CSULB, LBCC Suspend Classes

California State University, Long Beach (CSULB) is temporarily suspending the in-person, on-campus convening of classes. The Long Beach Community College District (LBCC) will move most classes online by Wed., March 18 in order to limit the transmission of the coronavirus COVID-19.

To allow CSULB faculty to make final preparations for alternative delivery of instruction, face-to-face classes are canceled from Thursday, March 12 through Tuesday, March 17, although the campus will remain open. Alternative instruction will begin on Wednesday, March 18. Online classes will continue as scheduled.

Some courses will continue to meet in person if alternative instruction is not appropriate, such as some laboratory, performing-arts, and physical-education courses. Accommodations associated with social distancing will be implemented in these courses.

The university has developed a framework for assessing what events may be booked, rescheduled, or canceled. No new third-party events will be scheduled for dates prior to May 1. The framework assesses whether or not the event experience can be offered in an alternative way, assessing whether participants will be traveling by air to attend; if participants are from populations that are high-risk for infection; if social-distancing and other preventative procedures can be successfully implemented; and what guidance is offered by public-health officials.

While there are no reported cases of COVID-19 related to the CSULB and LBCC campuses, it was decided to enact this as a preventative measure after receiving trusted medical advice.

Neither campus is closing. Campus offices and buildings will remain open and many operations will continue normally, including student housing and related dining facilities.

Beach Athletics teams will continue to compete. Students who need computers or WiFi will find appropriate resources on campus.

Research shows that reducing the concentration of people in an area can lower the infection risk.

Through Sun., April 12, events sponsored by LBCC where the public have been invited will be postponed. This action is to reduce the number of events where a large mass of people are gathering to help slow the COVID-19 outbreak.

Visit www.LBCC.edu/Coronavirus for a full list of events that have been postponed. Exceptions to this is the March 16 Personnel Commission meeting, and the March 25 Long Beach Community College District Board of Trustees meeting. This move to postpone district events does not impact events that have been organized by non-LBCC organizations.

In addition, the LBCC COVID-19 Response Team was formed to work through issues related to this evolving health crisis, including bringing in extra cleaning crews to perform a deep clean of areas that people on campus touch frequently, ensuring that the college has ample stock of cleaning supplies, implementing the plan for the college to move most classes online, and provide business continuity.