Whether you’re taking classes on campus or online, COVID-19 has complicated the back-to-school experience.
To continue your smooth transition into the semester, The Oak Leaf staff prepared this guide with tips for the Santa Rosa campus and online-only classes. Petaluma, Shone Farm and Southwest campus guides are forthcoming.
Getting started
Q: How can I get my academics on track this semester?
- Make an appointment with the Welcome & Connect Center in person or online to access peer coaching and application assistance services.
- Find a counselor to help you decide on a career, choose a major or make a plan to transfer to a four-year college.
- Meet with a Student Success Coach (all students) or Peer Coach (second-year students and up) to discover campus resources that can help you reach your goals.
- Make sure your technology is up to the task of online learning. You can borrow a laptop, hotspot, calculator or Zoom pop-up backdrop from the library. Supplies are limited, so submit your request to SRJC Library Curbside Services as soon as possible.
COVID-19 protocols
SRJC’s Fall 2021 COVID-19 guidelines are available in English and Spanish and may be updated at any time. More information on SRJC’s coronavirus response, including in-depth plans and FAQs, can be found on the coronavirus information website.
Q: Do I need to be vaccinated?
You are not required to get vaccinated, but it is highly recommended. You can get a free vaccine on campus.
Q: Do I need to wear a mask?
All students must wear masks indoors regardless of whether you’ve been vaccinated.
You do not need to wear a mask outdoors if you are vaccinated. If you are unvaccinated, the SRJC Plan for a Safe Return to Campus recommends you wear a mask if you cannot maintain six feet of social distance outside.
Q: Why do I need to check-in to buildings on campus?
Checking in allows SRJC to contact you and anyone else who may have been exposed to COVID-19 if someone in the building you entered tests positive.
Everyone must complete a COVID-19 self-check before arriving on campus and check-in when entering a building. You can check-in at a table with a campus safety monitor or by scanning a QR code with the MySRJC App.
Food and drink
Q: Where can I get food on campus?
The bookstore offers grab-and-go snacks like packaged cookies, chips and drinks.
You can buy food and beverages at the Emeritus Fresh and Natural kiosk from 7:30 a.m.–1:30 p.m. Monday–Thursday. Options include coffee, sandwiches, salads, pastries, snacks and cold beverages.
Free food distributions happen every fourth Monday from 9–11 a.m. at the Emeritus Parking Lot. The next food distribution is Sept. 27. Students can also get a $50 grocery gift card at the event. Be sure to have your student identification number when you go.
Visit the Student Resource Center for more details, food distribution dates and a list of local organizations providing hot meals.
You can also check out the CalFresh program to see if you qualify for additional free grocery money.
Getting around
Q: How do I get around campus?
Use this Santa Rosa campus map to navigate around the construction sites.
If you need to access WiFi, charge your electronics or gather with other students, there is an outdoor study space available from 10 a.m.–4 p.m. Monday-Thursday in front of the Bertolini Student Services Center (building 46-48 on the map).
Student Health Services
Q: What kind of health services can I get on the Santa Rosa campus?
Students can get free physical and mental health services in-person or over Zoom.
If you are not feeling well or have a minor injury, go to Student Health Services on the first floor of the Race Health Sciences Building.
Other clinical services include COVID-19 vaccinations, birth control, pregnancy testing, health screenings and wellness workshops. You can also get free over-the-counter products like bandages, condoms and pain relievers.
Drop-in mental health sessions are available if you need help right away, or if you think you might need mental health services and do not know where to start. Services available by appointment include individual, couples and group therapy.
Disability resources
Q: What differences might a student with disabilities encounter when returning to campus?
There are many detours around the Santa Rosa campus and new buildings on the Petaluma campus due to ongoing construction projects.
Q: How can students with disabilities navigate campus and classes?
If you are blind, visually impaired or have physical disabilities, Access Assistants from the Disability Resource Department (DRD) can help guide you around campus.
DRD also provides American Sign Language interpreters and live captioning if you are deaf or hard of hearing.
Visit the Access Technology Center for training on assistive technology and to borrow equipment for magnification, assistive listening, digital recording and more. Software for text-to-speech, speech-to-text and screen reading is also available.
Out-of-class activities
Q: Are there any sports going on?
Sports are back in-person at SRJC and fans are welcome to attend. Football, men’s soccer and women’s volleyball have games Friday and Saturday. Cross-country, women’s soccer and wrestling have events next week. Check the SRJC Athletics website for the complete Fall 2021 schedule.
The Athletics Department has posted rules and safety tips for attending indoor and outdoor games that include limited capacity, masking and COVID-19 testing requirements.
Q: What does the student government do?
The Student Government Assembly is a group of elected students who voice student concerns to campus leadership. SGA addresses issues including remote learning, mental health, campus activities or anything that the students bring to the group’s attention.
There are open positions this semester if you want to be part of SGA.
SGA meetings are held every Monday from 3–5 p.m. via Zoom and are open to everyone.
Other student services
Q: How do I get information about transferring, applying for financial aid, ordering transcripts and more?
The Student Services website has an easy-to-read chart showing how to access these kinds of services online or in-person, if available.
Q: How do I get a student email address?
You can get an SRJC email address like “[email protected]” by following the instructions posted on the Bearcubs Accounts website.
The email account is run through Google and remains active indefinitely, so you will get access to Google applications like Drive, Docs and Calendar.
You can also use your student email address to get discounted services from companies like Adobe, Microsoft and Spotify.
Q: How do I know what’s going on on campus?
The Bearfacts newsletter is sent to your student email on file weekly, updated with important dates like when to register for classes as well as upcoming events, guest speakers, workshops, campus resources and club meetings.
