In-person classes will commence for Spring 2022 at Southwestern College, though personal safety and public health guidelines remain.
Southwestern College (SWC) now expects about 50 percent of its spring semester courses to begin in-person on Feb. 28 for the remainder of the spring semester.
This comes after a four-week transition to remote learning to compare the spread of COVID-19. According to SWC, student services will also begin a phased return for in-person services across the district at the Chula Vista, National City, San Ysidro, and Otay Mesa campuses.
Students will be required to follow SWC’s health and safety guidelines, such as requiring students and employees to be fully vaccinated, including boosters. Face coverings will also continue to be required indoors at all campus facilities, regardless of statewide or local mask mandates.
“Southwestern College has done a tremendous service for our local public health by swiftly moving the beginning of the semester online to help combat rising COVID-19 infections and hospitalizations,” said Superintendent/President Dr. Mark Sanchez. “Looking at our local data and consulting with public health officials, we’re confident now that we’re ready to return with our health and safety guidelines and provide desperately needed in-person instruction and services to our students.”
The decision to re-open the campus comes after SWC’s reopening workgroup analyzed local data including a decline in case rates and hospitalizations and a rise in vaccine rates. Leadership at the college had consulted with local health professionals and the County of San Diego.
According to the college, only a small selection of classes that were scheduled to return in person will remain online. Instructors will inform students in those classes. Students returning to in-person classes and accessing in-person student services must receive their COVID-19 booster shot as soon as they are eligible.
Students can follow these step-by-step instructions on how to submit their vaccination status, Visit the County’s website to check for eligibility.
Southwestern College will host a free vaccine, booster, and flu clinic this Friday, Feb. 18 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. It will be open to everyone on the Chula Vista campus in Lot B.
