Community college campuses should reopen

In February, the SMCCCD administration strongly recommended to the Board of Trustees that full-time distance learning continue through 2021. Staff pointed to faculty concerns, emphasized surging holiday COVID caseload, new COVID variants and an uncertain vaccination rollout schedule. Fair enough. The administration urged action because course schedules needed to be finalized. Despite challenging this assertion, the Board of Trustees accepted the recommendation based on the facts at hand.

Thankfully, these facts have changed. San Mateo County’s well-coordinated pandemic response resulted in 75% of adult residents being vaccinated and abundant hospital capacity. Serious challenges remain including: free vaccine access in under-resourced communities and educating those who remain hesitant. Thankfully, vaccine penetration continues, the threat of overwhelmed hospitals has been avoided, and the colored tier system will be abolished by mid-June.

So, why continue with remote instruction? And, why keep campuses shut down? When one considers the ethnic and geographical demographics of our community college students in San Mateo County, this is a question of equity.

From one perspective, SMCCCD’s incredible and effective conversion to distance learning was a heroic effort that increased student access. Students not physically or financially able to travel to campus now had high quality online education for the first time. Going forward we must preserve these gains in access, affordability and equity.

However, from another perspective, reopening campus and returning to a majority of in-person learning also ensures access and equity through career planning guidance and four-year transfer counseling support; technical and academic help; and personal identity, sense of belonging and student mental health.

Without physical access, some students are being denied their education. They are forced to navigate college courses from crowded homes with inconsistent Wi-Fi or insufficient hardware (imagine college via smartphone?). Even academic tutoring and emotional support are being delivered virtually — a creative solution to the crisis of 2020, and useful for 24/7 availability, but not effective for many students.

We are seriously concerned about the negative impact continued campus closure may have on SMCCCD’s declining enrollment. Our high school seniors already spent three semesters on Zoom, who will sign up for Zoom college? Many young adults put their dreams on hold as they work and wait for classes to resume. SMCCCD said approximately 5% of courses have access to campus now, and there is a goal of 15% in the fall semester. This underambitious “goal” is far too low. The administration must be creative and aggressive about reopening campus and expanding access.

Higher education, especially community college, is likely moving more online. But, our campuses are not irrelevant! Canada, CSM and Skyline are some of the county’s most beautiful, spacious, welcoming pieces of public property. Our campuses must remain open and alive to encourage civic and academic engagement, nurture creativity and confidence, and facilitate success for all students.

The San Mateo County Community College District has an outstanding reputation providing a vital role in our local educational and economic systems. The shutdown was necessary and understandable, but now we must look forward.

“Going to college” shouldn’t require moving out of state or paying high fees. “Going” should at least mean seeing classmates, joining a study group and working in the library — building connections and relationships. For many, the physical presence on campus is important for students to grow, thrive and persevere.

Students and community members are ready to reopen and reestablish our campuses as thriving and active civic hubs. The SMCCCD administration will release a comprehensive plan to reopen May 12. It should include unfettered campus access and in-person services and support.

As we emerge from the pandemic, ensuring access to SMCCCD colleges is the safest, most equitable thing we can do, especially for our first-generation college students from under-resourced communities who want to invest in improving their futures.

Jennafer A.L. Carson teaches high school in San Mateo County working primarily with under-resourced students. She is also a mother of three students in public schools and the lead for OPEN California Community Colleges. John Pimentel is a trustee on the San Mateo County Community College District board, Area 5 representing Redwood City, East Palo Alto, North Fair Oaks and Menlo Park.