Chico State’s fall course offerings and most student support services are online or offered through alternative modalities. However, the University is open for business and here to support your success.
We've collected some information and resources specific to the COVID-19 situation, but if you have questions about a specific campus department or service, we recommend visiting their website directly for current information.
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As of August 31, 2020, all fall 2020 courses are online. Classes will remain virtual for the entire semester.
Chico State began the fall semester with 90% of course offerings online, with limited in-person classes for essential hands-on courses. However, despite health and safety protocols, the exponential growth in cases during the first week and the likelihood of additional cases put our students’ safety at risk and a decision was made to go fully virtual.
CSU Chancellor Timothy P. White has announced all 23 campuses, including Chico State, will conduct winter and spring 2021 courses primarily virtual. More details will be forthcoming as Chico State receives further guidance from the Chancellor’s Office.
The Keep Learning website is a one-stop-shop with everything students need for a successful semester, including advice from experienced distance learners. The site provides students tips, best practices, and resources for online learning. You can also get to know the software being used in your courses and the many free tools available to you.
The Keep Learning support team is available live Monday–Friday, 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. to answer questions and teach you how to use these online tools. Please make use of this great resource!
The Keep Engaging hub is your link to student activities and opportunities to connect with fellow Wildcats. Even as we learn virtually, students are encouraged and supported in developing positive social, cultural, intellectual, recreational, and leadership programs and activities.
All campus departments are open to provide student support whether virtually or through limited in-person services. This is just a small selection of the student services available by phone, video, or email. Check department websites for the most up to date information on how to access their services.
Some key services:
Find the latest information on which campus facilities are open for in-person limited services on the facilities and operations page.
The CSU Cares Program offered emergency grants for CSU students, including those enrolled at Chico State, experiencing financial hardships directly due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The funding was made possible through the Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund (HEERF) authorized by the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act, as well as existing CSU campus-based resources.
A total of 9,578 students received $11,193,314 in emergency grants through this program.
Learn more about Chico State’s student emergency grant program.
Chico State tuition and fees remain unchanged. Tuition, which is set by the CSU Board of Trustees, and mandatory campus-based fees cover fixed and ongoing expenses the University continues to incur during the evolving COVID-19 pandemic to finance, maintain, and operate student facilities and services, which remain available to students via remote access and/or limited in-person access.
All students in the CSU system, not just at Chico State, pay mandatory fees regardless of whether they are full-time, part-time, online, or study-aboard students—and even if they do not expect to ever use the programs or facilities they support. None of these fees are a "usage-based fee," but cover the debt services and personnel on a 12-month budget basis.
Examples include ongoing administrative costs such as employee salaries—including many student workers—overhead costs such as student-government programs, academic retention and support, progress toward degree completion, employee wages and benefits, expenses for utilities, repair and maintenance, and payment of financing and long-term debt obligations for some facilities.
Even with instruction occurring virtually, Chico State continues to provide a quality education and critical student services including academic advising and career services, tutoring and other learning-support services, medical care, mental health counseling, basic needs provisions, online research and learning beyond the classroom, and technology assistance.
We hope students understand that if they want the facilities and services to be available to them and others in the future, they must be supported and maintained during the pandemic
Chico State has actively invested in instructional technology infrastructure and faculty training to deliver a high-quality virtual learning experience to students for achieving their academic goals without interruption.
We heard students’ feedback regarding the hits and misses with online learning this spring, and spent the summer planning a more enriching educational experience this fall—including improved accessibility and real-time classes to help students stay on track.
This summer, hundreds of Chico State faculty attended the “Go Virtual Summer Institute” to explore ways of converting existing classes into more effective online or blended courses. Under guidance from faculty mentors experienced and adept at teaching online, we expect bold, emerging innovations to promote student success.
Virtual instruction is not new to Chico State—in fact we’ve been a national pioneer in distance learning technology since the early 1970s. In addition to our highly ranked online degree programs, summer and winter session classes have been held virtually for years without sacrificing the quality of instruction or learning experience.
We are confident that even during these challenging times our students will greatly benefit from engaging instruction and educational experiences—while also benefiting from meaningful interaction with award-winning faculty members, campus advising, and tutoring support.
The same services Chico State has always provided students continue to be available—albeit online, including those listed in the Student Services section on this page. All campus departments are open to provide student support whether virtually or through limited in-person services, so check department websites for the most up to date information on how to access their services.
Chico State continues to offer high-quality and interactive activities for all students. Partners across campus are planning virtual and hybrid delivery for co-curricular campus programs. For example, the annual Wildcat Welcome events continued this year in alternative formats to welcome new students to our rich and vibrant campus community.
We are working diligently to ensure incoming students are connected to our supportive campus community by constructing an immersive student-focused virtual experience that creates social engagement and easy pathways for student involvement, access to student success services, and integrated health and well-being resources.
As county and state restrictions permit, the University will also explore phasing in additional in-person and hybrid student experiences throughout the semester.
New students can defer enrollment but there are restrictions and in all cases of deferment, a new application for admission will be required for the term the student plans to attend.
Restrictions:
a. A first-time freshman can defer for up to a year for any reason but cannot attend another college during the deferral period. Once students are enrolled at a community college, they are considered a transfer student and will not be able to transfer to Chico State until they've met the upper-division transfer requirements (60 transferable units, area A completion, etc.)
b. Transfer students can defer for up to one year for medical-, military-, or COVID-19-related reasons.
Students should contact the Admissions Office with questions.
Although the transition to virtual course delivery will decrease the number of student jobs needed on campus, federal work-study jobs remain available, and our auxiliary organizations like Chico State Enterprises and the Associated Students continue to have some job opportunities for students in research, virtual programming, food services, the Wildcat Store, the Wildcat Recreation Center, and other areas. View job postings on the Career Center website.
Chico State and its auxiliaries are striving to bring back as many existing student employees as possible as the campus repopulates over the academic year. Additional student employment may be needed to meet evolving virtual or hybrid campus needs based on COVID-19 conditions.
Some in-person, community-based experiential learning will take place, even though faculty instruction for these courses may be virtual. The final decisions for these learning opportunities will be dependent upon evolving guidance from local health officials and final decisions of campus partners, such as the K-12 school system.
Students who choose to participate in in-person experiential learning and other on-site learning programs must first take Chico State’s COVID-19 training, which is available from the Student Center platform. Students should reach out to their respective departments if they have any questions.
All members of the Chico State community are required an acceptable facial covering while on campus and in public when physical distancing of six feet cannot be maintained. (Questions regarding accommodations should be directed to the Accessibility Resource Center.)
Facial masks such as N95 and KN95 are reserved for health-care personnel and first responders. Students can use cloth face coverings that can be laundered. The University has a limited supply and encourages students to bring their own from home.
Supply chains for PPE and cleaning supplies are greatly impacted by this pandemic. Chico State is utilizing our vendor relationships and the sourcing power of the full CSU system to ensure we have appropriate supplies on hand. Where possible, the campus will supplement PPE needs.
At this time, in-person Commencement ceremonies are still planned for spring 2021—one for the class of 2020 and a separate one for the class of 2021—but a final decision will depend on how the COVID-19 pandemic progresses and will be made in accordance with guidance from state and local health officials.
