Fresno State planning changes for spring semester. Here’s what’s in the works

Fresno State will increase its offering of in-person classes this spring semester to accommodate students whose course work requires in-person labs or accreditation for graduation and was postponed during the fall due to the pandemic.

“For example, in nursing, our students need 50% of practice in person in order to get their degree. These types of elements are the ones that are driving the specific accreditation classes that we have to teach face to face,” interim university President Saul Jimenez-Sandoval said at a news conference on Tuesday.

Other classes to be taught in-person include science labs such as chemistry and some art classes such as sculpture.

The spring semester will have 320 in-person classes compared to 101 in-person courses taught during the fall.

Students, faculty, and staff will return to campus in phases. Classes will begin for everybody virtually on Jan 21; students enrolled in in-person courses will start on campus Feb. 8.

According to Fresno State data, the campus plan for spring 2021 projects an estimated daily campus population of about 2,595 students, faculty, and staff, a 15% increase from the estimated population for fall 2020.

Jimenez-Sandoval said precautions such as daily health screening and temperature checks are required of anyone on campus during the weekdays.

Once a student, staff or faculty member passes the temperature check and answers a series of questions, a sticker will be given to show they went through the screening process.

Face masks are required on campus and public areas. The university also is offering voluntary monthly free COVID-19 testing for students, faculty and staff. Students living on campus will be required to have monthly testing.

Low number of COVID cases

Jimenez-Sandoval said should an outbreak occur on Fresno State campuses, all students will return to virtual learning.

“We are truly lucky and fortunate we have not had an outbreak, and our numbers at Fresno State are relatively low compared to our other CSU sister universities,” Jimenez-Sandoval said.

Before the fall 2020 semester, Fresno State reported 17 cases of COVID-19 within its diminished on-campus population.

As of Jan 19, Fresno State is aware of 112 members of the campus community who have tested positive for COVID-19 since the start of the pandemic and who were on campus during the time when they may have been infected.

Enrollment and classes in fall 2021

The university hopes to increase the number of faculty teaching in-person by fall 2021.

“Right now, we are hoping, and we are estimating that approximately 70% of our faculty will return and that 30% might have the need to stay at home for COVID-related reasons,” Jimenez-Sandoval said.

Jimenez-Sandoval said a task group focusing on faculty and staff, students and athletics is being assembled; its task will be to create a plan on how Fresno State will “re-populate” the campus in fall 2021.

Jimenez-Sandoval said fall 2021 applications from prospective students are up 200 compared to fall 2020. The university is currently accepting “every” eligible applicant.

Commencement for the class of 2021?

The class of 2021 might not have an in-person celebration.

Jimenez-Sandoval said the university is “exploring everything,” and campus leaders are awaiting guidance from California Gov. Gavin Newsom’s office, the California State University system and local health officials.

“I don’t know if it’s (in-person graduation) going to be feasible to come together in person at the Save Mart Center where everything is closed in,” Jimenez-Sandoval said. But the university is planning some celebration for graduating seniors this year; how that will look is yet to be known.

This story was originally published January 19, 2021 at 1:04 PM with the headline "Fresno State planning changes for spring semester. Here’s what’s in the works."