We, the students at San Francisco State University, are concerned over the recent outbreak of the novel COVID-19 virus happening around the world and the likelihood of an outbreak occurring on campus.

San Francisco State University is a commuter school with nearly 30,000 students enrolled traveling from various different parts of the Bay to attend classes. We believe, even with the city’s health officials advising citizens to take precautionary measures, keeping classes in session is not enough to keep students from being exposed to the novel COVID-19 virus. 

Although San Francisco State University has been updating students and faculty about the developing situation occurring in the city by relaying information from The San Francisco State University Emergency Operations Center, we are also following the news reported from various online and local news publications, along with the reported advisories from the Centers of Disease Control and World Health Organization. The mayor of San Francisco, London Breed, has declared an emergency status last week; one day prior to writing this, Governor Gavin Newsom issued a state of emergency in California since the first death from the COVID-19 virus has taken place. 

Today, public health officials have barred thousands of passengers aboard the Grand Princess Cruise ship from entering the ports of San Francisco as they have traveled abroad and concerns grow about the possibility of passengers being exposed to the COVID-19 virus while traveling. “The virus has now been reported in 12 counties in the state and has sickened more than 50 people. Placer County public health officials announced that patient who had tested positive for COVID-19 after returning from a cruise to Mexico last month died.” 

Less than a mile from campus is Lowell High School. It has just been reported that a relative of a student at the High School is being treated for the COVID-19 virus. Although the student is not showing symptoms, high school administrators have shut down the campus and cancelled classes to disinfect the campus as reported by Superintendent Vincent Matthews of the San Francisco Unified School District. This campus sees many of its students traveling to the Stonestown Galleria Mall after school and in between classes to eat, socialize, and shop. Not only do many of our own students visit the mall to eat, socialize, and shop, but a handful of SF State students also work various jobs at this establishment. The likelihood of exposure to the COVID-19 virus occurring at this site is possible when taking into account the heavy foot traffic going in and out of the mall directly beside our campus. 

As this is being written, the president of San Francisco State University, Lynn Mahoney, has issued an email stating “The City of San Francisco confirmed today its first two cases of the new coronavirus.” She downplays the virus as something to not be concerned over and insists we just continue to attend classes since “The City’s ability to test more people more rapidly is leading to better detection.” But how does this reassurance actually make students feel? Are they better protected by these emails? Could they feel more safe by being told to just wash their hands and stay away from strangers? Is there nothing to actually be concerned about when the death toll of the COVID-19 virus rises to 12 in the United States and 20 states report active cases? 

The students of San Francisco State University demand that face-to-face classes are turned into online sessions with all class materials provided on iLearn for the remainder of the spring term immediately. 

Waiting till spring break takes effect to cancel face-to-face class sessions is like waiting for a bomb to go off. The university cannot stand idly by and wait for the death of a student or its faculty member in order to shut down campus. This is highly unethical and absurdly irresponsible.

Sign the petition for San Francisco State University to cancel face-to-face class sessions and implement online courses.