CSU System Offering Online Classes to Students Not Willing to Return to Campus in Fall 2021
California State University Chancellor Joseph Castro announced the 23 campus school system will offer online classes as well as in-person classes for those who wish to continue distance learning for the fall 2021 semester.

According to the Fullerton Daily Titan, Castro was quoted as saying, “For those who might want to wait, I know each campus is going to accommodate those interests.” Castro also added, “I think it’s a time again, as we’ve been throughout this pandemic, is the time to be flexible, and reasonable, and compassionate.”

The CSU plans to return to in-person instruction starting in fall 2021. However, they will offer online classes for students who remain skeptical about returning to campus. The Pioneer Online has learned that some classes may also resort to HyFlex, or hybrid flexible teaching, meaning courses would combine in-person instruction with synchronous and asynchronous components, adding more to an instructor’s plate.

With HyFlex, there is a possibility with a scenario that half of the class will meet on ground or in person, with the other half via Zoom to reduce capacity and promote social distancing.

However, the logistics of HyFlex are still in the works as far as class sizes and students changing their minds. Meiling Wu, the Chair of the Committee of Instruction and Curriculum (CIC) for California State University, East Bay, said, “In terms of space we… need to reduce the normal class to maybe half of the size. Originally the class could contend with 30 students; we may only need to keep 15 students in a classroom.” She also added, “We have online students who want to join the 15 students, then it will become more complicated, then we will have to change classrooms.”

The CSUEB school administration is pushing to have in-person classes. Dr. Mary Cardaras, Chair of the Department of Communication at CSUEB, went on to say, “The administration would like nothing more than to repopulate the campus. They are promising to do it in a safe manner. Social distancing, masking, plexiglass, whatever it takes to get people back on campus safely.”

CSUEB’s administration, though, has allowed faculty to make the choice of whether to continue to teach online or return to campus, “For what this administration has done, is basically given the faculty the choice.” Cardaras added, “So basically put in the hands of the faculty. Who feels comfortable coming back, who doesn’t, and how they want to teach in the fall.”

All of this does not factor in how students feel, as well as how the residence hall situation will work out as of this time. The Pioneer Online did not have any students respond to any of its sent requests for an interview and there is no information about the residence halls at the present time.

Interviews:
Meling Wu Chair of the Committee of Instruction and Curriculum [email protected]
Dr. Mary Cardaras Chair of Department of Communication [email protected]