CSUN’s President Dianne F. Harrison announced today that the campus will transition to “virtual and alternative modalities of learning” following spring break beginning Monday, March 23 to Sunday, April 19.
The decision follows that of other 135 universities that have announced their cancelation of in-person classes due to concerns over COVID-19.
In order to allow faculty and staff to prepare, all in-person classes will be canceled Thursday, March 12 through Sunday, March 15.
“I understand there may be disappointment at having your academic semester altered,” said Harrison in her campus-wide announcement. “I know that our faculty will be working diligently to continue the same high-quality educational experience — just in a different format.”
Harrison also addressed parents and family, reassuring them that CSUN is closely monitoring public health recommendations and will follow any measures to protect each student.
“We also are committed to minimizing the impact on your student’s education, especially those who are planning to graduate this year,” she said.
Despite the cancelation of face-to-face instruction, all campus operations and activities will continue.
As new COVID-19 cases in Los Angeles County were announced, students’ concerns appeared to grow. A Change.org petition, organized by someone claiming to be a CSUN sophomore with the pseudonym “John Doe,” demanding that the campus close immediately has begun to circulate. As of today, the petition has received almost 8,000 signatures.
“We shouldn’t wait till one of us gets infected,” Doe said in his petition statement. Additionally, the petition claims that there have been three confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the San Fernando Valley, however, that is unconfirmed. So far, Pasadena and Long Beach have been noted as areas in Los Angeles County with confirmed COVID-19 cases.

Additional updates to campus operations will be published on CSUN’s COVID-19-website.