Fresno-area colleges cancel in-person classes as officials try to slow spread of coronavirus 

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Fresno State on Thursday canceled face-to-face classes beginning next week and said classes would soon move online. Shortly after, Fresno Pacific University followed suit.

“We are temporarily suspending in-person, on-campus classes, effective Monday, March 16, in order to transition to virtual instruction next week. This includes classes offered at our Visalia campus,” Fresno State officials said in a statement.

Fresno Pacific announced it was suspending classes from March 16 through March 21. Another announcement is expected on Friday that will detail how the university plans to hold classes after that, according to a new release.

Sacramento State on Thursday canceled face-to-face events for the rest of the school year. Other state colleges were considering similar actions and discussing moving all classes online.

More than a dozen community colleges have announced plans to move courses online, and some UC and CSU campuses are making the move as well, according to Ed Source.

The move at Fresno State comes as more than 1,000 students signed an online petition calling for the university to switch to online classes.

Some students said it would have been irresponsible to keep school in session.

One poster, Rhiannon Wright, said her mother was battling stage 4 cancer. “If I contract this virus I will be able to fight it but if I take it home and pass it to my mom it could kill her,” she said. “I think that’s worth signing this petition for.”

But it’s not that easy, according to university officials.

They say not all courses are suitable for distance learning.

“We have performance classes, like dance and music, labs, service-learning classes, internships. We also have Teacher Education faculty supervising student teachers and we have faculty supervising nursing students in the field,” said Diane Blair, the Fresno State chapter president for the California Faculty Association.

These courses will continue to meet in person if no alternative is available.

The move created some pushback from faculty, some of whom have never taught an online course.

“It is also important to recognize that shifting a face-to-face class to online or some other modality is no small task,” Blair said.

Instructors who have never taught an online class will require access to training and will also need time to make that shift happen.

“As things evolve we think it is very important that faculty be included in the administration’s decision-making process,” Blair said. “We need to be flexible and recognize that a one-size-fits-all response is not really an option.”

She added: “My sense from faculty is that we are willing to do what is necessary in response to this fluid and evolving health issue.”

As of Monday, the campus will still remain open and available, and those employed by the university, including student aides, would still be allowed on campus to work.

Students who need computers and WiFi can use resources in the Henry Madden Library and borrow devices through the DISCOVERe program, according to the news release.

The athletics department has suspended all its competitions for the rest of spring.

Before the announcement, officials had already been in communication with instructors.

In a letter to faculty, Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs Saul Jimenez Sandoval asked faculty to be forgiving with absences in classes, to allow remote submissions of assignments and allow makeup exams or work.

He also asked instructors to remain home and get their classes covered if they feel ill, and to create a continuity plan, which would make it so their class could go on, no matter what.

The university is now evaluating events on a case-by-case basis, and has already canceled several, including the annual Peach Blossom Festival.

Fresno City College plans

Similar preparation is going on at Fresno City College, but classes have not been moved online.

A special meeting will be held 5 p.m. Friday at 1525 E. Weldon Ave. to assess the situation, according to State Center Community College spokesperson Lucy Ruiz.

In following the recommendations Gov. Gavin Newsom announced Wednesday, the district is postponing large events over 250 people through the end of March, such as the Renaissance Feast for Scholars that was scheduled for Saturday at Fresno City.

The move online will not be easy for the district either, if it comes, Ruiz said.

“We are checking to see how many students do not have computers or WiFi and we are looking at the possibility of remote locations,” she said. “We have many instructors who are familiar with online instruction and will begin working with instructors who do not currently have online classes. There are some classes, such as labs and practicums, that are not conducive to online classes.”

“In addition, we are evaluating our technology capabilities based on community infrastructure.”

She said graduation ceremonies are, for the moment, still on for all campuses. This could change for one campus but not others depending on what each health department recommends.

“Because the District is the size of Connecticut, there may be a recommendation from one county but not in another,” she said in a statement to The Bee.

This story was originally published March 12, 2020 at 1:01 PM.