San Jose State University’s president is resigning in the wake of a massive sexual abuse scandal that has consumed the school for months. Mary A. Papazian announced Thursday that she will resign as president on Dec. 21. California State University Chancellor Joseph Castro will meet with campus stakeholders before naming an interim president. “The best...
San Jose school community wants students vaccinated for COVID
Students wearing masks poured out of James Lick High School in San Jose as classes ended for the day. Some stopped to chat with friends and others gathered around a student playing guitar. The mood was light-hearted and social. But not all of the students were vaccinated against COVID-19. That may change with Gov. Gavin...
San Jose school district using counselors as substitute teachers
Facing a substitute teacher shortage, the San Jose Unified School District is calling on its counselors to step in. The unusual move has raised concern for advocates, who worry students will lose out on much-needed mental health services and face anxiety after returning to classes following months of distance learning due to COVID-19. Starting this...
San Jose school district in talks to sell shuttered site for housing
A shuttered elementary school in San Jose may become an affordable housing site, much to the chagrin of nearby residents. The Oak Grove School District is in early negotiations to sell or lease the Glider Elementary School site to The True Life Communities, a real estate firm headquartered in Denver, Colorado. “True Life Communities has...
With federal settlement, San Jose State promises to better protect students
San Jose State University is promising major changes to how it handles claims of sexual misconduct and discrimination following a federal settlement of a decades-long sex abuse scandal in its athletics department. The university will pay $1.6 million to female student-athletes sexually harassed by an athletic trainer named Scott Shaw, the U.S. Department of Justice announced...
UPDATE: San Jose commission defers decision on student housing high-rise
San Jose State students will have to wait even longer for a place to live near campus, following delayed approval of a high-rise apartment tower. A decision on a downtown student housing project has been deferred another month following an appeal from a neighboring property owner. The San Jose Planning Commission debated Wednesday over how...
San Jose State offers beds on campus for homeless students
After several years of grappling with student homelessness, San Jose State is finally offering beds on campus for students living outdoors or in their cars. The 12-bed pilot program launched last month, provides on-campus beds for SJSU students seeking emergency housing. The beds are located in University Housing. Students facing housing insecurity can apply for...
San Jose schools report COVID cases as students return
Weeks after students returned to campus, San Jose’s three largest districts have reported nearly 120 COVID-19 cases. Officials say the low count is a sign that masks are working to fend off the virus. At the San Jose Unified School District, the largest district in the region with more than 30,000 students and 4,000 employees,...
Santa Clara County schools prepare for COVID-19 outbreaks
As schools in San Jose complete the second week of in-person classes, administrators are preparing for COVID-19 infections and outbreaks. “We anticipate there will be COVID-19 cases in schools,” Santa Clara County officials said in a statement to San José Spotlight. “However, we have to balance the risks of COVID-19 in schools with the considerable harm...
San Jose students rely on campus pantry as food insecurity grows
As students return to San Jose State University, many are relying on the campus food pantry for groceries. Vinay Guda, a computer software engineering masters student, said he and his roommates shop at the food pantry every week to get essential groceries such as eggs, milk and vegetables. “We use it all the time,” Guda...