Sacramento State could hold classes with at least 50% capacity in the fall 2021 semester  Provost Steve Perez said in the faculty senate meeting Thursday. 

“The information we’re seeing seems to be leading towards, we’re going to be able to accommodate higher capacities come August,” Perez said.

The Provost cited the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Disease director Anthony Fauci behind the reason Sac State could have a higher capacity in its classes come August.

Fauci said that the Center for Disease Control will likely change school distancing guidance from six feet to three feet during his appearance on NBC’s “Today” show on Thursday. Perez also cited the increased amount of vaccines for the possible accommodation of higher capacities.

“I think that means we will have a higher capacity in our classrooms. I would imagine at least 50%, but I don’t know exactly,” Perez said. 

The uncertainty over the capacity led to some concern in the faculty senate whether the schedules will be published by the time students are eligible to register for classes next semester.

“We expect the governor to come out with recommendations in the next two weeks on this level. We just want to be ready and able to move forward,” Sac State President Robert Nelsen said in response to the concern. 

The ultimate goal is to have schedules posted by April so that students can see them when it is time for them to register, according to Nelsen. 

“This is not about increasing class size, it’s about how many students can be in a classroom,” Nelsen said.

The faculty senate also began readings on proposals that would implement Assembly Bill 1460, which mandates an ethnic studies requirement for incoming California State University students starting in the fall 2021 semester. 

The first proposal recommends establishing a required three units in a new General Education (GE) Area F for ethnic studies. The second proposal recommends reducing required units in GE Area D for social sciences from 12 units to nine units.

The GE change proposals will have a second reading and could be voted on as early as the next faculty senate meeting Thursday, April 1.