LACCD Board has emergency meeting Members decide to suspend classes for two weeks and push spring break as online transition begins

BY ARIELLE ZOLEZZI

The LACCD Board unanimously decided to suspend all classes

Monday, March 16, through Sunday, March 29, as well as moving up spring break, which was originally scheduled for April 6-11 to run Monday, March 23 through Sunday, March 29. Remote learning (online education) and remote business operations will begin on Monday, March 30, and run through the end of the spring semester.

The board met in an emergency meeting Saturday afternoon to address the district’s concerns and to plan for what comes next for students and the classes that won’t have an easy transition to an online format in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.

“What we are hoping is to make sure that everyone working, from students, faculty, and the staff, feels safe and that we are doing everything related to their safety and their education, as well as the families of everyone,” said board of trustees member Dr. Gabriel Buelna.

The board also moved to suspend in-person services at all of the colleges, March 16-28. Campuses will begin remote learning and remote business operations starting March 30, providing a two-week transition period to remote instruction for all disciplines and student services.

President of the District Academic Senate Angela Echeverri said the goal is to protect students' academic progress as much as possible because they don’t want students’ semesters to be lost during this national state of emergency.

“I think the first priority is safety,” Echeverri said. “We are concerned about instructional continuity and services, but number one is safety.

Things have changed so quickly, especially within the last 24 hours that we are in a whole new paradigm.

So we need time to transition while being able to provide the education and services that students deserve and need.”

Student Health Centers and Child Development Centers in the district will remain open through next week to allow parents enough time to make childcare arrangements, but they will be closed during the week of spring break.

Union steward Bruce Hicks, who was one of the public commentators, said that LAUSD closing its doors is also weighing on the district’s faculty and staff who have children.

“Our main concern as a unit is that the health and safety of our people is taken into account,” Hicks said. “It is prime time for all of us, no one has all the answers, but we want to make sure all our concerns are addressed, especially with LAUSD closing down because that puts a very large burden on our group.”

Chancellor Francisco Rodriguez mentioned in the meeting that so far, there are no confirmed cases of COVID-19 at any of the nine colleges in the LACCD.

Public affairs manager for SEIU Local 99 Manuel Rangel, who also commented during the public forum, brought a voice to the custodial and maintenance staff of the district and their willingness to step up during this crisis and to stay informed.

“They are on the front line, and they are ready to rise to the occasion,” Rangel said. “They want to help make sure campuses are sanitary as well as making sure that they are limiting the spread of any communicable disease, but they want to make sure that they are constantly in the loop of information as this unfolds.”

The Chancellor said that the situation is fluid and changes will be made daily, and he will be updating district employees with a steady stream of information as more is learned about the virus.

“I hope over the next few weeks we continue to serve the best interests of our students, faculty, staff and the entire L.A. community,” said Pierce College President Alexis Montevirgen.

“As it relates to restaurants, we have more nuanced concerns and considerations,” Newsom said. “Someone suggested just shutting down all of our restaurants, we dont believe ultimately that is necessary at this moment.”

On Sunday night, Mayor Eric Garcetti added to Newsom’s orders by forcing entertainment venues and gyms to close as well. Restaurants will halt dinein service altogether, except for take-out and delivery services until March 31.

“I encourage all Angelenos to help support these critical small businesses, the restaurants we love in our neighborhoods, by continuing to order from them and getting pickup or delivery,” Garcetti said. “Groceries, pharmacies and food banks are of course exempt from this order.”

Newsom said that he acknowledges that many people struggle to make their own food or buy their meals from grocery stores because of the current chaos or they are just not capable.

“Some may have limited capacity as it relates to deliveries but we want to expand the points of access to get those deliveries, restaurants by definition, provide those points of access,” Newsom said. “So having an organized construct that allows delivery of hot, prepared and nutritious food within an existing infrastructure, we think is appropriate again at this moment.”

Previous points were made again by Newsom and Garcetti regarding that people should avoid large gatherings at all costs and people over 65-years-old should self-isolate to stay safe.

“We will in real time absorb the capacity to potentially do more, but also try to reflect on the enforcement side of this, which I am not concerned about because as you have noted with all of our directives, we are seeing the socialization in real time and strong in broad support probably from the public health,” Newsom said. “Officials are out of state but the private sector has done a remarkable job meeting this moment.”