FRESNO – California State University, Fresno President Joseph Castro announced Monday that all “in-person” classes would be temporarily suspended effective Monday, March 16 to transition to a virtual instruction next week. This will also affect the school's Visalia campus.

According to Castro this decision was made with an abundance of caution and care for the campus community and after deliberation with the CSU Chancellor’s Office, the Academic Senate, the Joint Labor Council, local K-12, and community college leaders and local public health officials, while keeping student success in mind.

To allow the faculty to make final preparations for virtual delivery of instruction, face-to-face classes are canceled from Monday, March 16, through Thursday, March 19.  The campus will remain open. Virtual instruction will begin on Friday, March 20. Any online classes that have been ongoing since the beginning of the spring semester will continue as scheduled.

However, some courses will continue to meet in person between March 16-19 and beyond if alternative instruction is not appropriate, such as laboratory, performing arts and kinesiology courses, and campus farm activities. (Students are to check with their instructors regarding these types of courses.) Accommodations associated with social distancing will be implemented in these courses.

Castro told students in a school-wide email, “Despite these temporary changes, I strongly encourage students to continue to be engaged in their academic success by continuing to study, review course materials and prepare assignments with the end goal of being prepared to resume full academic activity on Friday, March 20.”

The university president anticipates the conclusion of alternative delivery of instruction and resumption of regular operations on Monday, April 27; but that may be subject to change depending upon the status of the situation.