Everchanging Uncertainty: The Unfolding of the Pandemic at Cal State LA

The year 2020 became synonymous with phrases like “unprecedented times” and “the new normal," but for Cal State LA students, the changes, anxieties, and uncertainties brought about by the global COVID-19 pandemic were anything but normal. From the transition to remote learning to struggles for social justice, many students faced one of the most challenging years of their lives. By examining a selection of oral histories from Cal State LA’s students, this exhibit hopes to highlight the personal struggles, community empowerment, and life stories of Cal State LA students as they navigate a world forever changed by COVID-19.

Cal State LA Health Crisis History Timeline

From polio outbreaks in the 1950s and '60s, to a measles scare in 2019, Cal State LA has periodically met challenges to public health throughout its history. Drawing primarily from Cal State LA's university publication, The University Times, this timeline highlights major health events in the University's history, many of which reflect surprising similarities to current events. This timeline starts at the university's founding year in 1947 and runs through the closing of campus in 2020.

Directions: You can click/scroll left or right to see events throughout the timeline. By clicking on their titles, you can view and learn more about artifacts corresponding to each event.

First Responses to the Pandemic

Between January and March of 2020, Cal State LA students dealt with the rapid influx of changing news and announcements regarding the evolving COVID-19 pandemic, ultimately resulting in campus shut-downs and the inevitable move to remote learning.

**Coronavirus Information, Cal State LA Health Watch, January 28, 2020**

Cal State LA Students and faculty received the first university-wide email regarding the COVID-19 outbreak in late January, 2020.

**Message from the President Regarding Suspension of Face-to-Face Instruction, Cal State LA Health Watch, March 11, 2020**

Less than 3 months after the first formal communication of the pandemic, all in-person classes were suspended as Cal State LA began the sudden transition to remote learning.

Across a deserted Cal State LA campus, signs reminded visitors of the importance of mask-wearing and social distancing protocols.

In a collaborative effort between the University, LA County, and the LA County Department of Public Health, Cal State LA was designated as a free COVID-19 testing site in May 2020, just two months after campus closure.

Student Life Upended

Carmen Hernandez, Pandemic Diaries Project, 2020

On top of having to adjust to distance learning and
job loss, students contended with supply scarcity
as staple food and household items disappeared
from shelves amidst periods of panic buying.

On top of having to adjust to distance learning and job loss, students contended with supply scarcity as staple food and household items disappeared from shelves amidst periods of panic buying.

At the onset of the pandemic, many students were met with the sight of empty shelves as they struggled to acquire sufficient supplies for long periods of lockdown and quarantine. Though shortages were for the most part short-lived, several staple supplies such as toilet paper, canned foods, and cleaning supplies continued to be scarce for several months.

Calvin Chhun, Pandemic Diaries Project, 2020

Food scarcity was an added layer of stress for
students facing the uncertainty of the pandemic.