In a press release published on April 22, the California State University (CSU) and University of California (UC) announced that vaccination against COVID-19 will be required for all students and staff for the Fall 2021 semester. To assist community members in fulfilling this requirement, Sonoma State University hosted a vaccine clinic in partnership with Rite Aid.

In an update on April 2, the CDC announced that fully vaccinated people can now resume domestic travel without getting tested before or after travel and that they do not need to self-quarantine after travel. Fully vaccinated people also do not need to get tested before leaving the U.S. or self-quarantine when they return.

April is being recognized as Disability Awareness Month by Sonoma State University’s Disability Services for Students (DSS). To celebrate neurodiversity and students with disabilities at Sonoma State, DSS is hosting a number of events that started April 5 and will continue through April 28. The events are all virtual and cover a variety of topics.

Sonoma County has now moved into the orange tier, the second most lenient tier of the California Blueprint for a Safer Economy. The move was announced on April 6 and was made official the next day, April 7. California met another goal of four million people in low-income neighborhoods receiving vaccines, so the tier restrictions were adjusted again. With a virus transmission rate of 4.2 new cases per 100,000 people, Sonoma County was cleared to move to the orange tier.

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Sonoma County is one of two counties in the Bay Area remaining in the most severe tier of California’s COVID-19 case tracking system, the purple tier. In order to advance to the next tier, the two counties needed maintain the metrics of the red tier for two weeks straight.

The pandemic has not only been a tragic and deadly threat to the world, it has also thrown a wrench into a lot of things over the past year, whether it be school, work, or entertainment. School has been mostly online as Sonoma State University students know, and many people have found themselves without a job and struggling to make ends meet. On top of it all, the majority of entertainment events have been cancelled so there is no real relief.

The Sonoma Film Institute (SFI) has been around since 1973, which makes it the oldest film repertory in the North Bay. The Institute is located on the Sonoma State University campus and works closely with the Arts and Humanities Department to coordinate events with the SSU curriculum.

The Theatre Arts & Dance Department at Sonoma State University is beloved among students for their supportive and welcoming learning space. With programs offering a Bachelor of Arts degree in Dance and a Bachelor of Theatre Arts, the department is very attractive to artists of all different backgrounds. With a Theatre Arts major, students can choose from several concentrations including: Acting, Technical Theatre and Theatre Studies.

The Music Department at Sonoma State University offers scholarships for music majors to pursue their passions. Every year to thank scholarship donors and other supporters, the Music Department puts on a Scholarship Showcase where scholarship recipients perform pieces of their choosing. However this year, things will look a little different due to the ongoing pandemic.

The Art and Art History Department at Sonoma State University is well known for its excellent facilities and degree programs. This spring, the department is hosting an Artist Lecture Series that will take place virtually on Zoom every Wednesday from 12 p.m. to 12:55 p.m. starting Feb. 3, 2021 through May 12, 2021. These lectures are free and open to anyone, the Zoom ID number can be found on the Art and Art History Department website under the spotlight tab. On this tab there is also a list of dates and artists, along with the artists’ websites, so you can check out their work beforehand.