Colleges eye online classes
EL CENTRO — Both San Diego State University- Imperial Valley and Imperial Valley College have announced plans are in place to limit their respective campus communities’ potential exposure to the novel coronavirus (COVID-19).
Even prior to Wednesday’s announcement of two confirmed COVID-19 at El Centro Regional Medical Center, both campuses said they have been working closely with local public health officials and monitoring the situation.
In the case of SDSU-IV, it has already been transitioning toward online classes, and is expected to complete the transition before the end of spring break, which runs from March 30 to April 3.
“Faculty in their respective courses will be notifying their students when their classes have been modified and are ready to be offered remotely,” Dean Gregorio Ponce said in a statement distributed campuswide on Wednesday. “Do know some of our faculty are already teaching their classes remotely.”
Though all classes are expected to soon be shuttered, the campus will remain open for students to access services such as tutoring, library access and advising, to name some.
Currently, the campus’ administrative team is reviewing all planned campus events to determine how best to proceed with each event. Additionally, all travel plans/ arrangements have been cancelled through May 31, Ponce’s announcement stated.
On Monday, the main campus’ administration had directed its faculty to transition to online classes as soon as possible.
The university had also previously announced that all study abroad programs through the end of the summer have been suspended and students needing to meet international graduation requirements who are graduating in May, August or December will be waived.
“Do know I am appreciative of your patience and understanding through these challenging times as SDSU looks for ways to address the challenges brought about by COVID- 19,” Ponce stated.
The university is advising the campus community to stay informed about any possibly changing circumstances by reviewing its website and social media accounts, and sharing any questions or concerns with the Associated Study Council, at ASCIV@sdsu.edu.
On Monday, IVC administration held a campus forum to discuss the campus’ response to the COVID-19 threat.
Though additional details regarding its preliminary Coronavirus Emergency Action Plan are expected to be soon released, the campus has indicated that it too is considering adopting online-only courses as a precautionary measure.
“The Emergency Action Plan stipulates that the campus will close up to three weeks and transition to offer most instruction online should a student, faculty or staff be confirmed with COVID-19,” it said in a written statement.
The three- week closure would consist of a two-week period that would act as a quarantine, and a one-week period to allow for the campus to be disinfected, according to information presented during Monday’s forum.
The campus is in the process of obtaining automatic paper towel and hand sanitizer dispensers (with a 60 percent to 95 percent alcohol-based solution), while individual sanitizer bottles are already being distributed.
Disinfectant wipes for every department and classrooms have been ordered and should be placed in each classroom by the end of this week.
Four short-term custodians will soon be hired, whose primary responsibility is to conduct continuous cleaning of restrooms and frequently-touched surfaces, such as door handles, staircase railings, desks, counter and table tops, outside tables and benches, sofas/ chairs, water fountains, computer labs, gymnasium (which includes exercise equipment) and vending machines, IVC reported.
In the meantime, administrators there and at SDSU-IV are encouraging their respective campus communities to follow preventative measures to protect themselves and others.
Those recommendations include avoiding handshakes and close contact will people who are sick; avoiding touching one’s eyes, nose, or mouth with unwashed hands; and cleaning one’s hands often by washing them with soap and water for at least 20 seconds or using an alcohol-based hand sanitizer that contains 60 percent to 95 percent alcohol.
Additional guidelines include staying home when one is sick, and seeking medical attention when needed, until one is free of symptoms, including fever, cough or airway infections. And relying on reliable and current sources of information such as the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which has a COVID-19 website.
The local campus’ announcements closely follow similar announcements by other institutions of higher education, including Harvard, MIT, Columbia and Cornell universities to transition to online courses in an effort to stem the potential spread of COVID-19.