The Hartnell Community College District will temporarily move to mostly online instruction beginning March 23, after spring break next week, and closely review campus events in terms of their public health risk from the coronavirus.
College athletic events also are suspended under a mandate issued late Thursday by the California Community College Athletic Association.
In announcing the adjustments to students and employees on Friday through campus-wide emails, Hartnell Superintendent/President Dr. Patricia Hsieh said the college was joining with others to address the public health threat from coronavirus COVID-19.
“We are announcing several additional steps that reflect a central fact: the health and safety of our students, employees and visitors are our highest priority,” Dr. Hsieh said.
The moves are also in line with recommendations from Chancellor Eloy Ortiz-Oakley of the California Community Colleges system. Many of the state’s 115 community colleges have made similar decisions in recent days.
The key decisions by Hartnell are:
- Through at least April 4, the college will move nearly all of its face-to-face classes to online delivery, with exceptions for a handful of courses for which that is not feasible because of their intensely hands-on nature. Hartnell has provided online support and digital tools to students and faculty, including counseling and other student services accessible via the internet.
- Effective immediately, college administrators will carefully review all scheduled events on Hartnell’s Main Campus and Alisal Campus in Salinas and its King City Education Center to assess whether they can be held with sufficient social distancing to discourage spread of the coronavirus.
- In addition to suspending athletic games, Hartnell will close its swimming pool, gymnasium and fitness center to campus and public use until at least April 5.
- The Hartnell Child Development Center will close March 23 until at least April 3, though it will remain open March 16-20 during spring break. The privately run Early Education Center on the Alisal Campus will also be open next week, with further information to be provided soon regarding services there after March 22.
Despite these steps, Hartnell College is not closing, Dr. Hsieh said.
“Though we have discouraged students from coming to campus during the switch to online instruction, college operations will continue, and our campuses will remain open to the public during regular business hours,” she said.
In addition to regularly consulting with the Monterey County Health Department, Hartnell plans to stay in close communication with students and employees. The college will continue to send out timely campus-wide emails and social media posts, as well as maintaining webpages with information about the coronavirus and near-term online support for students and faculty.
Dr. Hsieh thanked employees and students for their cooperation and understanding during a difficult time across the nation and around the world.
“All of us have a responsibility to do all we can to support the well-being of our college community and society at large,” she said. “We also share an unyielding commitment to always put students first.”