USC will finish the rest of the academic semester online or remotely due to coronavirus pandemic, according to a university-wide email from the Office of President Monday afternoon.
USC said last Friday that the university was planning to resume in-person classes on April 14 and announced details about courses, housing, employment payment, events and travel during the remote instruction period. Monday’s announcement followed the university’s first confirmed case of COVID-19, which was announced through email the day prior. On that same day, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommended halting all gatherings larger than 50 for the next eight weeks.
“We made the decision last night to finish the academic semester online or remotely,” the new email read.
Another change from the Friday memo is that the university will be temporarily closing non-essential clinics and postponing some other clinical services.
USC will use spring break to work out the details and develop a website for questions and information in regards to how to proceed with remote learning. The memo stated that students will be able to complete the rest of the semester and graduate. International students who have individual inquiries regarding travel, visas and online capability should reach out to the Office of International Services for guidance at (213) 740-2666 or ois@usc.edu.
Students, in general, who have concerns about online capability should contact (213) 740-6291 or covid19@usc.edu.
Provost Charles Zukoski said in an interview with Annenberg Media that this week, the Provost Office will continue to talk to deans, who will continue to talk to faculty, about how to conduct remote instruction and give final exams or projects.
“At the moment, we are relying on the deans and faculty to develop the ways they are going to certify students have accomplished what is necessary to complete the course,” he said. “Exactly how that’s done will, of course, vary from course to course and program to program.”
Some arts students at USC have raised concerns that online instruction via Zoom will not be compatible with their education.
The university is asking students who have already left USC housing to not return for their belongings until it establishes “a safe and orderly process to do this.” The email assured that those who have decided to remain on campus during the break will still be given housing, food and support on finding solutions amid these circumstances.
According to the Housing FAQs page on the USC website, a new note updated today says the university encourages students who live on USC Housing to take everything with them and check out of their housing assignment.
“For students who have already left or are unable to take everything with them, USC Housing will provide information about packing and storage services once plans are finalized,” the note adds.
The Housing FAQ page also said residents who can not leave USC Housing “must send notification of their intent to remain in their housing to housing@usc.edu as soon as possible.”
Students will receive pro-rating refunds for university room and board. However, the memo read that it will not have specific logistics on the plan for the next few weeks.
Most buildings, including the libraries, the bookstore and recreational facilities will not be publicly accessible until further notice, the memo stated. Key-card access will still be available for those who are required to be in the office for work or research with social distancing and hygiene recommended. USC Hospitality will remain open to provide food options, but in a reduced capacity.
USC Chief Health Officer Sarah Van Orman said in a press meeting via Zoom Monday noon that the university is hoping that many university housing rooms will drop to single occupancy this week. She adds that there may be a change of making the dining process as a take-out version in the coming days.
According to a USC’s flyer posted on the Housing FAQ page, the only residential dining will be open will be Everybody’s Kitchen from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., and it will be pick-up only.
USC can accommodate international students over the summer who currently reside in university housing but are unable to leave in May due to international travel restrictions and general public health concerns related to COVID-19, according to the university website.
For university employees, working at home officially began Monday, the email read. Those who are unable to perform their jobs remotely will be eligible to access two weeks of paid administrative leave “before needing to access accrued vacation for additional pay.”
The email also noted that “it would be prudent to assume” that all university-sponsored events on and off campus will be canceled or postponed until May 1.
According to the USC Transportation, Campus Cruiser will be unavailable, effective March 16. The USC Free Lyft program will be extended to 5 p.m. to 2 a.m. at UPC campus. The Free Lyft program is also added to the HSC campus from 5 p.m. to midnight. The free Lyft service is now also available for faculty and staff.
USC Transportation also wrote on its website that “customers who want to cancel their parking permit may do so at any time for a prorated refund (for students) or prorated monthly charge (for faculty/staff).”
The university has yet to make a decision on whether this year’s commencement will still proceed on May 15.
“We have not made a decision about how and when to celebrate Commencement 2020,” the memo said. “The new CDC guidance and the spread of the pandemic will certainly affect our planning. We will get back to you on this after we have taken care of the pressing issues associated with completing the current semester.”
Zukoski said the university has not focused on the commencement at the moment because the officials are focusing on things like “delivering classes, how to do exams, what to do with dorms and how to de-densify the campus.”
“We are working very hard to understand how to celebrate with students. We don’t yet have answers to it. We haven’t gotten that far down the list yet,” he said. “We know it’s very important to respond in a timely way.”
Van Orman also announced on Monday that USC’s testing availability for COVID-19 will now be given to “people who have symptoms," regardless of their travel history or exposure risk.
USC Office of International Services announced via email Saturday that the office will provide all support in a remote format while their physical offices on both campuses will be closed, effectively immediately. “Our staff will advise students via Zoom and by phone. We will respond to emails sent to ois@usc.edu as quickly as possible, and immigration documents will be mailed,” the email said.
On Saturday, eight USC student organizations released a joint statement Saturday. The statement recognizes USC 's support to students during the COVID-19 pandemic while asks the university to maintain its commitment to protect and provide for vulnerable groups of students when the situation escalates.