Dear SDSU Student,

Welcome to the Fall 2020 semester!

We are counting on you to make this an amazing year at San Diego State University, both for you and your fellow students! We are happy that you are a part of our community, and will be with you along the way.

With instruction beginning on Monday, we all must strive to make sure that you and our entire campus community remain healthy and safe. We also want you to be successful and fully engaged in your university experience. We ask that you do so responsibly, and by respecting all of the public health requirements now in place for everyone’s health and safety.

As you complete your first day, your first weeks, and the fall semester, please pay close attention to the following guidelines and resources. Each is designed to help ensure that you can be successful as an SDSU student.

Take Note, and Do This

• Know the requirements for your health and the safety of our community. A special training has been designed specifically for students. We ask that, before the first day of class, any student who will come to campus or take an in-person class take the time to review the training.
  
  
• Complete daily health screening utilizing Presence. Every day before coming to campus, all students should complete this self-screening. Before the start of class, students may have their temperature checked and be asked to answer the screening questions. We recognize that symptoms can onset throughout the day, which is why we are asking them to conduct the self-assessment before coming to campus and then again at the door to ensure that students are still fever free.
  
  
• Sign the SDSU Health Commitment. The pledge is a personal commitment to engage in behaviors that support your individual and our community’s health.
  
  
• Check your official SDSU email account. All official campus communication will be delivered to your SDSUid as your official email address. You can sign in at gmail.sdsu.edu and can confirm your email address in WebPortal > Personal Information > Primary Email Address.
  
  
• Check both Canvas and Blackboard. There is a high probability you will have courses delivered in both Canvas and Blackboard during the campus-wide transition to Canvas. Please check both canvas.sdsu.edu and blackboard.sdsu.edu. Many faculty are still finalizing their courses and will be activating them in the system, and will be in touch with you soon.
  
  

Other Important Wellness and Safety Expectations, Resources

Information about SDSU’s facial covering requirement is online. Anyone on campus or any campus properties must wear a facial covering at all times, with limited exceptions. This includes when you are outdoors, even if you are more than six feet from others. PLEASE NOTE: Any student who is not wearing a facial covering over their mouth and nose in their face to face classes will first be asked to do so by their faculty and will then be asked to or leave if they do not comply.

You must also maintain physical distancing (a minimum of six feet between you and others). And remember to frequently wash your hands and avoid crowds and gatherings. You can learn more about general prevention online.

SDSU maintains a student-centered page on the COVID-19 site with additional information and resources just for you.

Also, the Interfraternity Council announced today a self-imposed social moratorium to help further restrict the spread of COVID-19. The decision requires that the IFC and all IFC recruitment events be held virtually, with no in-person interactions. Also, all social events that violate public health and safety guidelines established by the county and state are banned.

Recognized Student Organizations, including fraternities and sororities, are expected to uphold the guidance provided by SDSU, in conjunction with public health agencies. Please review the SDSU Affiliated Organizations COVID-19 Policy for Recognized Student Organizations (executes as a PDF).

And, as a reminder, we all share in the responsibility of making our campus safe. Be alert. Be responsible. Stay aware of potential safety issues. For general safety, visit the University Police Department website to learn about ways to stay safe and be responsible. Also, view the SDSU COVID-19 site for timely updates and resources.

Academic Resources, Tools

We want you to be on track and stay on track. Do the following:

• As noted above, as you may have courses delivered in both Canvas and Blackboard, check both.
  
  
• Please ensure you are using the correct SDSUid account. If you are a student employee, you have two SDSUids — one for each role. Any credit-bearing course you are enrolled in will be listed in your student SDSUid account, and any course you are teaching will be listed in your employee SDSUid account.
  
  
• Visit the SDSU WebPortal to view your class schedule for more information and locations.
  
  

For those with waitlisted courses, remember to monitor the course status via your SDSU WebPortal. Your ranking on a course section wait list can change at any time. Also, be sure to remove any course sections on your wait list that you do not intend to enroll in. Visit the Wait List website for more information.

If you have any questions about fall class registration including the wait list, please contact the Office of the Registrar at 619-594-6871 or by emailing [email protected].

Important Notices and Deadlines

You should have received notice that, in accordance with a policy passed by the University Senate, all official communications from SDSU will be sent to your SDSU email address. As noted above, check your SDSU email daily to ensure you are receiving important university communication. Learn more about the Student Official Email Address Use Policy online. Communication is even more critical during the pandemic, so please be sure to regularly view campus communications.

Also, parking permits are enforced at all times. If you have not done so already, purchase your parking permit online using the Aztec Parking Portal.

Lastly, take a moment to mark your calendar with the schedule adjustment deadline, which is Monday, September 4, at 7:59 p.m. Check the SDSU WebPortal to make sure you are enrolled in the correct courses prior to this date. You are not allowed to make any changes to your class schedule after that date.

Also, September 4 is the last day to apply for December 2020 graduation (not the May or August 2020 graduation). If you are graduating, visit the Apply to Graduate web page for information on how to apply.

In Closing

Supporting you is central to our SDSU mission, as you are at our core. Take immediate action for your health and success. Attend virtual events, get involved in student government, take on a leadership role -- whatever you do, find ways to connect with your SDSU family.

Again, we welcome you and wish you a great fall semester.

Sincerely,

J. Luke Wood, Ph.D.
Vice President for Student Affairs and Campus Diversity

Randy Timm, EdD
Assistant Vice President and Dean of Students