The Rancho Santiago Community College District suspends face-to-face classes

Santa Ana, CA – Officials in the Rancho Santiago Community College District, in an effort to mitigate the spread of COVID-19, have suspended all face-to-face courses and student support services through Tuesday, March 17. Most courses and services will resume in online and virtual formats on Wednesday, March 18 through Friday, April 24, 2020. During this time, the colleges and the district office will remain open.

“The health and safety of our students, faculty and staff is paramount so it is incumbent upon us to be good health stewards,” said Ms. Claudia Alvarez, president of the district’s Board of Trustees. “We have been working proactively to prepare a responsible transition plan to alternative delivery methods for instruction, student support and services. We believe the class and service suspension will give our faculty and students the time they need to prepare for this transition.”

The district recognizes that not all classes and services can be moved to an online format. In these limited cases, some courses involving labs, studio instruction, career and technical education skills-based courses, performance classes, physical education, and student support services may occur on campus.

The district will also close the child development centers as of Monday, March 16. They will reopen on Monday, April 27.

“While we understand there are concerns about COVID-19, according to the Orange County Health Care Agency, as of today March 13, 2020, the health risk to the general public in Orange County is believed to be low,” said Chancellor Marvin Martinez. “At this time, there are no reported cases of COVID-19 at our colleges or the district office. As information and guidelines are changing rapidly, our leadership made the responsible and prudent decision to leverage technology to help stop the spread of COVID-19 while continuing to deliver instruction and services to our students with as little disruption as possible.”

Per Governor Gavin Newsom’s memo released on March 12, all college and district events and gatherings over 250 people have been cancelled.

“RSCCD is committed to supporting all of our students and employees, and the communities we serve in responding responsibly for the health and safety of all,” said Chancellor Martinez.

“I have full confidence in our administration, faculty, and staff, along with the commitment from our students, that we can all step up to this challenge in a safe, positive manner and successfully continue to achieve our educational goals,” said Ms. Alvarez.

About Rancho Santiago Community College District
Santa Ana College and Santiago Canyon College are public community colleges of the Rancho Santiago Community College District, which serves the residents of Anaheim Hills, Orange, Santa Ana, Villa Park, and portions of Anaheim, Costa Mesa, Irvine, Fountain Valley, Garden Grove, and Tustin. Both colleges provide education for academic transfer and careers, courses for personal and professional development, and customized training for business and industry.