SDSU-IV to start semester online

A post-holiday spike in COVID-19 cases has compelled San Diego State University to return to virtual instruction for the first two weeks of the spring semester, Jan. 19 through Feb. 4.

“Our chief concern is to ensure the health and safety of our campus and the Imperial Valley,” said SDSU-Imperial Valley interim Chief Administrative Officer and Dean Mark Wheeler. “The precautionary period of virtual instruction is prudent based on the best available scientific evidence and the expert advice of our Imperial County Public Health Department.”

The regular in-person course schedule will resume as planned on Feb. 7, with the safeguards already put in place to navigate the COVID-19 pandemic, including available testing, high COVID-19 vaccination rates, masking, and continued consultation with public health experts, the university said in a release.

The temporary start of instruction in the virtual space will allow the January COVID case spike to subside, the university said. It also provides a window for those who recently received their COVID-19 booster an additional two-week period to take full effect.

During the two weeks of virtual instruction, the SDSU-IV campuses will remain open with a limited staff, Wheeler said.

The university also reminded students, faculty and staff of the California State University system’s requirement that all those eligible for the COVID-19 booster will be required to have their booster on file in the SDSU HealthConnect by Jan. 18 to be considered fully vaccinated. That deadline remains in place.

“The health and safety of our students, faculty and administration are of paramount importance,” Wheeler said. “By starting the semester in the virtual space, we can ensure a safe, successful beginning to the new (and otherwise in-person) spring semester.”