MSJC will continue with mostly online classes in spring

Hands-on classes such as automotive, nursing and diagnostic medical sonography (DMS) are held on campus when necessary.

News release from Mt. San Jacinto College:

Mt. San Jacinto College's Spring 2021 semester will offer mostly online courses when it begins Jan. 19, as the district continues to keep health and safety a priority during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

The MSJC Board of Trustees met for an emergency meeting on Thursday and supported by consensus the district's plan to maintain a format that mirrors the current fall semester. The college district had hoped to offer at least 20 percent of its courses on campus for the spring semester, but given the rapidly-changing nature of COVID-19 cases, decided it was best for student success and health and safety to remain mostly online.

MSJC's plan will closely follow its current fall semester, which offers about 98 percent of its courses online to help further reduce the spread of COVID-19. Hands-on courses – Career Education classes in automotive, nursing and diagnostic medical sonography (DMS), for example – are currently held on MSJC campuses when necessary. The Cal State University system and other California community colleges have also opted to remain mostly online in the spring.

"This is not a radical departure from what we had hoped to offer previously, but we do believe this plan is best to avoid any disruptions to students' education that could occur if COVID-19 cases were to increase," Dr. Roger Schultz, MSJC Superintendent/President, said after the meeting. "This plan will ensure consistent instruction for our students in a safe environment."

Due to the demand for safety equipment required under state guidelines to reopen, like rapid testing kits, MSJC is not likely to receive equipment until December or later.

Those who are looking to enroll at MSJC can sign up now for 8-week, late-start courses that begin on Oct. 19. Please call 951-639-5313 or visit www.msjc.edu/schedule.

Mt. San Jacinto College serves about 27,000 students annually in a district covering 1,700 square miles from the San Gorgonio Pass to Temecula, with campuses in San Jacinto, Menifee, Banning and Temecula.

In May 2020, MSJC awarded a record-breaking 3,554 degrees and certificates to 1,958 graduates.