Class Closure in Light of Coronavirus

The Office of the President announced today that campus classes will meet digitally in light of coronavirus risks

Update 03/19/2020—Santa Clara, CA—Gavin Newsom ’89, Governor of California, announced ordered that the people his state are to remain indoors until further notice. The order outlines that only absolute necessities should warrant a citizen’s departure from their home.

According to the California Coronavirus (COVID-19) Response website, the services deemed essential which will remain open during this time include gas stations, pharmacies, grocery stores, farmers markets, food banks, convenience stores, take-out and delivery restaurants, banks and laundromats/laundry services.

The order is in effect starting March 19 and will continue indefinitely. It has not yet been made clear how or if Newsom will enforce this order. As of now, what is clear is that those found in violation of this order may face fines or imprisonment.

Update 03/16/2020—Santa Clara, CA—In one of it’s most significant announcements yet, Santa Clara announced in yet another campus-wide email that the university would revert to online classes for the remainder of the year. The university has not yet responded to questions from The Santa Clara.

“In order to offer some much-needed certainty, and after consulting broadly with academic leadership,” read the email. “We have decided to extend virtual learning and exams through the end of the academic year.”

This announcement has sent ripples through the community with students both commending the university and questioning what their future looks like in ways academic, financial and in terms of housing.

“Depending on the course,” the email continued. “Students may be asked to get technology ready at home, download particular software, review educational materials, and prepare introductory assignments. Students, please continue to regularly monitor communications from your professors.”

With less than a day passing since this announcement, professors have already begun to reach out to students, providing thoughts on what classes will look like in these uncertain times.

Update 03/15/2020—Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) announced on Sunday that meetings of 50 people or more should not convene for the next eight weeks in order to combat the spread of the coronavirus. According to the Los Angeles Times, this advice is not meant to interrupt the daily operations of institutions like universities and businesses. However, this announcement may impact extracurricular activities and meetings on campuses across the nation.

Update 03/13/2020—Santa Clara, CA—In an email sent out by Dennis Smolarski, S.J. Director of Campus Ministry, it was announced that, with the advice of Santa Clara County, the Diocese of San Jose and public health officials, Masses in the Mission Church would be suspended indefinitely starting March 14. The Mission Church will remain open during this time, however.

Update 03/13/2020—Santa Clara, CA—Kevin O’Brien S.J., President of Santa Clara, reached out to the student body this evening in a campus-wide email which contained a smartphone video message. In this message, titled simply “We are in this together,” O’Brien began by remarking on the great change the university has undergone in the past several days.

“Over the last several months, you have received a number of emails from our leadership team about the coronavirus,” O’Brien said, clad in his clerical clothing over which he wore a bright red Santa Clara hoodie. “As we continue to respond to the impact of the coronavirus I thought I would reach out to you, our students, directly through video which we are relying more and more on for instruction and our meetings and our learning.”

O’Brien went on to note how anxious times are now and the extraordinary pressure this puts on all people.

“I speak to you not only in my role as president of Santa Clara, but as a Jesuit priest. We know that this has been a really challenging time and anxiety runs high in our country and our world. . .Through all this we have been asked to engage in social distancing—to curb the spread of the virus and to protect our community. It is the right thing to do but it is very hard because, more than ever in these challenging times, we need each other.”

After this, O’Brien made note of how, in these trying times, this pressure has served to unify the campus community—despite social distancing. O’Brien summarized his comments by thanking the campus for their flexibility in this time, finishing with a somber call to action.

“Clear-headed, calm and generous in spirit,” said O’Brien. “We will get through this with the help of God and with one another.”

Update 03/13/2020—Santa Clara, CA—Jeanne Rosenberger, Vice Provost for Student Life and John Ottoboni, Chief Operating Officer of Santa Clara University sent an email to all campus members noting that with rising concerns surrounding the virus, a student living in a neighborhood unit was undergoing a test for coronavirus.

“Out of an abundance of caution, an SCU student who lives off-campus and was exhibiting flu-like symptoms was tested for coronavirus (COVID-19) on March 12 at the Cowell Health Center,” read the email. “The student agreed to voluntarily self-isolate at a University-owned property off campus. Following consultation with the Santa Clara County Public Health Department, the student is self-isolating until the test results are received in the coming days. The University is currently supporting the student’s off-campus housemates (not exhibiting symptoms) who all agreed to self-quarantine until the test results are known. We are in close contact with the families of all the students to offer support and guidance in consultation with the medical staff in the Cowell Center.”

The email went on to note that there has been no change in how long Santa Clara’s classes will remain digital.

Update 03/13/2020—Washington D.C.—President Trump held a press conference announcing a national state of emergency in the United States. In the press conference, members of the press inundated the president with questions as to why he has not yet undergone a test to determine if he himself is carrying the virus. The president resisted these inquiries insisting that he has exhibited no symptoms. Health officials have confirmed however that people can still carry the virus without any notable symptoms.

Update 03/11/2020—World Health Organization upgraded the coronavirus epidemic to a full-fledged pandemic.

As novel coronavirus has stormed across the globe, many institutions of higher learning have moved their classes online to avoid the risk of contagions in the classroom. For weeks, many members of Santa Clara’s campus community questioned why the university had not yet followed suit. 

Today, in an email from the Office of the President, Kevin O’Brien, S.J., officially announced that Santa Clara will move classes online. This change will be in effect from tomorrow, March 10, to Monday, April 13.

“Students are encouraged to go home as soon as practical,” read the email. “The residence halls and dining services will stay open for those who are unable to return home. Jeanne Rosenberger, Vice Provost for Student Life, will send an email to students and parents with more information.”

O’Brien detailed that at this time, there are no known cases of coronavirus on any Santa Clara campuses. 

“These are anxious times and like cities, states, and nations, we at Santa Clara are in uncharted waters, responding to new information daily from public health officials and civic leaders,” O’Brien said in the email.

The email from university president O’Brien ended with a request that all campus residents recognize the solemnity of this global outbreak.

“Clear-headed, calm, and generous in spirit, we will get through this,” read the email. “In whatever way you pray, please join me in remembering those around the world who have died or are sick because of the virus.”

Many other universities including Rice University, Columbia University, University of Washington, Stanford University and University of Puget Sound among others have responded quickly to the stateside outbreak by migrating their classes online or cancelling them outright—some for only a handful of days or weeks and others indefinitely.

These choices have been met with mixed responses. Some felt as though these universities are right in taking preventative measures. On the other hand, many felt as though these moves are motivated less by rational thinking and more as a knee-jerk reaction to media hype.

Regardless of perspective, as more and more schools close their doors, Santa Clara remained open and seemingly unaffected until only minutes ago.

“I wasn’t too worried about it knowing that they are not necessarily right next to us if they are in Santa Clara County,” said Blake Faddoul, a sophomore business student. “From what I’ve heard, it’s not that it is more deadly than the flu, but that it is just more contagious.”

The first case of coronavirus in the Bay Area sprang up right here in Santa Clara County. Since then, the number of cases in the county has reached 37. Questions now arise about further infection in the Bay as the Grand Princess cruise ship—on which there are 21 cases of the virus—docks in Oakland to offload its at-risk passengers.

In light of the increasing risk of the virus, Ryuya Sekido, a Santa Clara first-year, took his interest in closing classes a step further. Sekido created a petition on change.org. The petition requested that the university cease convening classes while the virus remains a threat.

“Santa Clara was already a hotspot for the coronavirus before I even made the petition,” Sekido said in an email correspondence with The Santa Clara. “Since many people at our school were concerned about the virus, I created the petition to help show our school that we want to be able to learn in a safe environment.”

In the week since the petition went live, it has garnered roughly 1,600 signatures from concerned people on and related to the campus. Sekido’s hope was for his petition to gain enough support from fellow students that the university would be more forthcoming about their plans regarding the outbreak. With classes moved online after the comprehensive email was sent, Sekido may have accomplished his mission. 

The comments section of the petition illustrate that some signees may be using the form simply to escape the trials of the school year. With comments ranging from “I do not feel safe in attending classes while the coronavirus outbreak spreads,” to “Coronavirus bad, extended spring break good, me want it now!” it appears the hivemind of these 1,600-some signees might not be in total unity.

Senior Sahil Sagar, Associated Student Government president, commented on the validity and sincerity of this petition in a correspondence with The Santa Clara before today’s announcement.

“I am aware of the petition going around campus,” said Sagar. “I believe it is valid for students to start a petition if they wish to do so, but I don’t believe that the current ‘http://change.org’ petition is valid because there is no way to validate if all the people signing the petition are SCU students.”

Sagar continued by touching on his faith in the university to respond effectively and comprehensively if a greater infection were to crop up.

“While I understand the concern of students in how fast the virus is spreading and how aggressive the news makes the virus sound,” Sagar said, “we are lucky enough to be attending a school where we are within driving distance of some of the best hospitals in the world. That being said, I feel that students should still educate themselves on the symptoms and continue to take all preventive measures possible and just be more conscious of the disease.”

As the days passed, innumerable rumors about potential infections have buzzed around the campus with students remarking they have heard of quarantined peers in nearly every residence hall. As these whispers reached a fever pitch, the university felt forced to respond online with a post that circulated on Santa Clara’s Instagram, Facebook and Twitter channels.

“We caution the community from believing or spreading rumors regarding students being tested for COVID-19 or under quarantine in our residence halls,” read the post on @santaclarauniversity. “At the moment, we are not aware of any such cases. Please get the latest official updates at scu.edu/covid-19.”

Dr. Li Wenliang was the attending physician in a Wuhan hospital at the time the coronavirus was first detected. Concerned that he was witnessing a new outbreak of the SARS virus, Wenliang reached out to a group chat of fellow medical professionals, letting them know these patients had been quarantined to their emergency department.

Worried that his rhetoric would cause widespread panic, the Wuhan health authority and local police harassed and chastised Wenliang for days—delaying proactive measures that would have prevented the spread of this disease.

Three months later, the new disease, novel coronavirus, has spread to 104 countries and territories, infected over 114,000 and killed over 4,000.

The most heavily impacted countries include China, Italy and South Korea. Italy has exhibited some of the most ironclad defenses against the spread of the virus. Since the country was first infected. As of now, the president has announced a national lockdown which, if the virus remains contained, will end April 3.

The first case of coronavirus in the U.S. appeared on Jan. 19 of this year when a 35-year-old man checked into a medical center in Snohomish County, Washington reporting persistent respiratory issues. From there, the disease infected 122 others in the state according to The Olympian.

Since this first infection, the virus has spread from Washington State to Washington D.C. with 33 states reporting cases. This spread is due to both person-to-person passage across borders and the return of Americans who contracted the virus while abroad.