Economics junior Jerardo Jimenes studies on the second floor of the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Library on March 18. Mauricio La Plante/Spartan Daily Archives
Classes for the Fall 2020 semester will remain online for most California State University students, said CSU Chancellor Timothy White in a news release Tuesday.
Data surrounding the coronavirus pandemic, including nearly 68,000 cases in the state reported by the Centers for Disease and Control and Prevention, pushed the CSU toward an online plan for fall.
“This planning approach is necessary because a course that might begin in a face-to-face modality would likely have to be switched to a virtual format during the term if a serious second wave of the pandemic occurs, as forecast,” White said in the news release.
On Friday, Dr. Marc Lipsitch, professor of epidemiology and director of the Center for Communicable Disease Dynamics at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, warned of a second wave of COVID-19 on the “Conversations with Dr. Bauchner” podcast show.
“We will have a harder time controlling coronavirus in the fall…and we will all be very tired of social distancing and other tactics,” Lipsitch said.
While summer weather could reduce transmission rates by about 20%, new cases will peak around November or December, estimates Lipsitch.
San Jose State business management junior Jason Bach, said he’s not a fan of online classes.
“I can’t stand online classes and there’s a reason why I try my best to avoid them, “ said Bach in a tweet on Twitter. “But, given the circumstances I completely understand the move.”
Smaller classes may be held in-person if they can adapt to social distancing and other health measures, SJSU President Mary Papazian stated in a campuswide email Tuesday.
These include courses such as labs, dance studios, music instructions, art programs, research experiences, graduate seminars and clinical opportunities, which make up about 25% of the fall catalogue according to the email.
Papazian said the university has not made any final decision on how these in-person classes will be held, however, flexibility is one element SJSU is working to incorporate.
“Our commitment is to ensure that every student has an option for an SJSU education that works for them this fall,” Papazian stated.
In addition, SJSU is developing a plan within White’s guidelines for areas such as: teaching and learning, student and academic support programs, student life, housing, co-curricular programming, athletics, technology and business operations, research and innovation, as well as a phased return to campus.
The Spartan Daily is continuing to report on this and will update this story as more information becomes available.