The California State University system will conduct a majority of its classes online this fall because of the coronavirus pandemic, its chancellor said on Tuesday.

With experts forecasting more waves of Covid-19 infections in the summer and fall, the chancellor, Timothy P. White, told California State trustees that it would be irresponsible to bring the system’s nearly 500,000 students back to its 23 campuses in the fall.

Even if fall classes started in person, White said, they would very likely have to be scaled back in the event of a second wave. He said planning for online instruction now “preserves as many options for as many students as possible.”

White said that on-campus housing would be reduced, and that a few campus activities would still take place. Some hands-on learning experiences, such as a capstone engineering project or using specialized equipment, will still be available, with intensive precautions.