Glendale Community College extends campus closure to end of semester
During Glendale Community College’s scheduled spring break, the school’s superintendent/president David Viar announced Tuesday that campuses will remain closed to students through the end of the current semester.
In an email to students, Viar said college officials had hoped the statewide stay-at-home order would be lifted in May. However, in order to provide some sense of certainty, the college announced remote learning will remain in place until a specific date — June 10, when the spring semester ends.
The community-college shutdown started on March 16, and instructors launched online learning on March 23.
The announcement comes after Gov. Gavin Newsom said Tuesday stay-at-home restrictions will remain in effect until further notice and highlighted six key indicators for altering the mandate in the near future.
“The overwhelming likelihood is that this status will also continue into summer. That decision, however, will be made based on the directions of state and L.A. County health officials,” Viar said in the email.
According to Newsom, social distancing and other precautions might stay in place even after the mandate is lifted, and it could include staggered start times, reconfigured classrooms and the continuance of online learning.
In the meantime, students are able to switch from letter grading to a pass-or-no-pass format. The latter means students could earn units but no grade points.
Last month, college officials announced students would have the option to withdraw from classes and receive refunds for enrollment and other related fees. Those who purchased spring-semester parking can also request a refund or use the parking pass when campus reopens.
“I am very proud of the outstanding work done by our faculty and staff to make the transition to remote learning as successful as possible, and I offer a big thanks to you for adapting to this unprecedented change,” Viar added.
