Sonoma State University suspends face-to-face classes through March 23 as a result of coronavirus

Sonoma State University temporarily suspended face-to-face classes starting Thursday and instructed faculty to begin preparations to teach students online as a result of the threat posed by the coronavirus.

For now, the suspension will affect only three days of classes, sandwiched before and after the university’s weeklong spring break. SSU intends to resume regular classes March 24, but that is contingent on the status of the growing public health crisis.

The suspension is designed to give faculty and staff sufficient time to switch to remote or virtual classes if the virus outbreak becomes more severe during the final seven weeks of the spring semester, which ends May 8.

“To be clear, we do not perceive a threat to the university community at this time. We do, however, perceive a need to be proactive as this situation is rapidly unfolding,” SSU President Judy Sakaki said in a statement to the campus community.

The campus, which houses about a third of the university’s 9,000 students, and its dining services and residence halls will remain open during the suspension. The university expects its 804 staff members and 682 faculty to report to work.

The decision mirrors actions taken by Cal Sate East Bay, Chico State, San Jose State and others as a response to what has been called a global pandemic by the World Health Organization.

The university held a career day Wednesday for students, but is taking guidance issued Wednesday by Sonoma County public health officials to refrain from holding indoor gatherings of 50 ?or more people over the age of 60, SSU spokesman Paul Gullixson said.

“We are going to take in the guidance that the county issued today and will be making decisions as we go on,” Gullixson said. The campus also will receive further advice from the CSU chancellor’s office in regards to public gatherings.

Sonoma State had seven students in Italy and two in South Korea on international study during the outbreak. “Most if not all” have returned to the United States and are doing their self-isolation at home and not on campus, Gullixson said.

Santa Rosa Junior College had no plans Wednesday to cancel events or close its campuses in Santa Rosa and Petaluma, said spokeswoman Erin Bricker. College officials will meet at 8 a.m. Thursday to determine if SRJC should take additional action in response to the virus, Bricker said.

You can reach Staff Writer Bill Swindell at 707-521-5223 or bill.swindell@pressdemocrat.com. On Twitter @BillSwindell.