Cal State University Long Beach no longer plans to continue in person classes for the rest of the semester. Whereas in-person classes were initially scheduled to be given online to prevent the spread of coronavirus until April 20, CSULB will not be offering any in-person classes for the Spring 2020 semester in order to support social distancing in the face of the pandemic.
“I completely understand the decision to cancel in-person classes,” Ethan Ortiz, CSULB senior, told the Signal Tribune. “I commend CSULB for taking every precautionary measure to ensure the safety of everyone. With that being said, it is frustrating having to transition to online courses. This is my final semester as a student. I will not get the privilege of attending my final class in person. I will not get the satisfaction of walking out of my final class in person. I will not get to see or thank my professors in person for teaching me this semester. It is what it is, right now I’m just trying to get through this situation.”
The commencement ceremony for graduates, which was originally scheduled for May 19-22, has also been postponed. A future date has yet to be announced.
“I hope commencement is only postponed,” Ortiz said in an email, “But at this rate I can see it getting canceled. This last week I’ve been hesitant about getting my cap and gown, so I’m glad I waited to buy it, now knowing what’s going on. I just want to walk, so if I have to wait another year, so be it.”
Students who are dorming in one of CSULB’s residence halls are being encouraged to move out if they are able to. Currently there are over 700 living at the Beachside college dorms, 1,035 at Parkside and anywhere between 405 to 1800 at Hillside.
Residence halls, dining facilities and many student services will remain open, Student Health Services and the library will continue to operate but with limited hours. Staff members have been asked to work remotely when possible.
Ortiz believes that refunding students who have already paid for campus parking passes and graduation would help alleviate some of the frustration felt by students at this time.
“[I] literally cried all day yesterday,” CSULB student Maria Martinez told the Signal Tribune on Tuesday, March 17 concerning finding out her commencement ceremony had been postponed. “I’m honestly depressed. I’ve worked so hard for this accomplishment and to have this happening — it sucks.”
Cultural events on campus have also been cancelled to the disappointment of students.
“The cancellation of cultural celebrations was even more upsetting,” CSULB student Eddie Infante told the Signal Tribune in an online message. “I personally was looking forward to the Chicanx/Latinx graduation so that my abuela could watch me walk across the stage and understand everything that was going on because the ceremony would’ve been in Spanish and now it looks like that won’t happen anytime soon. I get that it’s the logical explanation to do with our current pandemic but its still really sad.”