SCHOOL OF CINEMA PREPARATIONS REGARDING COVID-19

Dear School of Cinema Community:

I write to inform you that the faculty of the School of Cinema met on March 5, 2020 to create a plan for instructional continuity and ongoing learning in case of campus closure due to COVID-19 and in case of individual contamination within our community. The faculty will discuss with students the following:

Action: Faculty will talk with students about their plan for ongoing learning if the campus shuts down and discuss best practices to prevent the spread of infection now.

Action: Faculty will set expectations for how to communicate with students in case of campus closure. Questions regarding access for students without computers or access to the internet should be addressed.

Action: Faculty will work with individual students in case they come into contact with the virus. If faculty members come into contact with the virus, they or the Director will communicate to students about their class. Communicate what to expect in terms of accommodations and adjustments.

Action: Please be mindful of the following common practices to help avoid spread of any infections. Please see the Center for Disease Control (CDC) and World Health Organization (WHO) websites which include:

1 Frequent and thorough hand washing for at least 20 seconds with soap and water; or alcohol-based rub.

2 Avoid close contact with those who are sick and generally avoid close contact by a few feet whenever possible.

3 Covering mouth and nose when sneezing or coughing with bent elbow and discarding all used tissue. Avoid touching face, or hands to eyes, nose or mouth.

4 Clean and disinfect frequently used objects and surfaces with household cleaning spray or wipes after exposure or use.

5 Stay home when sick and contact your doctor. Recognizing that there is a grey area here whose boundaries are unclear to us, and given the ease of transmission and long incubation, we need to avoid potential risk to others even if one does not have it, or does and never becomes symptomatic.

Please make sure to communicate with your faculty any questions, concerns, or issues you may have. And please know I am available to confer with you as well.

Along with the university administration, I will continue to monitor the situation regarding the COVID-19 virus and will be in touch via email with any important updates regarding our classes in the School of Cinema. Please make sure to check your SFSU email addresses because it will be how SFSU communicates with you in case of closure. And do make use of the two important SFSU websites below!

Lastly, let us continue to support each other including practicing sensitivity to racial politics and racism that historically arise, such as in recent incidents targeting particular communities. Let us educate ourselves, communicate with each other and demonstrate care so as not to aggravate the stress that particular people may be experiencing. Let us be proactive and protective of our community.

Take good care and be well,

Celine Shimizu

Director of the School of Cinema

San Francisco State University

COVID-19 in relation to SFSU including FAQs: https://news.sfsu.edu/coronavirus Information about Instructional Continuity: https://instructionalcontinuity.sfsu.edu

Codeswitch: When Xenophobia Spreads Like A Virus https://www.npr.org/2020/03/02/811363404/when-xenophobia-spreads-like-a-...