Messages Archive

Dear Campus Community:

Over the last two weeks, I have spoken with and heard from hundreds of students, and faculty and staff. No question has weighed on me more than the one almost all ask: What is our plan for fall? In the midst of unimaginable uncertainty, we want answers, we want stability and we desperately want a return to “normal.”

I know that many universities are waiting until mid-June to make announcements about fall. But I have heard from too many people anxious to plan for fall to delay making a decision. With the health of our students and employees uppermost in my mind, I have made the very hard decision to continue with predominantly remote instruction through the fall semester.  We hope to be able to grant exceptions for a very small number of courses that require specialized in-person learning experiences and are necessary for student degree progress. We will work to accommodate students unable to participate in face-to-face instruction.

Please know that this decision is consistent with guidance issued by the California State University as a whole, as the Chancellor shared at this week’s CSU Board of Trustees meeting. Like all CSU campuses, we are planning for a semester that will be primarily virtual. Most academic disciplines will be exclusively virtual. We will also be prepared to go fully virtual if public health demands it.

I understand the news I share with you today will unleash a torrent of questions. Colleges, department chairs and faculty are working quickly to identify the small number of courses that may qualify for an exception. Students registered in these courses will receive detailed communications and guidance from their department chairs as soon as plans have been finalized. I will provide another update by the end of this month with additional details. I know that staff also have questions. Our goal for fall, with health and safety in mind, is to limit the number of people on campus to allow those who must be here to be here safely and allow others to continue working from home to limit their contact with others. 

While San Francisco’s mitigation efforts have been successful to date, COVID-19 will be with us for many months. Public health officials have urged us all to continue to be vigilant. We remain vulnerable until better treatments are developed, a vaccine is created and the majority of people have acquired immunity. Experts from departments of public health, medical centers and research universities anticipate that we will have a second wave of illness in the mid- to late-fall. And if history is any indicator, it could be far worse than the wave we just experienced. We must remain cautious and assiduously follow health guidelines.

At this time, the ability to increase face-to-face contact requires not just face coverings and physical distancing. Opening businesses and schools will also necessitate acquiring quantities of personal protective and sanitizing equipment. It will require frequent testing, tracing and quarantining. It will require monitoring waste systems to see if there is live virus present. And, as we saw recently with cases at the White House, even the stringent use of all these measures is no guarantee.

What makes universities unique and wonderful places also makes them uniquely vulnerable to the spread of disease — ask any faculty member who has faced a class full of coughing students in January or any student who has lived in a densely populated residence hall. We thrive on social interaction, on working huddled closely around a table, in a studio or over a microscope. Mitigating a highly contagious disease under these circumstances is near impossible and would be prohibitively expensive — at a moment in which the governor of California has announced that the state faces a $54 billion deficit and all anticipate dramatic cuts in funding to the California State University system.

Please know that I make this decision with a heavy heart. I want nothing more than for us all to stay well and be together. The COVID-19 pandemic sadly, however, does not allow us to have both … for now. I promise you that this will end and that we will all return to campus. For now, though, we will focus our attention on perfecting remote learning, teaching and working. It will not be the same, but it will be good. And we will focus on our students and their degree progress. They must earn their degrees, and we must help them.

I remain so very grateful to be here and to serve as president of this incredible university. We have served as a model for higher education before, as home to the first College of Ethnic Studies, as a leader in the upward mobility of our graduates and as one of the most diverse universities in the U.S. 

We can lead again now. We can be a model of a university that puts the public good first by protecting public health, by creating an excellent remote learning experience and by continuing to foster upward mobility for our students, their families and communities.

As always, I thank you for your patience and wish you good health.

Best,

Lynn Mahoney, Ph.D.

President

San Francisco State University

Dear Campus Community,

As always, I hope this finds you well and managing the myriad challenges posed by sheltering in place and learning and working remotely. In alignment with the City’s extension of the stay at home order to May 31, SF State will continue with our current plan which includes most University work being handled remotely.

One thing that I find most difficult in the current situation is living with so much uncertainty. I imagine that this is true for many of us. In particular, I know that all are wondering what fall holds for us. While the future, unfortunately, remains very uncertain, one thing I can assure you: We will have a fall semester. Any decision about fall will align with public health requirements. Your health and that of our communities remains paramount. We are hopeful that current mitigation efforts will allow the return to at least some face-to-face instruction. There are indications we will be asked to continue with mitigation efforts such as physical distancing, which may require continuing much of our instruction remotely. We recognize that some learning is best done in person, and we are working hard to make it possible for experiential learning to take place in the fall. 

So, while I can’t guess what the fall will look like, I can tell you that we are planning actively for multiple scenarios including one that features a combination of remote learning and in-person instruction. Yes, this spring has been challenging and the fall may bring challenges of its own. Our students’ academic progress remains a top priority. We will have a fall semester, and, regardless of how it is structured, we are working hard to make sure it’s a good one! 

If we have learned anything in the last few weeks, it is that persistent socioeconomic inequalities in the U.S. have resulted in poorer people suffering the health and economic consequences of COVID-19 faster and harder than other groups. A college degree has been proven repeatedly to foster upward mobility and provide graduates with greater job security and access to health care, among other gains. San Francisco State is proud of its long history as an engine of educational equity and economic development. 

Later this week, we’ll be distributing information about the CSU Cares Program which offers emergency grants for CSU students experiencing financial hardships due to the current health crisis. The planning around distribution of these funds has been aligned with our University’s core value of social justice to address the economic challenges facing our lowest income students and provide resources for some students experiencing COVID-related financial difficulties. Details will be forthcoming later this week.

Providing access to a quality affordable education is key to who we are. While public health requires that we do this differently, the needs of our students and region require that we do it as well as we can. We are and we will.

With continued wishes for good health!

Best,

Lynn Mahoney, Ph.D.
President

Dear campus community,

In light of health updates issued recently by the city of San Francisco, members of the San Francisco State University community are now required to wear something that covers their nose and mouth when on campus.

For community members’ safety, face coverings must be worn when:

• Waiting in line at a service desk, counter or dining center
• On the campus BART shuttle (or waiting for it)
• Seeking in-person care at Student Health or at Counseling and Psychological Services
• Going into any open campus facilities
• Working an essential job that interacts with the public

COVID-19 can be spread by people who are not showing symptoms. Cloth face coverings, combined with physical distancing and hand washing, may prevent the spread of the virus to others when you have to leave home. Covering your face protects you and others by limiting the spread of the virus. Anyone not wearing a face covering in locations where they are required will be asked to comply or leave the facility.

Certain groups are not required to wear face coverings:

• Anyone who has trouble breathing or is not able to take off a face covering without help
• Those with documented chronic health conditions
• Those who are deaf and use facial and mouth movements as part of communication may remove their face covering while signing

Campus community members are encouraged to procure or make their own face coverings. The CDC has simple instructions on how to make your own face covering. It is important to follow best practices for wearing and cleaning face coverings; find guidelines at the CDC website. 

The University will provide employees who are required to work on campus with face coverings through their department or unit managers. Face coverings may be picked up from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. Monday, Wednesday and Friday in Administration 259. To request face coverings for employees outside of these hours or by other means, managers should contact sfehs@sfsu.edu.

SF State continues offering instruction and most services remotely to limit transmission of the virus. Only those employees directed by their managers should report to campus for work.

If you have questions, please contact the Office of Emergency Services at oes@sfsu.edu or visit the University’s COVID-19 website.

Thank you and continue taking care of yourselves.

Dear Campus Community,

Like all of you, I’ve been looking for ways to stay connected as our shelter-in-place reality continues. That’s why I gave something new a try: a video message to the University community shot in my own living room. What it might lack in production values and polish I hope it makes up for in sincerity. Because its message — about how proud I am of what our students, faculty, staff and alumni are accomplishing in the face of enormous obstacles — comes from the heart. I hope you’ll watch and find yourself reassured, as I’ve been, that we have the ingenuity, compassion and resolve to overcome this and any other challenge.

Best wishes for a safe and healthy spring,

Lynn

Dear Campus Community,

Many of us had high hopes and grand visions for 2020. I do not imagine that for many of us these included obsessive handwashing and weeks at home. Accommodating current public health needs has been hard in so many ways, and we are grieving the loss of the plans and hopes we had for 2020. And some of us are worried about gravely ill friends and family or tragically mourning the loss of a loved one. I reach out to you today not to talk about remote instruction or shelter-in-place nor to remind you to wash your hands and not touch your face. I write instead to ask about you.

How are you doing? How are you managing all the change and anxieties that COVID-19 has wrought in your lives and in the lives of your family and friends? How are you taking care of yourself? What ways have you discovered to manage anxiety and the stress of balancing the new demands of daily life? How are you staying connected to others? 

For me, it means walks outside and evenings in the kitchen. I start almost every morning with an hour-long walk with my husband. I am blessed to live in a beautiful city with hills and hidden staircases — most of which are pretty quiet first thing in the morning and allow for physical distancing. I am heartened by the stuffed bears that have popped up in windows and by sidewalk chalk art that reminds me “It’s Gonna Be Alright” and we are “Stronger Together.” And, after years of busy careers interfering with dinners at home, we now have family meals every night. I worry, though, about friends and family who are far away or alone. For that, I gratefully turn to Zoom to connect and check in.

I hope that you, too, have found ways to assuage anxieties exacerbated by unimaginable uncertainty and to make connections in a physically distanced world. As always, our own faculty offer guidance. Professor Melissa Hagan offers advice on managing coronavirus anxiety. Professor Erik Peper offers advice on reducing “TechStress” and the health benefits of an open window. Some may need more support during this time, particularly those who are experiencing the consequences of this deadly virus more directly. The Employee Assistance Program offers University employees access to a variety of helpful services. Students can contact a dean on call or schedule a tele-health visit with one of our counselors. And our Basic Needs team, as always, stands ready to help.

Even those of us who haven’t been directly impacted by the pandemic need relief from stress and anxiety to stay healthy. Some may find exercise to be the perfect distraction. The Mashouf Wellness Center is here to help with group exercise instruction via Zoom. Check out the Campus Recreation website for the latest information on class formats, days and times as well as Zoom links and passwords. Or perhaps take advantage of the many museums and educational institutions who have opened their programs remotely. Check out, for example, the California Academy of Sciences’ Academy @ Home, which offers an array of science-centric games, videos and DIY projects. This is a great site to share with children and family members.

We will one day return to campus together, I promise. But shelter-in-place will persist for at least several more weeks and physical distancing likely even longer. So pace yourself, be kind to yourself and reward yourself. Now is the time to remind yourself that good enough is in fact good enough. I promise, it is. 

Above all — in every way possible — stay well!

Best, 

Lynn Mahoney, Ph.D.
President

Dear campus community,

As part of this week’s updated shelter-in-place order, the city and county of San Francisco also ordered new social distancing measures for protecting employee health that go into effect Friday, April 3.

The measures outline a range of practices and actions to be followed wherever applicable in the workplace to promote health and safety including the following:

• Employees are expected to work remotely, unless explicitly requested by their supervising administrator to perform work on campus.
• Please do not come to work if sick.
• Before coming to work, please perform a symptom check.
• If you are asked to come onto campus to work, please work with your manager to ensure your desk or workstation is separated by at least six feet from other occupied desks or workstations.

If you have questions about this message or the new social distancing measures, contact oes@sfsu.edu.

Thank you,

Office of Emergency Services

Dear campus community,
 
The City and County of San Francisco announced today an updated shelter-in-place order, extending the directive through May 3 with new restrictions effective at midnight, March 31.

This extension does not change the current status of operations and services at San Francisco State University. Faculty and staff working remotely should continue to do so. A very small number of staff and offices remain on campus to maintain core business and infrastructure operations. These escalated mitigation efforts remain in effect through May 3. We will keep faculty and staff apprised if there is a need to extend this date and will continue to align our dates with the City and County.

With this updated order, people may no longer use public recreational facilities. While the University has allowed people to use a limited number of recreational facilities on campus — the soccer field, for example — with appropriate social distancing, we are now closing these facilities.

I also want to remind students and faculty that remote instruction will continue for the remainder of the spring semester, as previously announced. Given the extension of the shelter-in-place, we are also preparing to offer Summer Session remotely, as well. All California State University campuses are planning similarly for summer.

I am aware that working, teaching and learning through remote modalities is an adjustment for many of you. I want to personally thank everyone, again, for their perseverance, flexibility and tenacity during this unprecedented time. Our COVID-19 website provides and refers to many resources that can help during this period. Below are a few resources I also wanted to specifically call out:

• Faculty and students should continue referring to the Instructional Continuity website for assistance on remote instruction and learning. 
• Employees should continue to review the Staff and Managers website for updates and resources, including Temporary Paid Administrative Leave.
• Information Technology Services maintains a list of tools and services to support telecommunications.
• Here are best practices to reduce ergonomic risk factors when using laptops.
• San Francisco State Assistant Professor of Psychology Melissa Hagan was quoted in the San Francisco Chronicle sharing ways to manage anxiety during this time.

Sadly, the economic consequences of COVID-19 have been quickly felt. For students experiencing financial difficulty due to the virus and mitigation efforts, assistance is available through the University’s Help, Opportunity & Pathway to Empowerment Crisis (HOPE) Fund. Find application details on the HOPE Crisis Fund web page.

At this time, it’s important that we all protect the health of our communities. Please stay well and continue to follow COVID-19 mitigation guidelines on the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website. 

With deep gratitude,

Lynn Mahoney, Ph.D.
President

Dear SF State students,

The University this week is introducing additional physical distancing measures and urging University community members to avoid unnecessarily coming to campus. In recognition of the threat the COVID-19 virus still poses to our community and in keeping with guidance from the California State University, we will transition this week to closing the Library Research Commons and first floor lobby. Effective Tuesday, March 31, the facility will be closed until further notice.

The Library Research Commons will open for one final day Monday, March 30, from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m., for students with an SF State I.D.

We understand that these learning spaces, including the Library Research Commons computer lab, have been in use by students who may not have access to a personal computer or internet connection. That is why students may request a loaner laptop from the Library by contacting service@sfsu.edu or (415) 338-1420. When emailing, include "Library Loaner Laptop" in the subject line; and when calling, ask for a Library Loaner Laptop.

Library staff will respond to arrange the loan and have the laptop shipped. Both PCs and Macs are available. The Library provides a base install of software MS Office, web browsers, graphic software, and the laptop will work with Zoom video conferencing software. Some specialized software may not be available. The library staff can answer any questions about the laptop and software. Find more details online in the Instructional Continuity — Student Quickquide.

The Library continues offering a range of services through remote modalities, from instructional support to research help. The Library website also includes a directory of internet service providers pledging to Keep America Connected by waiving late fees, opening Wi-Fi hot spots and not dropping service when users miss payments. In addition, the city of San Francisco offers free Wi-Fi service in city parks and other selected areas. View an online listing of free Wi-Fi available in area parks, plazas and open spaces.

The Disability Programs and Resource Center is available to assist students and employees with disabilities who are seeking accessibility services at this time. Find contact, hours and other details at the DPRC website.

For students experiencing financial difficulty due to circumstances beyond their control, assistance is available through the University’s Help, Opportunity & Pathway to Empowerment Crisis Fund. Find application details at HOPE Crisis Fund web page.

Thank you to all for your support of SF State’s efforts in helping mitigate the spread and effects of COVID-19 across the University and our communities.

Office of Emergency Services

Dear San Francisco State Family,

The last three weeks have been extraordinary. At no time in my career did I anticipate that I would be writing to you in a world in which students and faculty are all learning and teaching remotely, in which entire cities and nations are sheltered in place and in which we ask for heroic efforts from the people we depend upon for our well-being — from health care providers to those who staff our grocery stores and pharmacies. As we get ready to resume remote instruction next week, I would like to thank each of you and assure you that San Francisco State University will not only survive but thrive.

Students, particularly members of the Class of 2020: This is certainly not how you expected to spend spring 2020. And, despite the fact that many of you have always lived in a world with the internet and cell phones, losing face-to-face contact with your faculty, peers and others who support you on campus can be difficult. I know, though, that you will work through this and continue to make progress toward your academic goals. You will develop skills and strengths that students before you did not even know were needed. And we are here to help. Most University services are available remotely. Additionally, the campus remains open for very limited services. Please consult the website for details, and avail yourselves of virtual resources at the ready to help you succeed.

Universities are sometimes criticized for being slow to adapt and quick to resist. Faculty and staff at San  Francisco State repeatedly have proven otherwise. Over the last few weeks, thousands of faculty have moved even more thousands of courses to remote instruction, not always without pain. I am appreciative of how hard this has been, especially for particular types of instruction. I am grateful for the effort and for the support of the faculty and staff who are helping others make the transition. Thank you.

Staff across all offices and divisions have similarly moved to working remotely as the need to physically distance ourselves from one another became obvious. Not a single University function has been left untouched. Like faculty, our staff are reinventing their work processes and modalities and ensuring that we all get needed services. And many faculty, staff and students are doing this with children and other family members to care for at home. Thank you.

I want to particularly thank employees whose work requires that they come to campus. This includes those who are facilitating remote learning, those who are ensuring the health and safety of the campus, those who are supporting our remaining residential students and those who are guaranteeing that our key business and enrollment functions continue. Thank you.

I have been deeply touched, as well, by the generous offers of support from alumni and friends of the University. The economic ramifications of this are just being understood, but we do know that numbers of our students will need greater financial support as they and their families wrestle with lost jobs. The quick generosity of local businesspeople and alumni will help us support these students. Thank you.

The individual and collective actions of the SF State family ensure that our students will continue to move forward even when it feels like much of the world has ground to a halt. They also ensure that we will emerge from this ready to resume our work. We will enroll new students, welcome returning students, return to face-to-face instruction and work together with fresh enthusiasm and renewed appreciation at being together on campus. I look forward to that day.

For now, I continue to urge you to take care of yourselves and one another by staying indoors except for essential trips. And, while I urge everyone to practice physical distancing, I also encourage you to find new ways to form social connections. Schedule virtual family (and Gator!) gatherings, take part in virtual coffee and happy hours with friends and classmates, wave at people from your front window or porch. We will emerge from this, yes, different but also stronger if we stay true to our values of inclusion and compassion.

We are all here for one another. I am here for you. Stay in touch.

All my best,

Lynn

Dear campus community,

Many of you will be aware by now of the stay-at-home order issued by Governor Gavin Newsom this evening, March 19. I am writing to reassure members of our University community that the Governor’s executive order does not alter the current status of operations and services at San Francisco State University, as we moved swiftly earlier this week to implement similar directives for San Francisco and surrounding counties.

Most San Francisco State offices have made their services available remotely. Some offices that provide critical services will remain opened on campus. As with the recent San Francisco shelter-in-place order, the Governor’s executive order makes exceptions for institutions of higher education, and the University will remain open with the support of the minimal number of staff and administrators needed to maintain critical operations.

Protecting the health and safety of our community is our greatest priority. Residential students who can return home are urged to do so now. For those who must come to campus, we will continue maintaining social distancing practices, ensuring continuous cleaning and access to hand sanitizers and disinfectant wipes to help mitigate the spread of COVID-19. For the latest health information and most current SF State updates and information, please refer to our COVID-19 website.

I remain deeply appreciative of the many ways that our University community has come together to support our students and one another, from the incredible efforts of faculty to ensure instructional continuity to our facilities teams to the teams in residential life and housing — all of whom are working hard to support SF State. Thank you! And, please, stay well!

With deep gratitude,

Lynn Mahoney, Ph.D.
President

Dear campus community,

Yesterday, I shared a message with you all regarding escalated COVID-19 mitigation efforts at San Francisco State University effective today (March 17). Those efforts include significantly reducing the population on our campuses by limiting on-campus operations to necessary offices and moving the majority of staff and faculty to working using remote modalities. I am sending a follow-up message today with more details.

Services Open on Campus

On-campus services will be sharply curtailed, but some offices will physically remain open along with a few of our food service providers who are offering grab-and-go fare. For the most up-to-date information on operating hours, visit the webpages for each respective office or find links at the University’s COVID-19 website, under the Offices Open on Campus section. When in doubt, call the office to confirm operating hours.

Library is Closed for Normal Services

While the Library will be closed to normal services, students and faculty will retain access to the building’s Research Commons to use computers. We have to keep the Research Commons open to meet what is now one more basic need for some of our students: access to computers and internet connectivity. See details below:

• Hours of operation — 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday
• Laptops for loan — The University is making available to students laptops that may be checked out for a 30-day loan period. Visit the Library Research Commons service point Wednesday, March 18 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. to check out a laptop.
• Safety and sanitizing — The layout of the Research Commons allows for proper social distancing. Facilities team members will continually sanitize the area. Hand sanitizer and disinfectant wipes will also be readily available
• Holiday closures — The Library will be closed March 21 – 29 for Spring Recess and on March 31 for Cesar Chavez Day.

Special Instructions for Faculty

Faculty have been instructed to begin closing their research facilities and collecting necessary items from their offices. To support this transition, all academic buildings will be open until 5 p.m. today and from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Wednesday and Thursday (March 18 and 19). Effective Friday, March 20, all academic buildings will be closed through April 7, at a minimum.

Residential Students

Residential students who are able have been asked to return to their homes, but the University is aware there are some who cannot. We will maintain altered services for these students to ensure their basic needs are met and they have appropriate resources for remote instruction. This includes providing access to food, bathroom facilities and internet connectivity. For ongoing updates, continue referring to the list of services across campus that remain open.

By accelerating the University's measures for social distancing, we are significantly reducing the number of people on campus and the risk of spreading the virus. We continue to urge all to accelerate your own measures for social distancing and good hygiene.

There will be times when you need more assistance. We have created an online contact form for you to ask questions and get help.

Given the rate of change, it is not surprising that rumors may arise. Please refer to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website for latest health information and to our own COVID-19 website for the most current SF State updates and information.

I thank you for your vigilance and patience. Stay well!

Lynn Mahoney, Ph.D.
President

Dear campus community,

Efforts to mitigate the spread of COVID-19 are escalating here in the Bay Area and across communities statewide. San Francisco and surrounding counties have issued shelter-in-place orders that allow some exceptions for educational institutions for the purpose of facilitating distance learning.

Effective Tuesday, March 17, the University is significantly reducing the population on campus by limiting on-campus operations to necessary offices and moving the vast majority of staff and faculty to working using remote modalities.

We are moving Downtown Campus operations to the main campus. Students, faculty and staff will not have access to Downtown Campus from March 17 to April 7. During this timeframe, the Estuary & Ocean Science Center at Romberg Tiburon Campus will have minimal operations.

San Francisco State University’s main campus remains open to staff and administrators needed to maintain critical operations and for students or faculty who need access to laptops, computers and Internet connectivity. Critical on-campus operations include our residential halls and offices serving staff and students who need to be on campus.

Services across the University will be sharply curtailed. Many University buildings will be closed. Details about services will be forthcoming as they are determined. Please continue to monitor email and the COVID-19 website for updates and information.

Instruction

Remote instruction will continue through the end of the spring semester. In addition:

• Students and faculty should continue preparing as they have been. Instructors are encouraged to use flexible formats and schedules in order to meet essential student learning outcomes through alternative means.
• Many classes have launched or will launch successfully this week, while some faculty may need additional time to prepare for a remote semester. Faculty requiring additional time should contact their dean.
• All faculty should consult the Instructional Continuity site for guidance and support.
• Faculty are expected to contact their students immediately with details specific to their classes.
• Faculty should begin closing their research facilities and collecting necessary items from their offices within the next week. Instructions will be forthcoming.

Employees

Offices are reviewing plans now for minimal staffing levels. Supervisors will share altered work plans and schedules with staff by this evening.

• Altered services and work schedules are expected to be effective Tuesday, March 17, and will be revisited April 7.
• Staff members should remain in regular contact with their supervisors.
• Student employees who can work remotely should.

Residential Students

Our residence halls must remain open to house students who have no alternatives, but services will be sharply curtailed.

• Students who remain can expect that they will be moved to another building as we continue to respond to this evolving situation.
• Students who have alternative housing should make plans to leave as soon as possible. While there is no need to take all your belongings, students should take essential items with them. We will arrange later this semester to ensure that you get your belongings when circumstances allow.

Events

All events are canceled through May 31. Commencement is postponed. Details will be forthcoming.

We are working steadily to meet the acute emergency in a rapidly changing crisis. We will share details as soon as they become available.

With deep gratitude for all that everyone is doing,

Lynn Mahoney, Ph.D.
President

Dear campus community,

As we continue acting to keep the SF State community healthy and mitigate the spread of COVID-19, I am writing to share with you significant status updates.

The San Francisco Department of Health (SFDPH) has confirmed that an employee has been diagnosed with COVID-19. Additionally, Governor Gavin Newsom today (March 15) issued a directive for “deep social distancing,” calling for home isolation for anyone age 65 and older and those with chronic disease. I will address both sets of circumstances below.

Our campus remains open for necessary University operations, including our residence halls, the University Library, and other offices critical to supporting our students, faculty and staff. To further limit the spread of COVID-19 within our local community and in light of the governor’s call, however, effective immediately, all SF State employees meeting the Governor’s above criteria must stay off campus. This may affect hours of operation for some campus offices. Please check before coming to campus the availability of staff in offices whose services you seek.

We anticipate that for many such individuals, a telecommute working arrangement can be established allowing you to remain productive and continue advancing the operations and mission of the University. Those who are not able to telecommute are to be put on administrative leave with pay at their current rate and for their normal scheduled work hours.

Regarding the employee taken ill with COVID-19, I want to reassure you that SFDPH and SF State have responded quickly to protect the safety and health of our community. Those who may have come into close contact with the individual are being contacted directly with additional information. Respecting employee and health privacy laws, here are details about the case and measures taken:

• The employee lives off campus.
• The employee was last on campus on March 6.
• Out of an abundance of caution, additional sanitizing of areas the employee was known to have visited will be conducted.
• On a continual basis, the University has been sanitizing all public spaces including classrooms, restrooms, entryways and dining commons.
• With SFDPH’s guidance, SF State is reaching out to individuals who may have had contact with the diagnosed employee and making appropriate recommendations.

The individual diagnosed with COVID-19 is currently being cared for by a local medical center. While privacy concerns mean we cannot release further details about the individual, I know you join me in sending our fellow community member and their family our support and wishes for a complete recovery.

As the situation rapidly evolves, so does guidance from health officials. We will continue to keep you informed as further updates become available. Please check our COVID-19 website for the latest information.

I know that this development will be a source of anxiety and concern. I want to personally thank everyone for their commitment in keeping our campus community safe and healthy, from our custodians who are enhancing cleaning to the members of our emergency planning team, many of whom are working daily responding to evolving contingencies, to the faculty and staff who are working diligently to support the University mission and to our students who continue to pursue their academic goals. Thank you, all, for your continual care for one another.

Lynn Mahoney, Ph.D.
President

Dear campus community,

As the University quickly plans in a rapidly changing environment, there are bound to be unanswered questions, anxiety and confusion. I’m hopeful that this update, as well as some changes to the COVID-19 website, will help assuage some anxieties and further clarify some of your most pressing questions.

At this time, no SF State employees or students have been reported to have COVID-19 and our campuses remain open. We are committed to continuing student learning and progress-to-degree while mitigating the spread of the virus. However, social distancing has required us to suspend face-to-face classes to allow all faculty to prepare for remote instruction beginning March 16. Mitigation efforts, including enhanced cleaning and social distancing, are effective in reducing the transmission of viruses.

Students can expect to hear from their faculty members, who will provide information on how individual classes will operate remotely. We have also canceled events and nonessential meetings and have severely restricted University-sanctioned travel.

Students and employees who are ill should stay home. Students and employees who are at higher risk if they contract COVID-19 should consult their health care provider for recommendations. For questions related to work options, employees should consult with their direct supervisor and Human Resources (HR).

We are now looking at the number of staff and managers to remain on campus to maintain necessary University operations. We must continue to provide the services that will allow the University to support students and faculty who are engaged in remote learning and teaching, as well as support the students, faculty and staff who remain on campus. Some employees will be allowed to work remotely based on an approved Temporary Telecommuting Agreement. On Monday, March 16, managers and staff will confirm business continuity and telecommuting plans. Altered services and work schedules will be effective Tuesday, March 17.

We have added new resources to the University’s COVID-19 website. You will find in the left-hand column links to individual pages with information for students and families, faculty, and staff and managers. I have met — and continue to meet — with Cabinet and other University leadership daily to ensure we provide accurate and timely information. If you identify additional areas of information you’d like to see addressed, do not hesitate to email me at president@sfsu.edu.

• Student and families: Find updated information about classes, how to succeed in remote learning modalities, information for student employees as well as news of continued efforts to meet students’ health and basic needs.
• Faculty members: The updated For Faculty section will provide faculty members information about assistance in moving classes to virtual or remote modalities. You will also find guidance on research and sponsored programs at our link to the Office of Research and Sponsored Programs site. Faculty with questions and concerns should contact the Provost’s Office.
• Staff and managers: Updated information for staff and managers can be found on the HR website. If you have more questions, contact your supervisor or HR.
• Current travel restrictions on University-related travel are also detailed.

With any evolving situation, there is a lot to learn and more to come. However, there is one thing we know for sure: We have a shared responsibility to limit the spread of COVID-19. Here are steps you can take. We take these steps not only to protect ourselves, but to protect others.

I appreciate everything that our students, faculty, staff and administrators are doing to contribute to the mitigation of COVID-19 in the city and the Bay Area. I thank you as well for your patience as we continue to shape plans in a rapidly evolving environment.

Stay well!

Lynn Mahoney, Ph.D.
President

Dear campus community,

The University has been closely monitoring local circumstances surrounding COVID-19. In addition to the increasing number of confirmed cases in San Francisco, we have also seen a growing number of educational institutions move to remote instruction. In the interest of safeguarding the health of our students, faculty and staff, San Francisco State University is taking similar steps to further limit the potential for COVID-19 to spread within our community.

The following are effective Tuesday, March 10, through Sunday, March 15:

• All face-to-face courses are suspended. Courses currently offered online will continue as usual.
• University faculty and staff will use these days to prepare for the transition to remote instruction and services and to ensure business continuity.
• Faculty and staff are expected to be on campus during this preparatory week. Facilities and services remain open and all non-instructional operations will continue as usual.

The following are effective Monday, March 16, through Sunday, April 5:

• All instruction will be conducted remotely.
• University faculty and staff will use these days to prepare for the transition to remote instruction and services and to ensure business continuity.
• The campus is not closing. Some buildings will remain open. Expect reduced operations during this period as some staff will work remotely as determined by operational need and their supervisor and Human Resources. Details will be forthcoming.

The University will reevaluate remote instruction and services in the context of local public health recommendations and local circumstances on a weekly basis. An announcement will be made by March 30 about the following two-week period, April 6 – 19. Weekly updates will be issued for subsequent two-week periods.

During this time of remote instruction and services, all faculty, staff and student employees will continue to be paid.

As a reminder, the previously announced restrictions about events and non-essential meetings remain in place.

As this situation rapidly evolves, so does guidance from health officials. We will continue to keep you informed as more updates become available. Please check our COVID-19 website for the latest information.

For students who would like additional support at this time, contact Counseling & Psychological Services (415-338-2208) to schedule an appointment. Faculty and Staff should contact Life Matters (1-800-367-7474), the University’s employee assistance program for support.

Take good care of yourself and one another.

Lynn Mahoney, Ph.D.
President

Dear Campus Community:

Yesterday, the California Department of Public Health released new COVID-19 guidance for universities. While no San Francisco State University employees or students are reported to have the virus at this time, it is important that all members of the campus community follow current guidance to limit the virus from spreading.

• If over the last 2 weeks you have traveled to an area identified by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) as “Level 3 Travel Health Notice“, you should stay home and self-quarantine for 14 days following your return to the U.S.
• If you have been in close contact with someone confirmed to have COVID-19, you should stay home and self-quarantine for 14 days following your most recent exposure. Examples of individuals with close contact include family members, roommates and caregivers.
• For individuals self-quarantining, email or call your healthcare provider if you develop flu-like symptoms.
• All students, faculty and staff should be self-monitoring for signs of respiratory illness — like coughing and fever — and return to their home (or residence hall room) if symptoms emerge. Community members who are ill should stay home and limit contact with others until symptoms are better or based on advice from your healthcare provider.
• Any students, faculty or staff who come to class or work with symptoms of respiratory infection should be asked to return home (or to their residence hall room). Individuals who are ill should stay at home until symptoms resolve or for at least 24-hours after fever ends. Anyone recovering at home should email or call their healthcare provider if symptoms do not improve or become more severe.
• In all of the above situations, be sure to contact your faculty, direct supervisor, dean/department chair and/or Human Resources to discuss appropriate next steps should you need to be away from campus.

As a reminder, everyone can practice ways to prevent spreading all respiratory viruses. During this time of the year, it is not uncommon to feel ill. If ill, please stay home.

Individual and community health are top SF State priorities. Take good care of yourself and one another.

Take Good Care,

Roger Razzari Elrod

Director, SF State Student Health Services

Dear campus community,

The health and safety of our campus community are SF State’s highest priorities. At this time, no SF State employees or students have been reported to have COVID-19. The San Francisco Department of Health (SFDPH) on Friday issued enhanced recommendations in response to COVID-19. Consistent with those guidelines, the University is implementing the following steps.

After careful consideration and in accordance with SFDPH guidelines, all classes will stay in session. However, we are canceling all events on all SF State campuses and all University-sponsored events in March — which includes Gator Days and Investiture — to limit the potential exposure of COVID-19. This update is effective Monday, March 9. All divisions, departments and academic programs should take appropriate actions based on this change. For now, this remains in effect until March 31. We will update you with any future changes.

Please know that this decision aligns with SFDPH’s goals for social distancing: to limit people being exposed to the virus by reducing the number of occasions when people come together. Canceling events allows us to limit contact while also meeting our instructional responsibility by maintaining classes and aligns with SFDPH’s recommendation to keep schools open.

We also encourage all employees to reconsider upcoming non-essential travel. Costs for any university-approved travel will be reimbursed. For any questions about what is considered essential and non-essential travel, please speak with your supervisor or department chair and/or dean.

Whenever possible, in-person meetings should be conducted online or via phone. The University offers Zoom technology to support virtual meetings. If you must have a meeting in person, please continue to practice appropriate social distancing and facilitate behaviors that reduce infection — like washing your hands and using hand sanitizer.

Some of you may have also seen other universities taking different measures in response to COVID-19. There is a reason for that: each university — including ours — acts based on recommendations from local health officials. With every new update comes the possibility of having to change course.

During this time of the year, it’s not uncommon to feel ill. If ill, please stay home. Your health is a­ top priority. I also want to remind everyone ways to prevent spreading all respiratory viruses.

The City recommends that vulnerable populations should limit outings. Employees in this situation should discuss alternative work options with their direct supervisor in consultation with HR. Students in this situation should contact their professors to discuss alternative learning modalities.

Employees can also find information about work expectations on our Employee Questions webpage.

I understand there is concern, anxiety and worry. Please continue to show each other support and empathy as we work together to ensure the safety and health of our community.

I want to remind you all that our COVID-19 FAQ is a great resource for the latest information. As this is a rapidly evolving situation, we will continue to keep you all informed of any University changes as SFDPH provides more guidance in the future. In the meantime, please stay well.

Lynn Mahoney, Ph.D.
President

Dear campus community,

The City of San Francisco confirmed today its first two cases of the new coronavirus (COVID-19). The two individuals are not employees or students of San Francisco State University. On behalf of the entire University, I am wishing the patients speedy recoveries as they are being cared for in separate hospitals.

I understand that these recent developments can be concerning for many, especially as Lowell High School — in proximity to our main campus — decided to close the school and all events and gatherings for the time being out of an abundance of caution. I want to remind everyone that as San Francisco ramps up its testing measures for COVID-19, it may lead to an increase in the number of confirmed cases reported in the area. However, that does not necessarily signal that the rate of infection is increasing, but that the City’s ability to test more people more rapidly is leading to better detection. 

I also want to reassure you that our University, in consultation with City and State agencies, is working diligently to ensure the safety and health of our students and employees. The San Francisco State Emergency Operations Center (EOC) has been activated for weeks responding to and preparing for evolving contingencies. 

Many of you are asking about the status of classes and campus operations. Currently, we are not planning to cancel classes or modify operations. We are in direct contact with the San Francisco Department of Public Health (SFDPH) and other agencies, as well as the Office of the CSU Chancellor.

Our goal is that teaching and learning will continue at SF State. Earlier this week, Provost Jennifer Summit and Academic Senate Chair Nancy Gerber sent a message to the faculty requesting that they plan for a possible interruption in face-to-face delivery of instruction. To assist in these efforts, the Center for Equity and Excellence in Teaching and Learning (CEETL) and Academic Technology have created and compiled a variety of resources, which can be found on the Instructional Continuity at SF State website. 

If any recommendations from the SFDPH require changes in regular campus programs, the University will inform the campus community, and support will be provided.

The safety and wellbeing of our students, faculty and staff continue to be our highest priorities. Please stay well and take the same preventative measures outlined in the SF State COVID-19 FAQ. 

Lynn Mahoney, Ph.D.
President

Dear Campus Community:

Late last week, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported a second possible instance of community spread of the virus that causes COVID-19 in California. To date, there are zero confirmed cases of novel coronavirus (COVID-19) originating in the city and county of San Francisco or on the campuses of San Francisco State University. Bay Area residents continue to be at low risk of becoming infected with this virus unless they have recently traveled to an impacted community or have been in close contact with someone diagnosed with COVID-19.

However, it is clear this outbreak is on the rise, and the campus must take steps for preparation. Toward that end, San Francisco State is managing the University’s response via the campus Emergency Operations Center (EOC), which includes staff and administrators from all cabinet areas. The EOC is meeting regularly and making recommendations to the President and her Cabinet.

This group has also created a new website for the community to stay updated on our response and current information. Please visit news.sfsu.edu/coronavirus for updates and frequently asked questions related to campus planning and response.

In the event of a campus closure, we expect classes to continue in online or different modalities: students should communicate with their faculty about alternative arrangements if in-person meetings are not possible.

Remember, there are definite steps each of us can take to avoid getting a cold, the flu, and even Coronavirus. Please review the tips for protecting you and others on the Coronavirus FAQ page. For the next few weeks, we recommend not shaking hands when greeting others, keeping at least 3 feet when talking with others, and at least 6 feet from anyone sneezing or coughing.

If any recommendations from the San Francisco Department of Public Health require changes in regular campus programs, the EOC will inform the campus community, and support will be provided to lessen any negative impact on our educational mission. .

Take Good Care,

Roger Razzari Elrod

Director, SF State Student Health Services

Dear Campus Community:

As widely reported in the media, Mayor London Breed has declared a local emergency to “Proactively prepare for possible COVID-19” in San Francisco. To date, there are zero confirmed cases of novel coronavirus (COVID-19) in the city, county or on the campuses of San Francisco State University. Bay Area residents continue to be at low risk of becoming infected with this virus, unless they have recently traveled to an impacted community or have been in close contact with someone diagnosed with COVID-19.

Please remember that risk for this virus is in no way based on one’s race, ethnicity or culture. As President Mahoney recently wrote in a message to the University community: “… rather than acting out of fear and ignorance, we at San Francisco State will respond with compassion, knowledge and justice.”

San Francisco State continues to monitor guidance provided by the San Francisco Department of Public Health. Emergency management and business continuity staff are actively planning for the University’s emergency response and continued operations should the current coronavirus outbreak affect regular campus activities. Additionally, the University is tracking travel advisories with regard to students, faculty and staff studying and working internationally in affected areas and supporting anyone affected by these advisories.

There are steps each of us can take to reduce our chances of becoming ill — whether from the coronavirus, the flu or a plain, old-fashioned cold. Please review these basic health tips and take good care of yourself and one another.

Best,

Roger Razzari Elrod

Director, SF State Student Health Services

Dear campus community,

As I have mentioned in earlier messages, San Francisco State University is in so many ways a model of a diverse and inclusive university. There are moments, however, when even we are tested. We must remain resolute in our values of inclusion and meet the challenges with education and resolve.

The emergence and spread of the coronavirus is such a moment. Across the country and beyond, we have seen an increase in stigmatizing rhetoric and behaviors toward Chinese and Asian American communities (an increase that Professor Russell Jeung, chair of the Asian American Studies Department, has commented on in nationally broadcast interviews). At this time, rather than acting out of fear and ignorance, we at San Francisco State will respond with compassion, knowledge and justice. As with all viruses, there are things we can do to protect ourselves and one another. Please take time to review these basic health tips and respect one another as we protect our collective health and stand in solidarity with those who are ailing and those on the frontlines fighting this illness.

But this is not the only test of SF State values. In the past week, I was deeply saddened by a small but concerning number of bias incidents on campus, including the use of racial and anti-Semitic language. Over the last decades, the notion that “words can never hurt you” has been soundly discredited by academics, health care professionals, civil right activists and spiritual leaders, among others. At SF State, we embrace and protect free speech, but this does not absolve us of our responsibility to create a welcoming environment for each other. We meet these incidents not with censorship but with education. Words hurt; let’s teach one another why and be open to learning. Faculty, staff and students across campus have initiated many excellent programs promoting diversity, equity and inclusion. Have a suggestion for additional programming? Please share it with Frederick Smith, AVP, Equity & Community Inclusion at FrederickSmith@sfsu.edu.

San Francisco State University is rightfully proud of its reputation for diversity, equity and inclusion. I ask that we work collectively to ensure it.

Best,

Lynn Mahoney, Ph.D.
President

Dear campus community,

We are providing this update to our previous communication regarding the coronavirus and steps you can take to safeguard your health and the health of those around you. As of Feb. 4, no positive cases of coronavirus have been identified in San Francisco or on the campuses of San Francisco State University. We do expect the reported number of Bay Area cases to increase. We continue to follow guidance provided by the San Francisco Department of Public Health (SFDPH). SFDPH, in turn, is actively partnering with state and federal health authorities to identify ill individuals and protect public health.

While travel and health advisories are subject to change, we continue to recommend the same precautions outlined below. The SFDPH website is a great resource if you are unsure about whether you should seek medical care. Student Health Services is another resource on campus. As warranted, we will provide updates and guidance for any changes in campus protocols.

We urge every member of the University community to follow the commonsense practices below to reduce the chance of the spread of flu or coronavirus, while also staying connected to our values of social justice, community and inclusion.

Take good care,

Roger Razzari Elrod

Director, SF State Student Health Services

Dear campus community:

As widely reported in the media, an outbreak of respiratory illness caused by a new coronavirus has been identified starting in the city of Wuhan, China. San Francisco State University is closely monitoring guidance provided by the San Francisco Department of Public Health (SFDPH). SFDPH in turn is working actively with state and federal health authorities to identify ill individuals and protect public health. In the meantime, San Francisco State remains open, and Spring Semester classes will begin on Monday, Jan. 27, as scheduled.

What can you do? There are steps each of us can take to reduce our chances of getting ill — whether from the coronavirus, the flu or a plain, old-fashioned cold.

1. Treat Yourself Well 

• Eat healthy. 

• Maintain good sleep habits. 

• Manage stress. 

2. Make It Hard for Viruses to Spread 

• Cough or sneeze into an arm or a tissue.
• Wash or otherwise sanitize your hands.
• Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth.
• In public spaces, keep at least an arm's length of separation between yourself and others whenever possible.

   

3. Think of Others 

• If feeling ill, call or email a health provider for advice.
• Stay home or reduce contact with others until your symptoms subside. 

For more information on the new coronavirus, visit the San Francisco Department of Public Health's website.

Take good care,

Roger Razzari Elrod

Director, SF State Student Health Services