On March 17, California State University campuses transitioned in-person operations of the university to a virtual model. Almost two months later, the largest system of four-year higher education in the country has announced that courses will continue to be delivered virtually for the fall 2020 term.
CSU Chancellor Timothy P. White said in a statement Tuesday that there will be limited in-person experiential learning and research occurring for the fall 2020 term. On some campuses and in some academic disciplines course offerings are likely to be exclusively virtual. CSU has 23 campuses, 53,000 faculty and staff, and 482,000 students.
“This approach to virtual planning is necessary for many reasons,” White said. “First and foremost is the health, safety, and welfare of our students, faculty and staff, and the evolving data surrounding the progression of COVID-19 – current and as forecast throughout the 2020-21 academic year… Virtual planning is necessary because it might not be possible for some students, faculty, and staff to safely travel to campus.”
Half of the CSU’s students transfer from California community colleges. Each year, CSU awards more than 127,000 degrees. One in every 20 Americans holding a college degree is a graduate of the CSU.
The chancellor said limited exceptions will be made for in-person teaching, learning, and research activities that cannot be delivered virtually, are indispensable to the university’s core mission and can be conducted within rigorous standards of safety and welfare. White also said that across the 23 campuses, there will be hybrid approaches and there will be variability due to specific context and circumstances.
“The granting of limited exceptions to permit in-person activities will continue to be informed by thoughtful consultation with academic senates, associated students, staff councils and union leadership, and will be based on compelling educational and research needs while continuing to meet safety benchmarks,” White said.
Some possible examples of potential exceptions include:
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