© (Mark Boster / Los Angeles Times)
Students walk at UC Irvine, which is one of the University of California campuses expanding distance learning during the Omicron surge. (Mark Boster / Los Angeles Times)
Amid a worsening Omicron surge, four University of California campuses announced Thursday that they are extending distance learning through the end of January.
UC campuses in Irvine, Davis, Santa Cruz and San Diego, whose winter quarters began Jan.3, said rising positivity rates for coronavirus infections had forced them to exercise caution and delay the In-person instruction begins until January 31st. Davis was scheduled to return to campus on Monday, while Irvine, Santa Cruz and San Diego had announced the start on January 18.
In a message to the university community Thursday night, UC Irvine Chancellor Howard Gillman said the positivity rate on campus for those who tested since Sunday was 13%, lower than Orange County’s rate of 25%, but “the transmission of the disease is too high to assume safe interactions in person.” He added that the increase in coronavirus cases created a risk of staff and student shortages who they may not be able to attend classes in person, creating a burden on faculty to create options both in person and online.
“Resuming face-to-face classes when large numbers of students cannot take advantage of them is not reasonable or fair to students or faculty,” he said.
UC Santa Cruz reported that its campus positivity rate was 5% in the 3,000 tests conducted since Sunday, the highest since testing began in 2020. The campus had averaged a 0.47% positivity rate among 129,972 tests administered between July 14, 2020 and January 6 of this year. The current rate of 5% was higher than expected, although it remained well below state and county rates, campus leaders said.
UC San Diego said the rise in coronavirus cases was creating staff shortages and affecting students’ ability to attend classes in person. He noted that simulation models that relate actual cases to predicted cases currently estimate that the peak of infections will occur between now and mid-January.
Several national public health experts have speculated that the winter surge will peak in January.
At UC Davis, Chancellor Gary May asked the university community to remain in Davis during this time so as not to introduce new cases. “It’s going to be tough for a little while longer, as Ómicron impacts our community,” he said in a video message. “Once once more, please be patient as we determine how best to deliver the education that you are here for.”
UCLA, however, announced Thursday that plans to return to in-person instruction on January 18 “remain in place.”
“We are hopeful that our plans will not have to change, but we are prepared to modify them if it is in the best interest of the safety of faculty, staff and students,” campus leaders said.
On Thursday, Cal State Long Beach joined at least eight other California State University campuses in the 23-campus system that have announced classroom delays. Long Beach plans to operate primarily online for its first three weeks beginning Jan.20.
Cal State Los Angeles announced this week its decision to operate remotely for the first three weeks of the semester. San Diego State, Sacramento State, Cal State Channel Islands, Fresno State, Cal State East Bay, Cal State San Marcos and San Francisco State have also announced a remote start, while Cal State Fullerton is currently analyzing their plans.
Several community colleges across the state, including Pasadena City College, will also move classes online for the first two weeks of their semester, while others maintain a mostly hybrid schedule.
The president of the Cal State Student Assn. Isaac Alferos said student leaders support remote start.
“It is critical that campus leaders across the system work with their student leaders to ensure equitable implementation that focuses on our students first,” he said.
Times writer Colleen Shalby contributed to this report.
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This article was first published in Los Angeles Times in Spanish.