S P E CI A L S E C T IO N
Student group engages by virtual meeting in March.
CSUMB Responds to Global Pandemic FROM PRESIDENT EDUARDO M. OCHOA:
PHOTO PROVIDED
These are unprecedented times. The coronavirus pandemic defied our assumptions and required the university to reinvent our core processes at unprecedented speed. We are grateful that public health professionals acted quickly with expert advice based on scientific evidence, providing us with clear guidance. Our faculty and staff moved quickly to carry out the changes necessary to protect the health and safety of our community. Our staff expedited the reduction of our on-campus population, orchestrated a drastic reduction of our housing occupancy, and implemented new cleaning and social distancing protocols. Our faculty adroitly transitioned to virtual instruction, continuing their commitment to high-quality education, and fulfilling our promise to students. I appreciate the understanding of our students in these difficult times that adversely affected milestones like commencement. It is heartbreaking to miss these experiences, but our students have been amazingly supportive of efforts to protect the health of the community. This special section highlights how our Otter community rose to the challenge and did its part to fight this pandemic and its impact on our society. This watershed moment will have a lasting effect on how we think and operate. In higher education, the way we facilitate classes, serve diverse populations, and train the next generation of the workforce will require adjustment. We are an institution founded on inclusion and the use of technology to enhance our mission, and we will rise to this challenge.
S TORIES BY SOPHIA HUANG MCK ENZIE
T HE M AG A ZINE OF CS U MON T ER E Y BAY | CS UM B .EDU/M AG A ZINE
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