California Community Colleges Chancellor’s Office Continues to Support Colleges as Many Shift to Temporary Online Instruction in Response to COVID-19

March 13, 2020
Christina Jimenez
cjimenez@@cccco.edu
T 916.322.4004

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — The California Community Colleges Chancellor’s Office is working closely with the governor’s office, the California Department of Public Health and local colleges to mitigate effects of the COVID-19 outbreak.

The Chancellor’s Office has provided the ability for all colleges to convert in-person classes to online, and more than 58 colleges have made this transition or are preparing to shift to expanded delivery of online instruction in the coming days. Many colleges are using upcoming scheduled spring breaks to make this transition.

“The California Community Colleges has long been a leader in online education, and I am urging colleges to increase their ability to use this option during this emergency and in future emergencies and to limit in-person contacts,” Chancellor Eloy Ortiz Oakley said. “Our colleges are no strangers to disasters, unfortunately, and they are working diligently to help communities get through this crisis and they will play critical roles during recovery.”

Since early February, the Chancellor’s Office has provided all community colleges guidance from the state Department of Public Health on steps to mitigate the spread of the virus.

This guidance provides protocols for colleges to work with local public health departments on closure of colleges if that is deemed necessary and policies related to cancelling events with more than 250 people.

While the Chancellor’s Office does not have the legal authority to close colleges, it continues to support colleges as they work to protect students and staff. For more information, please visit the Chancellors’ Office COVID-19 web resource page.

The California Community Colleges is the largest system of higher education in the nation, composed of 73 districts and 115 colleges serving 2.1 million students per year. California community colleges provide career education and workforce training; guaranteed transfer to four-year universities; degree and certificate pathways; and basic skills education in English and math. As the state’s engine for social and economic mobility, the California Community Colleges supports the Vision for Success, a strategic plan designed to improve student success outcomes, increase transfer rates and eliminate achievement gaps. For more information, please visit the California Community Colleges website or follow us on Facebook and Twitter.

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