SDSU to go online-only starting Friday, cancels most events until April 8

Campus-wide email says students who choose to leave campus housing early will receive refunds

by Bella Ross, Editor in Chief • March 12, 2020

by Angela Kurysh, Kyle Betz, and Alexa Oslowski

SDSU to go online-only starting Friday, cancels most events until April 8

Effective Friday, March 13, all face-to-face instruction aside from lab classes will be halted to prevent the spread of coronavirus, superseding an announcement from earlier this week that said virtual learning would not be mandated until after spring break.

The announcement, made in a March 12 campus-wide email, clarified lab courses will stop meeting after Friday, March 20.

“The university will pause all face-to-face instruction, with the exception of labs, during the week of March 16-19 to expedite the move to virtual instruction,” the email said. “Classes currently offered in the virtual space will continue to be offered via virtual platforms.”

The campus will remain fully open. Students who live in campus housing will be allowed to continue living in their spaces, but accommodations will be made for students who choose to move out before the semester officially ends in May.

“Students who choose this option will be reimbursed for the remainder of the spring term for both their housing and meal plans,” the email said.

Faculty and staff should continue coming to work, according to the email.

The email also said, effective today, “non-essential public events on campus scheduled between March 12, 2020 and April 8, 2020 must be canceled or postponed.” This includes Explore SDSU, Gradfest, Student Success Fee programs, the opening of the Native and Indigenous Healing Garden and all sporting events.

Sporting event tickets that have already been purchased will be fully refunded.

The university has yet to issue a decision on this semester’s commencement ceremonies but said it will do so no later than March 20.

Students who are currently studying abroad in Europe are being asked to return to the U.S. as early as possible and return to their permanent residencies, according to the email. This comes after President Donald Trump’s national announcement yesterday where he put a 30-day ban on travel from Europe that will go into effect tomorrow.

There are still no confirmed cases of COVID-19 within the SDSU community, according to the email.

About the Contributors

Bella Ross, Editor in Chief

Bella Ross is an SDSU senior double majoring in journalism and political science. She started working at The Daily Aztec in the news section in Fall 2017 and started to make videos for the newspaper in the Spring. She also works as an intern for Voice of San Diego and does some freelance work. In the past, she's worked at KPBS, inewsource and The San Diego Union-Tribune. She is hoping to report on national politics for a large newspaper one day. Follow her on Twitter @BellaMayaRoss.

Angela Kurysh, '21-22 Video Editor

Kyle Betz, Sports Editor

Kyle Betz is a fourth-year journalism student at SDSU and 2020-21 marks his fourth year reporting for The Daily Aztec. The Lake Forest, Calif. native has covered numerous sports as a writer, editor and media contributor. An avid fan of the Denver Broncos, Los Angeles Angels, Los Angeles Lakers, Manchester United and Anaheim Ducks, Kyle enjoys watching and attending sporting events, listening to music, going to the beach and spending time with friends and family in his free time.

Alexa Oslowski, Photo Editor

Alexandra Oslowski (she/her) is a 5th-year student studying journalism with a minor in art from Cameron Park, California. She is a transfer student from UC Santa Cruz and in her third year at San Diego State. She has a passion for photography, music, and writing. Alexa hopes to pursue a career in digital journalism or photojournalism. You can follow her on Twitter @AlexaROslowski.