The president of APSCUF, the faculty union at the State System of Higher Education, told the Board of Governors on Thursday that union members are convinced that when students return for face-to-face instruction at the fourteen state-owned universities, there will be Covid-19 outbreaks.
“I want the position and concerns of APSCUF to be very well-documented,” warned Dr. Jamie Martin. “My members are convinced, as am I, that there will be cases of COVID-19 on some of our campuses; that students, staff and faculty will become ill; and there will be spread to the communities in which our universities are located.there will be cases of Covid-19 on some campuses.” “
Dr. Martin said Cheyney University has already started classes and faculty members have raised concerns about physical distancing in classrooms, characterizing the university’s response that six feet of distancing is not a requirement but only should occur when feasible as “a lack of concern- and perhaps even disdain – for faculty and students.” She said she fears Cheyney will be “the canaries in the coal mine” as the fall semester begins at the State System.
Many APSCUF members have voiced strong opposition to students returning to in-person classes. “Many believe, and science seems to confirm,” said Martin, “that having students return to campuses for in-person classes — or even hyflex classes — is unsafe, and the proliferation of COVID-19 cases at other universities is alarming.”
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