COVID-19 Information, Part 1: University-level Decisions to Date

Updated (Tuesday, March 17): Beginning Tuesday, March 17, all non-essential personnel, and essential personnel whose work can be accomplished remotely, are asked not to come to the San Diego State University campus. Such employees are asked to telework.

SDSU must quickly transition all staff, management, and student employees, including those working in auxiliary units, to telework arrangements. Employees are asked to make arrangements no later than Tuesday, March 17, and Wednesday, March 18. This will allow employees to gather any essential work materials and equipment from their offices to successfully telework from home.

To support those who will telework, SDSU’s Information Technology Services has introduced SDSU@Home: Remote Work Resources. This new site provides tools and resources for remote work, including request forms for equipment and other materials that may be provided without having to come to campus. Additional resources and direction to facilitate telework will be provided as soon as possible.

San Diego State University is making additional campus changes given coronavirus (COVID-19) concerns. One SDSU study abroad student living off campus is confirmed to have COVID-19, though health officials deem campus risk to be low.

Instruction Pause: Face-to-Face Classes Have Ended, Including Labs

All instructional activities and office hours – including for any remaining lab courses – will now only utilize virtual platforms. We had planned for some face-to-face labs to be continued this week, however this is no longer the case.

As previously announced, SDSU has provided an instructional pause from March 16 to March 22 for those faculty who need time to prepare for teaching in the virtual environment. During the pause, instructors should continue their efforts to develop new approaches for delivering a meaningful educational experience to our students that will achieve primary course learning outcomes.

Other faculty who had already made the transition to online or virtual instruction may opt to continue with their courses through this period, or may take advantage of the pause to further prepare and create high quality and effective learning experiences for their students.

Additionally, any in-person undergraduate research is suspended, and undergraduate researchers should contact their faculty if work can continue remotely. All Fine Arts studios (Art+Design, Music & Dance, Theatre Television Film and New Media) will be closed immediately.

Student Housing

Following the March 16 guidance from the State of California, a number of cities across the state have introduced shelter-in-place mandates. Anticipating that more cities will follow, San Diego State University will need to expedite moveout plans for students this week.

Exceptions will be made for those who cannot go home, those who have known health or safety risks, and for those students who do not have an alternate residence to return to.

This means that students currently living on campus and not in one of the above categories are asked to begin making arrangements for move-out immediately. The majority of moveout should occur by Wednesday, March 18, at 7 p.m.

As you move off campus, you will still be able to access virtual instruction, academic support and counseling support.

Our teams will be on hand to help provide as smooth a transition as possible. Your safety, health, well-being and academic success have always been our priority, and that remains true now.

New Telework Requirements

Beginning Tuesday, March 17, all non-essential personnel, and essential personnel whose work can be accomplished remotely, are asked not to come to the San Diego State University campus. Such employees are asked to telework. We recognize that, for many of us, this means we will not be heading to campus starting tomorrow.

This decision, along with others outlined below, follows today’s updated guidance and direction from state and federal public health officials and continued conversations with the California State University (CSU) Chancellor’s Office. All decisions are meant to significantly reduce the number of people able to gather on campus. This directly helps to protect those who are at greatest risk of illness, and prevents the spread of the coronavirus (COVID-19).

Campus Facilities

All campus recreation and library facilities will be closed, and access will be fully restricted beginning tomorrow, Tuesday, March 17.

Following updated guidance from the state, CSU and CDC released Sunday, March 15, SDSU is also implementing additional actions:

• The Mission Bay Aquatic Center will close beginning Monday, March 16.
• The Aztec Recreation Center will close temporarily, also beginning March 16. The closure will allow Associated Students and university personnel to make additional modifications to align with the updated guidelines for social distancing. Members will receive additional information via direct communication.
• The Faculty Staff Club will temporarily close on March 16.
• After careful consideration, and in line with several school districts and child care closures across the county, the SDSU Children’s Center will close Wednesday, March 18, until April 6, unless conditions call for an extension. Affected families will receive a separate communication with more details.
• The cultural centers will be temporarily suspending operations on March 16 and March 17 to allow for a space analysis for social distancing guidelines to be completed and implemented before reopening. The centers are the: Center for Intercultural Relations, Black Resource Center, Women's Resource Center, PRIDE Center, Native Resource Center, Latinx Resource Center, and Center for Transformative Justice.
• SDSU Dining will reduce seating capacity and will increase grab-and-go options to facilitate social distancing at its dining facilities, and will encourage third-party operators to do the same.

Reopening dates for the Mission Bay Aquatic Center, Aztec Recreation Center, Faculty Staff Club and the university’s cultural centers will be communicated at a different time.

Campus, Athletic Events

Explore SDSU, GradFest and Student Success Fee Programs are among the cancelled and, effective today, all non-essential public events on campus scheduled between March 12, 2020 and April 8, 2020 must be cancelled or postponed.

SDSU has also decided to cancel the opening event for the March 21 Native and Indigenous Healing Garden.

Also, today, the Mountain West Board of Directors suspended all spring sport competitions indefinitely. In conjunction with that decision, SDSU and the Athletics department have immediately suspended game competition for its spring sports, and is suspending all team activities, including practices, this weekend.

Fans who have purchased advanced tickets to spring sports may receive a refund by contacting the San Diego State ticket office at 619-283-7378.

Commencement

Updated (Friday, March 20): In-person Commencement has been postponed. The university plans to host the SDSU and SDSU Imperial Valley May in-person ceremonies December 17 through 20, 2020.

To close out the academic year, we are planning a virtual celebration to be held on Saturday, May 16, for the entire SDSU community to come together and celebrate with our graduates. More information will be provided at a later time.

The postponement will not have an impact on the timing of degree completion for those scheduled to graduate in May and August, and diplomas will reflect the appropriate timing. If you are a May or August candidate for graduation and complete all degree requirements, you will receive diplomas in the mail in about six to eight weeks after the end of the semester.

Students Called Back from Europe

SDSU has suspended all study abroad programs in European countries and is advising that all students currently remaining in Europe return to the United States as early as possible, and go directly to their permanent residence. Students are being told to return to their permanent addresses and to follow U.S. Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention guidelines to self-quarantine for 14 days after leaving a country affected by COVID-19.

All students returning from their disrupted study abroad programs will be treated equally regardless of a country from which they are returning with respect of tuition payment. If returning students enroll in the recently open 8-week accelerated session, they will not be required to pay tuition.

Campus Communications 

SDSU is sharing regular email notifications to campus to students, faculty and staff via in person, and launched a public-facing COVID-19 web page that is regularly updated. The page contains updates related to university decisions, study abroad, business and personal travel, health-related guidance and individual actions members of our community should take.

Additional internal communications occur at the college, department and unit level to ensure that students, faculty, staff and visitors are well-informed and have current information. 

SDSU will continue to provide timely updates. 

FAQs

With SDSU's move to virtual adoption for instruction, do I have to remain in on-campus housing?

Following the March 16 guidance from the State of California, a number of cities across the state have introduced shelter-in-place mandates. Anticipating that more cities will follow, San Diego State University will need to expedite move-out plans for students this week.

On Tuesday, March 17, SDSU announced the closing all residential communities on Wednesday, March 18, at 7:00 p.m. for the remainder of the contract period except for extenuating circumstances.

Please make arrangements to return to your permanent address safely and move out of university housing on or before Wednesday, March 18, at 7:00 p.m. Residents will be reimbursed for the remainder of your contract for both housing and unused meal plan amounts starting March 17.

As you move off campus, you will still be able to access virtual instruction, academic support and counseling support.

Our teams will be on hand to help provide as smooth a transition as possible. Your safety, health, well-being and academic success have always been our priority, and that remains true now.

Am I required to come into work?

Beginning Tuesday, March 17, all non-essential personnel, and essential personnel whose work can be accomplished remotely, are asked not to come to the San Diego State University campus. Such employees are asked to telework.

This decision, along with others outlined below, follows the updated guidance and direction from state and federal public health officials and continued conversations with the California State University (CSU) Chancellor’s Office. All decisions are meant to significantly reduce the number of people able to gather on campus. This directly helps to protect those who are at greatest risk of illness, and prevents the spread of the coronavirus (COVID-19).

Further, you can contact the Office of Employee Relations and Compliance at (619) 594-6464 to discuss reasonable accommodations.

At this time, one SDSU study abroad student living off campus is confirmed to have COVID-19. In cooperation with the San Diego County Department of Public Health, SDSU will immediately determine how best to address any increased risk to public health. Response protocols may include additional sanitizing of certain campus areas, temporary closing of some rooms or facilities, moving nonessential functions online and perhaps even a temporary closure of the campus.

Have all campus events been canceled?

With the guidance of the CSU, SDSU will make decisions whether to cancel or delay campus events, to include large-scale events and meetings based on the following criteria:

• The essential nature of the event to the mission of the university.
• The availability to offer or host the event using alternative modalities, including virtual options.
• The necessity for air travel and out-of-area participants.
• Susceptibility for the audience to be at increased risk for infection by COVID-19 (e.g., individuals over age 60, individuals with compromised immune systems).
• Current direction or guidance from local health departments.
• The event size.

Given these considerations, SDSU will make event and meeting-related decisions on a case-by-case basis. Faculty and staff event organizers should consult with vice presidents or deans overseeing their respective areas on decisions regarding campus events. For all events and meetings, regardless of size, the university is instituting rigorous environmental cleaning before and after the event/meeting, as well encouraging the practice of preventive behaviors (e.g., providing hand sanitizer, tissue, etc.).