COVID-19 | Virtual instruction for the fall 2020 term, with very limited exceptions

This message was sent to all students, faculty, and staff on Tuesday, May 12, 2020.

Today Chancellor White announced to the California State trustees that it would be irresponsible to bring the system’s nearly 500,000 students back to the 23 campuses in the fall. He said that the system is preserving as many options for as many students as possible but that university officials are planning for a worst-case scenario and hoping that the universities can conduct limited safe on-campus operations.

As I have stated in recent meetings, open forums, and in my student office hours broadcast live on Facebook, I share your concerns for the safety of our students and your families and understand the anxiety created by the uncertainty about how the COVID-19 pandemic will continue to evolve. I also mentioned that we have been in ongoing deliberations with the senior leadership of the CSU system and evaluating various scenarios for fall classes. Consistent with the CSU guidelines and examining the information that we have today, we have concluded that social distancing, testing, contact tracing, isolation, and quarantine requirements would make a return to a face-to-face learning environment not feasible for our campus. Therefore, CSUMB’s course delivery method will be through virtual instruction for the fall 2020 term, with few limited exceptions for in-person instructional and research activities that cannot be delivered in an alternate modality and are essential to the university’s core mission. For these activities, we will maintain rigorous standards of health and safety. Additional details about the fall 2020 semester--including the specific activities to be excepted, plans for student services, and status of on-campus housing, dining, and athletic programs--will be provided by May 18.

Students are encouraged to stay engaged and enrolled in their programs of study as this will maintain their student status and continue to assure those degree requirements remain the same. Students that remain enrolled and in good standing will be best able to progress unimpeded toward the timely completion of their degrees.

Faculty will be provided additional tools and resources to prepare for enhanced virtual instruction in the fall, including training and professional development in the summer. We will continue to provide high-quality learning opportunities for students, and we will support our faculty in adapting to these alternative approaches to teaching.

The health and safety of the CSUMB community remain our highest priority. Accordingly, we will continue to follow the guidance of our state and local health officials as conditions unfold.

Thank you for your continued dedication to the educational mission of CSUMB, and to our students.