Cal Poly limited on-campus housing to singles for the 2020-21 academic year as a precautionary measure in response to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, housing no more than 5,150 students — most of which were incoming freshmen.
As for classes, Cal Poly has offered roughly 12 percent of their 4,300 classes — about 511 sections total. Fewer than 6,000 students will take at least one in-person class in the fall, President Jeffrey Armstrong wrote in a campus-wide email.
“The classes being offered in person were identified by the faculty as being difficult or impossible to offer virtually,” Armstrong wrote.
Incoming materials engineering freshman Joshua Yepiz is one of the few students who was placed into an in-person class. However, he said he decided to stay at his permanent residence in Livermore Fall quarter.
He said he could not justify paying housing and dining fees for the quarter, only to take one in-person class.
“It just didn’t make sense to me,” Yepiz said.
The class, Introduction to Materials Engineering Design I (MATE 110), meets once a week and will be able to provide virtual accommodations for him and other students who choose to stay off-campus, Yepiz said.
“Virtual classes aren’t ideal, but I don’t think there’s any better alternative anywhere right now,” Yepiz said.
He said he is optimistic about the way Cal Poly has decided to implement things and wants to come to campus Winter quarter if things are better.
Biological sciences freshman Ryan Anderson ultimately decided to live in the dorms at Cal Poly.
“I felt even if it was modified, I should really get that freshman experience and get to live in the dorms,” Anderson said.
The last day to defer from housing was Aug. 26, and Anderson said he felt that it was the right choice to house people in single rooms.
Anderson said he felt that he can socially distance and still have a good time, although he is a little worried about how long it will last.
“Just knowing how college is and how college kids are,” Anderson said. “I don’t know how much social distancing and safe practices will be actually there.”
“Just knowing how college is and how college kids are,” Anderson said. “I don’t know how much social distancing and safe practices will be actually there.”
Anderson said he was bothered by Cal Poly’s inconsistent communication about housing throughout the summer.
“Things are just always changing for them on their end, but that also means that we have not gotten much information,” Anderson said.
Students living on campus had been receiving information about housing periodically throughout the summer, but they did not get housing assignments until Sept. 1. This year, housing assignments will be based on the student’s college, rather than residential learning communities in years prior.
Business administration freshman Kevin Fryay said he also plans on coming to Cal Poly, although his classes will be all online for the fall.
He took classes through Cal Poly’s Quarter Plus program, where students have the opportunity to earn eight units of class credit prior to the start of Fall quarter. The program was fully virtual this year.
Fryar said he liked his classes so far and he said his professor is available to answer questions and clarify topics, which he said helps to make him feel like the classes are in-person.
Fryar said he was excited to move into the dorms and get the most out of his virtual classes.
“I’m excited to go into it with an open mind and meet as many people as I can while still staying safe,” Fryar said.
Students were told that after the ten-week period, they would be moving out of the dorms and to pack their things up, according to Fryar.
“I’m kind of looking at it like a ten-week vacation,” Frayr said. “We have no idea how long we are going to be there and then we are going to end up coming back to that really long break.”