Truman State University AAUP Chapter Executive Committee
COVID Policy Recommendations for Fall 2021
August 2, 2021
On July 13, 2021, the AAUP Executive Committee met w President Thomas to discuss matters of faculty concern for AY 21/22, among these the university’s recent decision to increase classroom capacity, eliminate the campus mask mandate, and encourage F2F teaching. Citing the then-early spiking of the Delta-variant throughout the state, AAUP expressed deep misgivings and urged 4 specific policy changes, of these the first was asking the president to commit to revisit the mask decision, “as the context changes in the weeks before semester begins.”
Referring to any increase in local case numbers, reduction in availability of hospital beds, and explicitly citing compliance with CDC guidelines, Dr. Thomas agreed that the university would revisit the mask policy if and when conditions changed.
That time has come: in the intervening 2+ weeks, the COVID case numbers in the county have soared (including deaths), NE Regional Medical Centre is now turning non-COVID patients away, and the CDC recently changed guidelines, recommending indoor masking for vaccinated and unvaccinated alike (also see the Adair County Health Department webpage).
In light of this reality, TSU AAUP Executive Committee recommends the following:
- that TSU join the nearly 600 United States universities and colleges requiring vaccination for return to campus;
- that a full mask mandate be reinstated across campus in all settings, regardless of vaccination status, as a function of the rate of infections in the county and the campus, to be reviewed on a rolling basis;
- finally, that the President hold a Faculty Forum before resumption of classes to discuss policy options and legal concerns, to address faculty concerns, and to clarify the science.