Thomas Cropper: Cal Maritime will reopen full time in the fall
Cal Maritime President Thomas A. Cropper didn’t mince words when writing a newsletter to his students on Monday: “Please feel free to spread the message far and wide that Cal Maritime will be back in fall.”
“I write to you today with a sense of optimism and some news about our plans for the fall semester. In mid-March, I was heartened to see so many of you lining up for the vaccine that will protect you from COVID-19,” Cropper wrote his students in a newsletter. “In addition, further progress toward the reopening of Solano County, our own dramatic reduction in actual cases, isolations, and quarantines on campus, as well as diminishing cases of COVID-19 nationwide point to a steadily improving situation.”
“Relying on continued improvement and the guidance gained from our conversations with our partners in the county health department and CSU health advisors, we feel confident that we can fully reopen our campus in the fall, including face-to-face classes, residential housing and dining, and co- and extra-curricular activities,” Cropper continued. “My hope is that the vibrant campus life that we cherish will be fully operational, commencing with orientation for the Class of 2025 on Aug. 31, orientation for the Class of 2024 on Sept. 2, and the first day of classes on Sept. 7. Specific dates and details of orientation programming and other important dates for the fall will be communicated through academic affairs and student affairs leadership.”
In June the Vallejo university became the first school in California to go back to face-to-face classes since the COVID-19 pandemic forced distance learning in mid-March. This comes after the school obtained special permission from Gov. Gavin Newsom in late April to resume in-person classes early.
“It’s been fun to watch the students here again and operate and tie up the lines,” Cal Maritime Dean, School of Maritime Transportation, Logistics and Management Dr. Donald Maier said in June. “I love the interaction with all the students. I have to talk louder to them because we’re all wearing masks and I can’t shake hands like I normally do, but we’re not losing the Cal Maritime way. We’re just adjusting it.”
Cropper went on to say in his letter that it’s impossible to predict the future and that plans could be altered at some point. He mentioned a fourth wave of COVID-19 may occur because of the variants that have already surfaced and spread.
“It’s unlikely COVID-19 will be eradicated by the fall,” Cropper said. “We will continue to use science to guide our decision-making and leverage our year of experience to keep our community safe. Our on-campus COVID-19 testing program is likely to continue, and our Health and Safety Task Force will be recommending protocols to keep us all healthy.”