Cal Poly delays start of spring quarter due to coronavirus
Cal Poly will delay the start of classes for spring quarter by a week to prepare for the possibility of switching to online classes, the university announced Thursday morning.
That was one step in a collection of moves aimed at protecting the community from the spread of coronavirus.
Also Thursday, the university announced it was canceling events at the Performing Arts Center through the end of March and is suspending sporting events indefinitely. The university’s annual Open House, set for April 16-18, has likewise been canceled, along with affiliated events like the rode and tractor pull.
And the university is ending campus tours for prospective students for all of spring quarter.
In-person finals, however, will continue as planned from March 16-20, according to Cal Poly.
No cases of COVID-19 had been reported in the university community or in San Luis Obispo County as of Thursday morning.
However, two students were told to self-quarantine after they returned from traveling to “an area of the country with a higher number of known infections,” a university spokesman said Wednesday.
But county Public Health has since directed them and other community members who’ve also traveled to higher-risk areas to self-monitor. They can leave their homes, but on the first sign of any symptoms they were asked to contact Public Health.
The decision to suspend events came one day after Gov. Gavin Newsom urged California organizations to cancel or postpone events with more than 250 people.
Cal Poly extends spring break
University President Jeffrey Armstrong announced the delay of spring quarter classes Thursday in a 10-minute video that addresses how and why Cal Poly is responding to concerns about the spread of coronavirus.
“In light of the need to prepare for the possibility of virtual course delivery, we will delay the start of the spring quarter until April 6,” Armstrong says in the video. “This will allow our faculty and staff the full week starting March 30th to prepare for the virtual offering of courses and services.”
It’s likely Cal Poly will offer at least some classes virtually to protect students and faculty who are medically vulnerable, Armstrong said.
Cal Poly will announce by March 25 whether all classes will be virtual and whether students who have left the San Luis Obispo area should return.
Even if virtual classes are chosen, the campus will be open for students who have decided to stay over spring break, the university said.
Several other campuses across the state and nation have already moved to online courses and have closed campuses.
Armstrong addressed the San Luis Obispo school’s decision to not do that at this point, saying that other California State University and University of California campuses face “different local conditions than we do.”
“Some schools have decided that temporary closure or changing to online course delivery is the best step for their campuses,” Armstrong said. “The San Luis Obispo County Department of Public Health has advised that risk of transmission in our area is currently very low. In addition, faculty have taught their classes and prepared final exams assuming we would complete the last week of classes and have in-person exams.
“Given these factors, we believe proceeding as planned through the end of the quarter maximizes student success, while putting safety first,” he said.
Responding to questions about how Cal Poly is handling the public health issue, Armstrong said the university is driven by three fundamental principals: decision-making is based on facts and evidence, safety of staff and faculty comes before any other goal or consideration, and all efforts and decisions are aimed at student success.
Performing Arts Center events canceled
Cancellations at the Performing Arts Center, also known as the PAC, include a performance from Celtic band Cherish the Ladies, which was scheduled to take place on 7:30 p.m Thursday.
All other PAC events have been canceled or will be postponed until the end of the month, said Kristen Teufel, marketing and communications manager for the PAC.
Cal Poly Arts shows at the PAC, will resume on April 3, said Rob Laacke, Cal Poly Arts marketing and public relations director for Cal Poly Arts.
Teufel said all other PAC events are expected to resume starting on April 1. However, patrons are encouraged to check the PAC website at pacslo.org for up-to-date information, she said.
The PAC is working with the Cal Poly Department of Emergency Management to determine its next steps, Teufel said.
The venue expected to have additional information for ticketholders on Thursday afternoon, she said.
The PAC joins numerous other organizations throughout the county that are canceling events to help curb coronavirus transmission.
What to know about coronavirus
Coronavirus, known as COVID-19, is spread through contact between people within six feet of each other, especially through coughing and sneezing that expels respiratory droplets that land in the mouths or noses of people nearby.
The CDC says it’s possible to catch COVID-19 by touching something that has the virus on it, and then touching your own face, “but this is not thought to be the main way the virus spreads.”
Symptoms include fever, cough and shortness of breath, which may occur two days to two weeks after exposure.The disease is especially dangerous for the elderly and others with weaker immune systems.
This story was originally published March 12, 2020 at 11:31 AM.
