The university notified staff and faculty they could switch to online classes, work remotely, and excuse student absences.
California State University’s Los Angeles campus will allow its faculty to move classes online, work remotely, and excuse student absences, citing fears stemming from federal deportation operations targeting illegal immigrants in the area, the university confirmed July 11.
“Faculty are being supported in making case-by-case adjustments for students in extraordinary circumstances,” Cal State L.A. spokesperson Erik Frost Hollins told The Epoch Times. “Similarly, deans and department heads are supported in making case-by-case adjustments for faculty and staff.”
The adjustments are allowed under the university’s current policy, Hollins added. The school intends to have a “full and engaging on-campus student experience in the fall.”
Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs Heather Lattimer explained the university’s concerns about ongoing immigration enforcement operations in an emailed letter to staff and faculty July 10.
“Recent events in the LA area—including the presence of heavily armed immigration agents in MacArthur Park earlier this week—have left many in our community concerned for their safety,” Lattimer wrote.
Mayor Karen Bass confronted Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers as they gathered in MacArthur Park, a known gathering place for drug dealing and gang violence, on July 7. Federal officers from ICE and Customs and Border Protection appeared to be staging an operation while walking through the park, with some riding horses.
Bass has referred to the event multiple times in media appearances, calling it “outrageous and un-American.”
According to the provost, the university had heard directly from people who were scared to take public transit or drive to campus.
This week, the school also marked the six-month anniversary of the Palisades and Eaton wildfires that disrupted the lives of many in the community, Lattimer added.
“As a campus, we recognize the significant harm that has resulted from these events and reaffirm our commitment to supporting our students, faculty, and staff and prioritizing your safety and well-being,” Lattimer wrote.
