Coronavirus: UCR Suspends Classes; MSJC, MoVal, COD Stay Open

RIVERSIDE COUNTY, CA — Officials with local school districts and college campuses across Riverside County are closely watching the coronavirus. To date, only a few schools have made closure announcements.

UC Riverside Chancellor Kim Wilcox announced Tuesday that all in-person classes on campus will be suspended until at least April 3 based on mounting concerns over potential coronavirus exposure, leaving teachers and students to interact via the internet or other remote means.

"As local, national and global public health recommendations shift to include mitigation of transmission, we are proactively taking steps that will help protect the community," Wilcox said. "(Our) measures will allow us greater flexibility as we work to prevent ... spread of COVID-19."

Wilcox acknowledged that no student, faculty member or employee at UCR has been diagnosed with the virus, but prevailing worries within the UC community prompted precautionary action.

According to the chancellor, instructors must prepare to conduct all classes online until April 3, possibly longer. He also advised students in campus housing that if they wish to return to their permanent residences for the next three weeks and continue their studies at home, they are welcome to do so.

"The provost's office will continue working with the Academic Senate to provide additional guidance regarding online instruction and resources, as well as considerations for laboratory- and performance-based instruction," Wilcox said.

He said most campus buildings will remain open despite the suspension of traditional classroom instruction, but amplified sanitization policies will be implemented for public health.

"Services may be limited as some employees may be allowed to work remotely," the chancellor said.

UCR will not permit large gatherings of 150 people or more, and even gatherings of 15 or less attendees are discouraged under the new protocol. If a gathering is essential and cannot feasibly be moved to an electronic platform, it may be considered for a special dispensation, according Wilcox.

Athletic events will go ahead as planned — but they will have to be "fan-less," with no general attendance permitted.

UCR officials noted that anyone displaying any flu-like symptoms or illness that could be viral should stay home and avoid contacts anywhere in the community.

Frequent hand-washing, social distancing and basic hygiene were emphasized as good precautionary practices.

"We understand that implementing these changes with such limited notice will have broad impacts and will be challenging and disruptive for many of you, and we appreciate your patience and cooperation," according to a UCR statement.

The campus has a web portal dedicated to COVID-19 updates: www.ehs.ucr.edu/coronavirus.

A Murrieta Valley High School employee — whose possible COVID-19 case prompted officials to shut the campus down and isolate 71 students — has tested negative for the virus, officials announced Monday evening. The school reopened for classes on Wednesday.

MVHS students and staff under self-quarantine were notified by Riverside Public Health officials that they did not need to take this extra precaution and were allowed to return to school Wednesday with all other students.

Mt. San Jacinto College, including the San Gorgonio Pass campus, remains open.

"MSJC takes this new virus and its potential threat to public health seriously. If there were a direct impact to our college community, MSJC would implement plans to notify the college and community and provide directions on next steps," the college said in a released statement.

The Riverside Community College District issued a statement Wednesday that read, in part, "in-person instruction will continue until further notice. Classes are not cancelled. The District and college offices are not closing. Offices will remain open and operations will continue."

The RCCD includes Moreno Valley College, Norco College, Riverside City College, Ben Clark Training Center, and the Center For Social Justice & Civil Liberties.

College of the Desert also remains open.

Despite an announcement from Cal State University, Long Beach, that the campus was suspending in-person classes starting Wednesday due to COVID-19 concerns, CSU San Bernardino remains open.

However, on Wednesday CSUSB's Dr. Douglas R. Freer, vice president for administration and finance/CFO, announced that effective immediately and continuing through May 31, 2020, university-related travel for faculty, staff, and students was suspended across all campuses of the California State University.

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—City News Service contributed to this report.