Posted: July 6, 2020Written by: Ritchie Bermudez

SAN LUIS OBISPO – To maintain the Cuesta College campus community’s health and safety due to the continued spread of the coronavirus, classes for the Fall 2020 semester are offered as follows:

  • All lecture classes will be fully online
  • Most lab, activity, and performance courses will be online
  • Difficult-to-convert labs, activities, and performance courses will include in-person instruction on campus with strict hygiene protocols and safety modifications
  • Cuesta College athletics will be determined after the July 17 announcement by CCCAA and the Western State Conference
  • Events and performing arts will be available via virtual platforms
  • Community Programs classes will be available online

The fall semester begins Aug. 17, and general registration is available at bit.ly/cuestaregistration. A full list of classes is on the class finder; however, updates to the schedule will continue to be made through July 17. Lecture classes previously scheduled to be on campus are now entirely online. Students enrolled in a lab, activity, or performance class may still have a campus component and should continue to review the most up-to-date status of such courses on the class finder.

No action is required for students already registered for classes. Students who wish to make changes to their class schedule, including adding classes, are advised to wait until the schedule updates are complete on July 17 to ensure the most current information regarding course options is available for their consideration.

Student support services will remain available online. Access to educational technology and resources are open from 8 a.m. – 5 p.m., Monday – Friday in the SLO Campus Library (3200) and NCC Campus Center (N1000/1100). These essential services include computer check-out, enrollment support, financial aid, food pantry, and transfer planning. For information on financial assistance and resources available to support college enrollment, please click here.

Cuesta College previously announced that the 2020 Commencement Ceremony, initially scheduled to be held this past spring, is rescheduled to Friday, Dec. 18 at the Dr. Gilbert H. Stork Gymnasium on the San Luis Obispo campus.

In response to the pandemic, Cuesta College has enacted changes to campus operations to ensure instructional continuity and support student completion of their educational goals. Superintendent / President Dr. Jill Stearns declared a campus-wide state of emergency on Mar. 9, suspended classes from Mar. 16-18, and since Mar. 19 moved all in-person courses to online delivery.

“Since the shelter-at-home order was enacted on Mar. 16, we have shared one goal – the safe and quick return to campus,” said Dr. Stearns. “Our summer face-to-face schedule includes a science lab, CTE courses, and athletics courses as tests of our COVID-19 protocols. We had planned a mid-July decision to allow the best opportunity to assess our plans for returning to campus for Fall 2020.”

According to Dr. Stearns, current COVID-19 metrics that indicate California will remain in Stage 2 of the planned reopening phase for an undetermined period played a factor in the decision to offer fall classes remotely.

With guidance from local and state public health experts and the Chancellor’s office, Cuesta College continues to plan for an extended duration of the coronavirus pandemic. A self-report system is available on our COVID-19 webpage for individuals who may have been exposed to someone with coronavirus or are experiencing symptoms. Students, staff, and faculty are advised to adhere to the CDC-recommended practices of social distancing, proper hygiene including thorough hand-washing, and wearing masks or other face coverings.

For daily updates and information on Cuesta College’s ongoing pandemic response, please visit cuesta.edu/covid-19/. For questions regarding classes and registration, please call (805) 546-3952 or email register@cuesta.edu. Live chat is also available on Facebook.