On September 10, 2020, all faculty, staff, and students of the California State University system received an unfortunate email from the Office of the Chancellor. According to the email, all CSU schools will continue with primarily virtual instruction through the January 2021 academic term. Additionally, only reduced populations will be able to live in campus housing.

Although the decision-making process and announcement may seem a bit early or proactive to some, The Office of the Chancellor assures students, faculty, and staff that making this decision early allows faculty and staff more time to prepare for the virtual learning environment, and will allow students and their families to plan for the future more appropriately.

Although the fall term has just begun on most CSU campuses, academic plans for the January 2021 term must soon be finalized. In a few weeks, campuses publish course offerings for the next term, so that students can make their course selections and campuses can appropriately adjust their course inventories. 

One of the main reasons for the continuation is the wave of COVID-19 cases projected to hit California in March 2021. “The virus continues to spread. There is no vaccine and there likely will not be one widely available any time soon,” the official email stated.

“The summer increase in infections that was forecast in the spring happened as predicted, and it was larger than expected. While cases and hospitalizations are starting to stabilize in most of California’s counties, it is plateauing at a number that is approximately 40 percent higher than what we experienced in the spring. A larger wave continues to be forecast for the period between October and December.”

Seasonal factors also threaten to accelerate the disease’s progression, rather than slow it. Currently, the state of California is facing one of the most disastrous fire seasons we have seen thus far. Evacuations will likely force people into congregate temporary housing–the perfect recipe for an upcoming spike in COVID-19 cases. Residents of California are exhausted from the fires and everlasting pandemic, so their willingness to continue with physical distancing, hand washing, and face coverings may dwindle.

“The combination of these compelling administrative factors – the need to publicize course offerings and enroll students now, and the required authorization process with our accrediting body – together with the state of COVID-19 prevalence, the absence of a vaccine, and an insufficient testing and contact-tracing infrastructure, lead us to the regrettable but necessary decision that the academic term that begins in January 2021 will be primarily virtual, similar to that of fall 2020,” the official email explained. 

Depending on the unique circumstances of each CSU campus, some campuses may be able to slightly increase the amount of in-person instruction available. This idea can also be applied reversely to the opposite situation. If campuses are still struggling to provide a safe environment for in-person education, due to Coronavirus, some campuses may have to limit in-person opportunities. 

Campus presidents have been allocated the responsibility of informing students, faculty, and administration how much in-person instruction will be available on their specific campus, but all plans must comply with state, federal, and local public health directives.

As of right now, less than seven percent of CSU course offerings are being delivered in person this fall. According to the email, most CSU campuses should expect to receive relatively the same amount of in-person opportunities in the spring 2021 semester.

 Although this is an unfavorable situation for almost everyone within the CSU community, the Office of the Chancellor claims that they are courageously choosing safety and doing the “right thing” over the public’s desire to return to in-person instruction.