Local schools, colleges cancel classes, go online
Coronavirus concerns have left students and teachers in limbo. In some places, schools are shutting down for extended breaks. In colleges around the nation, administrators are transitioning to online classes to reduce risk and exposure to the virus.
Here’s how local school districts and colleges are dealing with the pandemic:
Lodi Unified School District
Lodi Unified School District, which is completing the first week of a twoweek spring break, is currently monitoring the COVID-19 pandemic and is working closely with the California Department of Public Health, San Joaquin County Public Health Services, and the San Joaquin County Office of Education to determine the path forward.
“We continue to converse with these agencies about new developments and the impact on schools,” LUSD officials said in a statement Thursday.
The district has agreed to cancel or postpone district events that do not meet CDPH guidelines, including:
• Large gatherings that include 250 people or more.
• Smaller gatherings that do not allow for social distancing of 6 feet per person.
• Gathering of individuals who are at higher risk for severe illness from COVID-19, which should be limited to no more than 10 people.
CDPH advised the district the recommendations apply to all non-essential professional, social, and community gatherings.
A number of school athletic events and games have been canceled or postponed. For information, see the Sports section on Page 9.
San Joaquin Delta College
In a statement released Thursday morning, San Joaquin Delta College President Dr. Omid Pourzanjani announced the college would move all possible classes to an online format.
“Instructional activities that require face-to-face and hands-on assignments such as science or career education labs will continue to meet on campus as we explore alternatives,” he said.
While the college has not had any confirmed cases of coronavirus among students or staff, it is canceling all major extracurricular events scheduled to occur over the next three weeks, including all athletic events.
The actions taken by administrators are meant to reduce the number of students on the college campus and reduce the risk of exposure to students, Pourzanjani said.
The college’s POST Academy graduation will continue as scheduled. The ceremony will be held without an audience, but the college will stream it online for friends and families to view.
“I believe we don’t have much control over what the universe may send our way, but we have control over how we react to it,” Pourzanjani said. “This situation is no different.”
Delta sophomore and Stockton resident Vivienne Aguilar is glad the college is taking the threat of coronavirus seriously, but expressed concerns over the transition to online classes.
“When (Delta) transitioned to MyDelta (online instruction technology), it was a chaotic mess because the administration required teachers who lacked the technical skills to make a shift they were not prepared to make,” she said. “Shifting an entire classroom setting without the opportunity and option for tutoring creates a whole new concern for students that rely on (learning) services.”
Aguilar was also concerned about the impact the disruption could have on non-traditional students and students looking to transfer.
While students navigate the new normal, Aguilar is cautiously optimistic and feels students may be more sympathetic towards professors as a result of the pandemic.
“Although the administration has been slow to respond, I am just happy something is being done to safeguard students,” she said. “The average students do not understand the full scope and the seriousness of what is happening on a large scale, and for those who do, I don’t think they know how to ask for the resources they need.”
University of the Pacific
University of the Pacific interim president Maria Pallavicini announced Wednesday that, after consulting with health experts, the university would close its campus to ensure the health and safety of our students, faculty and staff.
To avoid interrupting students’ educations, the university will transition to remote instruction and exams. Dorms will remain open; however, students are encouraged to return to or remain in their permanent residences at the conclusion of spring break if possible.
Spring break for semester-based programs on the Stockton campus will be extended one week, through March 20, to give students, faculty and staff time to prepare for this transition. Remote classes will begin March 23.
California State University, Stanislaus
Stanislaus County health officials confirmed two cases of COVID-19 in that county on Wednesday, leading to California State University, Stanislaus administrators to suspend face-to-face classes at both the Turlock and Stockton campuses.
In a statement, officials said the transition to online classes is intended to mitigate risk to students, faculty and staff and limit the potential spread of the COVID-19 within campus communities.
Face-to-face classes will be allowed to meet from March 16 to 18, but voluntary conversion to alternate modalities is encouraged. Face-to-face classes will be canceled on March 19 and 20 to allow for faculty preparations, but all courses that have already transitioned to remote instruction will continue as usual.
Students will have their already-scheduled spring break from March 23 to 27. Online classes will resume on March 30, and all face-to-face classes will resume via remote instruction on April 2.
Stanislaus State is fully committed to hosting all commencement ceremonies at a time that is deemed safe, and will announce plans at a future time.
California State University, Sacramento
California State University Sacramento announced on Thursday they would cancel all inperson classes for the rest of the spring semester.
“We are all living in an uncertain time when the situation is rapidly changing,” said Sac State President Robert Nelsen in a statement. “We will continue to communicate frequently with the campus community and provide updated information on changes as the situation evolves.”
Instructors who have classes that cannot be moved to an online format will have to get permission to continue.
Classes were postponed starting Thursday to allow instructors to get ready for the move to online work. Online classes are expected to resume on March 20 .
University of California, Davis
UC Davis is canceling its in-person final exams for the winter quarter. The university announced Tuesday that students can complete their finals work through take-home exams or other assignments, online, or by dropping the final exam and being graded on work they already have completed.
The school also ordered a ban on most events expected to attract more than 150 people through the end of this month.
“As we strive to minimize face-to-face contact, we announced March 7 that faculty and students have maximum flexibility to complete their Winter Quarter work without having in-class instruction,” the university said in a statement. “We are now strongly encouraging faculty to go online with their teaching.”