On March 9, 2020, San José State University administration made the decision to suspend classes from March 10-13 in order to allow faculty and staff to prepare for the transition to online classes. Classes resumed online on March 16 and planned to continue until March 27. During this time, all classes have been moved online- including labs and studio classes. On March 16, President Papazian announced that the remainder of the Spring 2020 semester will be moved online.

This was a significant decision made by the University to put the health and safety of their students, staff, and faculty first. We, the student body, are thankful to the University for doing their part to support the community during this pandemic. 

This transition to online has brought along many concerns for students, families, and faculty. One main concern is the inequity in online learning. Not every student has the proper tools and resources required in order to succeed in online learning. Lack of adequate wifi, stressful home situations, and worry over vulnerable family members are only some of the situations students are finding themselves in. The current circumstance our community is facing is very real and challenging, making it difficult to shift our focus solely on school. Each student's situation is different, whether they have to care for their family at home or are financially struggling due to closure of their jobs.

These are only a few of the numerous concerns students are currently faced with. Given these circumstances, we believe students would greatly benefit to opt in a pass/fail grading system this semester in order to compensate for all the challenges we are currently going through. This transition will lessen the burden on students who are forced to choose between devoting their time to school or caring for their loved ones during this pandemic. The pass/fail system will provide greatly needed relief to students who are facing unprecedented circumstances.

We are calling on San José State University administration to support student wellbeing in the midst of these challenging times.