Late afternoon, in the 11th week of spring semester, the campus of Santa Monica College (SMC) is deserted, on Thursday, April 30, 2020. In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, in late March all SMC campuses were closed and classes moved to online only… — Late afternoon, in the 11th week of spring semester, the campus of Santa Monica College (SMC) is deserted, on Thursday, April 30, 2020. In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, in late March all SMC campuses were closed and classes moved to online only. On Thursday, April 30, the college announced all the fall semester classes will be online. (Marco Pallotti/The Corsair)

Santa Monica College (SMC) announced on Thursday, April 30, that classes throughout the fall semester 2020 would continue to be held online as part of the college’s response to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic gripping the nation.

The announcement, which came in the form of a short memo, reassured students that SMC would continue to offer its more than 3,000 courses in the fall semester, and 800 over the summer. Furthermore, they maintained that access to many of the college's programs and facilities would still be available, including counseling, career guidance, and equipment lending such as laptops.

With the college’s campus set to stay closed over the whole period, the college asserted that the decision was not an easy one, noting that online courses are “no replacement for teaching, counseling and talking to [students] in person,” but that ultimately the safety and health of the students takes priority.

The memo also noted the college’s willingness to create classes that incorporated both in-person teaching and online learning for subjects that require a hands-on work environment, calling them “hybrid” classes. SMC stated, however, that this step would only be taken should legal restrictions be eased and the current situation begin to enter remission, implying that the college is generally hesitant to return to in-person learning for the time being even if the state begins to re-open. The possibility of “hybrid” classes remains unlikely for the new semester, with county and city “safer at home” orders in place for the foreseeable future.

In a video linked within the memo, titled “SMC Misses You!”, a handful of administrators including College Superintendent and President Dr. Kathryn Jeffery, Faculty Lead Vicki Rothman, and Dean of Community and Academic Relations Kiersten Elliott, re-affirmed their support and care for the student body.

“Just because we can’t physically be together, doesn't mean we are alone,” said Hannah Lawler, the SMC’s Dean of Institutional Research. The video reiterated some messages from the memo, reminding students of the resources and groups still available despite being virtual. “There are still ways to connect with your peers and even remote leadership opportunities,” said Daniel Cha, President of Associated Students.

The decision, originally recommended by SMC’s Emergency Operations Team, comes as the timeline of the coronavirus continues to expand. Representing the Emergency Operations Teams’ findings, President Jeffery cited the likelihood that a vaccine would not be readily available untill 2021, and that SMC does not have the capability to properly monitor the health of its students, as the main reasons for the shutdown and pre-emptive decision before an announced extension of quarantine.

In a memo to SMC’s staff, President Jeffery pointed to the recently released six critical indicators outlined by Governor Newsom for the reopening of the state, saying that the college had adopted them as guidelines for their own return to in-person education. In recent weeks, officials on various levels within the state, federal, and local government, have begun to talk about the likelihood that COVID-19 will still be a major threat entering the fall. In a press conference to reporters from California’s assortment of community colleges, California Community Colleges Chancellor Eloy Oakley said that the effects of coronavirus may keep education virtual until Spring of 2021.

As of April 30, California has 46,500 cases of the virus, amounting to 1887 deaths. Though the number of cases and deaths has been relatively low compared to other states, California is expected to peak in the coming weeks. Earlier that day, Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti announced that Los Angeles would become the first city in the United States to offer free testing for COVID-19, even if the recipient failed to show any symptoms. That day, California Governor Newsom ordered all state and local beaches shut down indefinitely - a response to a large increase of beach-going Californians seen over the course of the earlier week in response to hot weather. Within Los Angeles County and City, safer at home measures have been extended several times, with the most recent one moving the deadline to May 15, and enacting a law requiring face covering in public spaces.

Santa Monica College Announces Fall 2020 Semester Will Be Online