Spring 2021 Classes

Cerro Coso Community College has announced its plans to remain primarily remote during the Spring 2021 Semester – with continued emphasis on health and safety to protect students, faculty, and staff.

In a message to the campus community on September 30, Kern Community College District (KCCD) Chancellor Tom Burke said “after consultation with the College Presidents, the KCCD will continue the 2021 Spring Semester with hybrid operations. The majority of instruction and support operations will continue in the current online and remote environment. A limited number of instructional courses and support functions will be provided in-person for students to continue their progress to degree. Understanding this decision is disappointing to some, it was made in the interests of maintaining the health and safety of our students and employees.”

All Cerro Coso campuses will remain in a largely remote delivery format during the Spring 2021 Semester.

The only instruction taking place wholly or partially in-person at any Cerro Coso campus for Spring 2021 are classes supporting training for essential workforce activities, such as welding and nursing, and intercollegiate athletic classes. All other classes will be offered through remote instruction and virtual learning utilizing a variety of delivery methods including: Online, Scheduled Zoom, or a combination of the two. Limited hours of tutoring and computer access will be available at each campus.  While student support services, like counseling and financial aid, will remain available primarily through synchronous and asynchronous remote delivery, in-person appointments are possible when needed and by prior arrangement.  It is important to note that students will still receive the same high-quality instruction and support services from the same high-quality instructors and student services personnel.

“We look forward to one day being back on our campuses full time, but we need to safeguard our students, faculty, and staff,” college president Dr. Sean Hancock said in a news release. “The pandemic has created an unpredictable environment that prompted extensive and thoughtful discussions. After much consideration, we felt a mix of online classes and low-density labs for our technical and health programs, using strict social distancing protocols, would be the best approach for the spring.”

The decision to offer remote instruction for Spring 2021 was made so students can continue their educations safely, while reducing stress and disruption in their lives.  Rather than start in-person and possibly have to transition to an online/remote format later, Cerro Coso wants to provide students with a consistent and certain learning environment. 

“Students are our priority,” said Vice President of Student Services Heather Ostash. “We are trying to strike a balance in students continuing to progress toward their educational goals, while maintaining a safe and stable environment. We have expanded resources substantially to support our students, recognizing the many challenges they are facing. We highly encourage students to connect with us. From Counseling and ACCESS assisting with education plans to financial aid support, laptop loans, food resources, and childcare, the college is here for you.”

The decision is in alignment with most other California Community Colleges that are keeping the bulk of their Spring 2021 Semester courses in remote status.  Cerro Coso will continue to comply with new state orders and federal regulations as they are released. 

By keeping a mix of online and Scheduled Zoom classes through the spring semester, Cerro Coso is committed to ensuring the best virtual experience for students.

Classes going Online

• Wholly or partially in-person. Consistent with state guidelines and in support of critical infrastructure sectors, the college is continuing to offer in-person instruction in essential workforce activities. These are selected classes in administration of justice, emergency medical technology, health careers, machine tools, and welding only. While a portion of these classes may be delivered in some form of remote instruction, the nature of the coursework requires hands-on training that must take place in person. Please know that Cerro Coso will be abiding by all protocols for offering these classes safely: required facemasks, social distancing, limited sharing of equipment, regular deep cleaning, among others. Students in these classes will be required to play an active role in maintaining a healthy environment, such as wearing a facemask and not coming to class if sick. If you cannot abide by these requirements, you must contact the counseling department to enroll in a different class that keeps you on track for your educational goal.
• Scheduled Zoom. These classes will meet virtually during the same days and times already scheduled so that students can directly interact with the instructor to hear lectures, ask questions, engage in discussions, practice skills, and carry on many of the same classroom activities they are used to in in-person classes, except in a remote environment. Although the Scheduled Zoom class will be supported with an online Canvas shell, students must make time to attend all live Zoom class sessions, as this is when instruction happens in the class. If your in-person class is being transitioned to Scheduled Zoom and you are not sure that you have the technology resources you need to be successful, such as a powerful enough device or reliable internet service, please contact studentservices@cerrocoso.edu to see what the college can do for you.
• Online. These are very likely the classes you think of when you think of “online instruction”: maximally flexible, instruction happening on a week by week or unit by unit basis but at the time of your choosing. There are no required meeting times, either in person or virtually. Coursework is posted to and accessed through a Canvas shell that includes all the class elements: lecture, exercises, assignments, assessments. Regular effective contact is built into the class between instructor and student and among students through such features as discussion forums and journal entries. And some instructors may still use Zoom to provide opportunities to work with them. If your in-person class is being transitioned to Online and you are not sure it is the right learning modality for you, please contact CC-Online to schedule an assessment of your fit for Online learning as well to access tutorials and other help or visit the Online Student page at CC-Online-Student
• Only students who are or could be eligible to participate in programs under Section 484 in Title IV of the Higher Education Act of 1965, as amended (HEA), may receive emergency financial aid grants, including the CARES Act grant funds. If you have filed a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), you have already demonstrated eligibility to participate in programs under Section 484 the HEA. If you have not filed a FAFSA but are eligible to file a FAFSA, you may receive emergency financial aid grants.  You do not have to have eligibility for any other forms of financial aid to be eligible for these funds, only eligible to apply.
• Applicants must provide an explanation of expenses related to the disruption of Cerro Coso Community College operations due to COVID-19. 
• According to the CARES Act legislation, students who are in a program that is entirely online are not eligible for CARES Act funds.
• At this time, students must be currently registered for a class(es) at Cerro Coso.
• Students must have a high school diploma or GED or have completed high school in an approved homeschool setting. According to the legislation, concurrent enrollment or dual enrollment students are not eligible for these funds.
• Students must be enrolled in a degree or certificate program that is approved for Financial Aid funding to be eligible for these funds.
• Male students must be registered with Selective Service as required by law.

1. May 5, 2020 1-2PM: Register for Meeting
2. May 6, 2020 3:30-4:30PM: Register for Meeting

• Ridgecrest/Indian Wells Valley Area
• Eastern Sierra: Bishop and Mammoth Lakes
• East Kern