STOCKTON, California — It’s the closest students and staff at the college have come to pre-pandemic studies in well over a year.
“Being in person, you get a better relationship with your instructor,” said student Melissa Jurentkuff.
Still, it’s back to school for students and staff during a pandemic which means indoor masking and now a vaccine mandate that the board of trustees created, removed and then reinstated.
It started earlier in the summer on June 22, the board voted to mandate vaccinations for all students on campus. Just days later on July 6, they voted 4-3 to reverse the mandate. Now, superintendent and president of the college, Omid Pourzanjani says that the board put the vaccine mandate back in place again on August 17, but says it’s brought challenges.
“The challenge is how do we implement it? How do we track? What do we do if someone isn't vaccinated and shows up to class?” Pourzanjani said. “The devil is in the details with this so we have to work out the details.”
In place since July is a major incentive to encourage students: Free textbooks if students show proof of vaccination. Pourzanjani says the number of students who have taken advantage of that has gone up to 1,900 and counting.
“We call it ‘access to free textbook’ because it's a loaner and what I'm really hoping to do is keep that loaner program going,” Pourzanjani said. “So, if we don’t change textbooks as often and keep that loaner program going then it allows us to really lower the textbook costs.”
Some students ABC10 spoke with when the program was first announced in July had mixed feelings about it.
"I think it's kind of bribing us to get the vaccines. Some of us don't want it,” said Brittany Elsholz in July. “But, that is a pretty good deal, get a vaccine for some free books."
Others ABC10 spoke with on the first day back think of it as a victory.
“Our textbook was $230," Felicia Garcia said. “So I'll take that win.”
To find out more about San Joaquin Delta College's return to campus, click here.
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