A statement released by Stanislaus State President Ellen Junn, Ph.D., on Saturday, Aug. 14 indicated the Turlock campus would delay its ‘repopulating’ for the new semester as well as in-person instruction until October.

Classes will resume as scheduled, but will be virtual as opposed to on campus for the first several weeks of the new year.

“The health, safety and trust of our faculty, staff and students is of utmost importance to us. In response to notable increases in COVID-19 cases locally due to the Delta variant of COVID-19, and the need to reduce potential exposures on campus, we are temporarily delaying the start of in-person instruction and repopulation plans until Oct. 1,” Dr. Junn wrote in a letter directed at ‘Warrior’ students.

In keeping with the academic calendar, instruction will begin as previously scheduled, on Monday, Aug. 23.

“However, courses that were planned for face-to-face or hybrid instruction will begin in virtual formats and will transition to in-person on-campus instruction on Oct. 1,” said Junn. “We are in close consultation with Stanislaus County Health Services Agency (HSA), Public Health Services of San Joaquin County (PHS) and the Chancellor’s Office, and they are in support of this decision. The Provost’s Office will work closely with deans, department chairs and faculty to consider some limited possible phased-in exceptions for some classes.”

The Stan State president went on to add that there have been several confirmed cases of COVID-19 recently on campus.

“Please note, these cases are separate incidents not linked to transmissions at one campus source. We are following Cal/OHSA guidelines carefully and will also continue to enforce the campus face covering requirement,” she said.

University officials said the delay in the return to campus will allow for a testing program to be put in place, as well as allow more time for proper documentation of vaccinations, exemptions and/or testing.

“It also allows the campus to monitor the changes related to the Delta variant, which has infected both unvaccinated and fully vaccinated people. The data has shown that those who are inoculated have had much less-severe symptoms, even if they contract the Delta variant,” Junn said. “Therefore, the CDC and we strongly continue to encourage individuals to get vaccinated.”