and saw the movement of Ex-Officio reports to earlier in the meeting and the addition of Finance Hearing Minutes No. 13. Through an inquiry by CHASS Senator and President Pro-Tempore Orlando Cabalo, it was clarified by EVP Assaf that the former change was made to better accommodate the Executive Cabinet. Motions to
open and approve the previous week’s meeting minutes took place as well. A public forum then began with an introduction of Mohamad Almouzzan, chief justice of ASUCR’s Judicial Branch. Almouzzan touched on how his branch finally has a judicial council and that they were able to hold their first meeting in which justices took their respective oaths of office and reviewed the rules and procedures. In addition, it was also announced that the long awaited judicial review has officially commenced. He anticipates this process to take around three months and will work with EVP Assaf to present a report on their findings in the winter quarter. They hope to find no faults but they will work with the senate and executive leadership to address any problems that may arise. In addition to these announcements from the Judicial Branch, Almouzzan also spoke on behalf of the Middle Eastern Student Assembly. He met with the President of the Academic Senate as well as Vice Chancellor Brian Hayes to discuss a variety
of issues pertaining to Middle Eastern students. Of these issues was the selection of Halal options on campus. Almouzzan is working with the academic senate on behalf of MESA to not only offer Halal options on campus but to potentially replace the closed MOD Pizza with an entirely Halal restaurant. He hopes to reach out to the ASUCR senate in order to garner further support. Other issues Almouzzan also discussed include a recognition of the Christchurch, New Zealand tragedy and an annual statement in support of the Muslim community on campus. A brief introduction was also given by the Underground Scholars during this public forum. The organization hoped to increase awareness of their mission to help those who were formerly incarcerated or impacted by incarceration. A greater presentation will be given in the following ASUCR meeting, where higher ups of the organization will talk more in detail about their mission. Ex-officio reports were then given by the Executive Cabinet.
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RADAR NINE PEOPLE DEAD AND SEVERAL INJURED DURING TRAVIS SCOTT’S ASTROWORLD READ ABOUT IT ON PAGE 10 COURTESTY OF THE COME UP SHOW VIA FLICKR UNDER CC-BY-ND-2.0
COURTEST OF STAN LIM VIA UCR MADISON RHEINS Editor-in-Chief
On Oct. 8, 2021 the UC issued a systemwide executive order requiring all students, faculty and staff to have their flu vaccine or opt out using a form given by their location on or before Nov. 19, 2021. This order comes as a response to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and the possibility of flu season overlapping with it. In an interview with UCR Student Health’s immunization and compliance coordinator Deborah Sellas, she states, “All UCR admitted and active students received a secure message in their patient portal on the morning of Nov. 8, 2021 regarding the UC 21-22 Flu Executive Order with instructions on how to comply.” Furthermore, she explained that on the following day, all admitted and active students received an email by the Vice Chancellor of Student Affairs Brian L. Haynes, PH.D., containing tutorials and video instructions on how students can comply. While the UC Flu Executive Order does not allow for registration holds for the flu vaccine, students will still be unable to attend campus after Nov. 19, 2021 unless they have complied. According to Sellas, the UC 21-22 Flu Executive
Order includes a declination form found in the student patient portal which shows what a student must do on campus in the event that they opt-out of the vaccine. The form must be completed and submitted to the portal. “Once the form is submitted the student will be considered temporarily compliant from the day of submission. Staff will review and update the chart for the declination exemption that expires on May 31, 2022.” Student Health Services offers the flu vaccine by appointment. Students with UCSHIP can receive the vaccination at no cost, while non UCSHIP students receive a $30 bill to their student account if they choose to get vaccinated through the school. Otherwise, local pharmacies and community health centers also offer the flu vaccine. “Each student is responsible for logging in to their patient portal and entering the date of their 2122 flu vaccine and uploading their immunization record in their medical clearances under ‘immunization record’.” To schedule a vaccination appointment with Student Health Services, students can call (951)-827-3031 and select option two during H business hours. ■
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