Cabrillo College President Matt Wetstein announced in an open letter Friday, March 13, that the school would be moving to online classes for the rest of March (which includes Spring Break). The earliest classrooms would reopen would be March 30.
Here is the letter put forth by Wetstein:
Dear Cabrillo Students,
Cabrillo’s Emergency Operations Center (EOC) has been meeting frequently as the Coronavirus (COVID-19) situation evolves, and has taken action this morning to declare a Cabrillo public health emergency. Cabrillo’s EOC will be asking the Board of Trustees to ratify that decision at an emergency meeting on Monday evening at 6pm in Cabrillo’s Horticulture Center. Additionally, this email serves as an update on new plans for student instruction as the COVID-19 virus spreads.
A State of Emergency
The decision to declare a state of emergency is driven by several new factors:
- Community spread of the virus is now evident in Santa Cruz County — 7 cases have been confirmed.
- The K-12 Districts and Santa Cruz County Superintendent declared an emergency last night and suspended classes for all of next week (March 16-20).
- Spring athletics contests and games have been suspended by the California Community Colleges Athletics Association (CCCAA).
- The California Community Colleges Chancellor’s Office and Governor are expected to issue new guidelines on mass gatherings and social distancing for higher education institutions today.
- National, state, and local agencies, along with corporations throughout the US are taking significant actions to mitigate the spread of COVID-19, with widespread cancellations now in place.
Here are the operational approaches we are taking for next week, and the week after (Spring Break):
- We are moving ALL classes to online instruction effective Monday, March 16-that includes lab, art studio and physical activity courses that normally require face-to-face work.Faculty teaching in these lab-based or activity-based course sections may cancel in-person meetings next week to provide time to plan for a complete shift to online instruction after spring break (after March 30). All Cabrillo classes will either meet online or be cancelled next week.
- Spring break will still be held the week of March 23-28. This operational approach will mean that we have at a minimum, a two-week break from face-to-face instruction (March 16 – March 30).
- Several campus centers will be closed for services beginning March 16. Closed services include: the Cafeteria, Drip Coffee kiosks, the Childcare Center, the Dental Hygiene Clinic, Adaptive Physical Education Courses, and Pino Alto Restaurant/Sesnon House.
- Other services will remain open — but may have reduced hours and services because of staff shortages.
- Campus services that will remain open to students:The Library, HUB Learning Centers, Tutoring, The ILC in Watsonville, the Wellness Education Center, Student Health Services, Bookstore, and Stroke and Disability Learning Center (although students exhibiting symptoms and those who are immuno-compromised will be turned away).
- All remaining performances of Considering Matthew Shepard in the Crocker Theater have been cancelled. If you have tickets for this weekend’s performances, please contact the Cabrillo Box Office to request a refund.
- Community Education and Extension classes are expected to follow the same format (move to online delivery or be cancelled or postponed effective Monday, March 16).
All Cabrillo staff will continue to report to work next week so that we can serve students and community members who do come to campus or take classes/receive services via teleconferencing. Cabrillo Managers will work with individual employees should they need to telecommute. Faculty and staff are directed to work with Cabrillo’s Human Resources Department should they need to take leave time.
Cabrillo is taking these actions in order to protect the public safety and health of our students, faculty and staff as well as the Santa Cruz County community, and to mitigate the spread of COVID-19. We thank you for your cooperation and understanding during this time of need.
•••
Matt Wetstein, President/Superintendent, Cabrillo College
mawetste@cabrillo.edu
www.cabrillo.edu