San Jose City College is planning to partially reopen the college in fall 2021.

“We have activated the emergency response teams. We’re going to be holding joint meetings twice a month,” SJCC President Rowena Tomaneng said at a virtual town hall meeting on March 18. “That way all of the different units and all of the areas have the same information and can talk to each other in terms of some of the complexities that are already emerging as we plan for a partial return in the fall.”

The SJCC administration is prioritizing which classes will be the first to return.

“The top priority courses are the ones that need campus resources such as HVAC, athletics, art, CTE,” Vice President of Academic Affairs Elizabeth Pratt said.

In-person lectures can be permitted depending on which tier the county is in, according to the presentation slides. Santa Clara county is currently in the red tier, which means lectures are limited to 25% capacity or 100 people, whichever is fewer.

“Hopefully very shortly we’ll be at the yellow tier where we can be at 50% capacity with no total limitations,” Vice President of Administrative Services Christopher Hawken said.

“In-person classes will be offered online or other alternate formats through the summer term. They are trying to target 50% in-person offerings for fall 2021,” Chancellor Byron Breland wrote in a districtwide email.

Campus closures are still active; the projected return is for the fall.

According to a research survey conducted by SJCC, 43% of students were not comfortable returning, 31% were, 25% were neutral and 1% did not respond.

The report also explains that 47% of students preferred mostly online classes, while 31% preferred a mix of synchronous and asynchronous classes.

In reference to SJCC athletic programs, some student athletes have spent a good amount of time away from competing, but progress has been made in that department as well.

“The California Community College Athletics Association recently approved implementation of a contingency plan which reschedules all the state sponsored inter-collegiate competition to the spring,” Dean of Athletics Lamel Harris said.

Some of the sports teams will not go back to official play but that isn’t the case for all.

“The school’s fall and winter sports opted out of competition and will be seeking scrimmage opportunities,” Harris said.

Although the fall and winter sports have opted out, the spring sports have opted in.

“Spring athletics will have a modified schedule after opting in for competition; the teams are now awaiting approved schedules from their sport associations,” Harris said.

Pratt applauded students in general and student athletes and journalists in particular for their work during the pandemic.

“I would like to congratulate the SJCC Times and classes alike,” Pratt said, “for still functioning during this difficult time.”