BREAKING: Remainder of spring semester to be taught online; commencement postponed

President Jane Close Conoley announced Tuesday that Long Beach State will not be returning for face-to-face instruction for the remainder of the spring semester and commencement has been postponed. 

“With rapidly evolving directives from the president, governor, mayor, our medical director, and public-health agencies, we have entered our next phase to help contain and mitigate the COVID-19 pandemic … indeed to help flatten the curve,” Conoley said. 

The transition to alternative teaching methods was first made on March 13 in response to concerns over the COVID-19 pandemic.

With the new announcement, alternative teaching will now begin March 23.

Staff and faculty are to continue their work with appropriate supervisors to make the transition.

“Similar to the two planning days this week, staff will continue to confer with their Appropriate Administrator regarding scheduling, work assignments, and related matters,” Conoley said. “Human Resources will be issuing temporary guidelines for telecommuting. All employees will be paid their normal rate of pay for their normal assigned hours.” 

In accordance with Gov. Gavin Newsom’s declaration Friday, all staff and faculty who are 65 years or older, or those with serious health conditions, are no longer recommended back onto the campus.

Those who believe they may have been exposed to COVID-19 are being instructed to self-quarantine for 14 days. 

“We must do our best to accomplish extreme social distancing. We are not closing our campus, nor suspending essential operations including instruction,” Conoley said. “Rather, we must transition to meet the demands of our new reality by lowering the campus population of employees and students, invoking social distancing techniques throughout.”

President  Conoley provided a list of guidelines to clarify the changing situation:

• Commencement and all cultural programs are to be canceled immediately and are postponed until further notice.
• From March 17 to March 23, faculty and staff are to plan their final transition from face-to-face to alternative teaching methods.
• Beginning March 23, alternative teaching is set to officially begin.
• All residents who are able to at this time must vacate the dormitories by March 27.
• Social distancing practices must be practiced at all times, in all areas of the campus.
• The Student Recreation and Wellness Center is to be closed immediately. University Student Union and the Library may remain open for essential functions only with amended hours and implemented social distancing practices.
• All campus programs are to be sustained to the best of their ability, while maintaining social distancing practices with a skeletal crew.

For up-to-date coverage on coronavirus at CSULB, visit our live coverage page.

This story is developing and will be updated.