COVID
Observations and questions about the university’s pandemic protocols
Is the university following CDC Guidelines for Institutions of Higher Education (IHEs)?
In July 2021, the Centers for Disease Control updated the guidelines for IHEs. By this time, the CDC had already distinguished IHEs where “everyone is fully vaccinated” from those where this wasn’t the case. The guidelines and protocols for universities like Clemson, where vaccination rates are modest, are familiar to everyone who has lived through the pandemic: The CDC indicated that familiar tools such as distancing, masking, testing, and contact tracing should be used, and further that large indoor gatherings should be avoided in such circumstances. Ignoring these guidelines, Clemson University was prepared to start classes, including large lecture classes in auditoriums, without using all of the familiar tools, even masking. Classroom Guidelines dated August 9, 2021 indicated that “While many class and lab sessions will be at or near the full capacity of the classrooms in which they are scheduled, instructors may encourage students to spread out as much as possible”—simultaneously acknowledging the need for distancing but making it impossible to achieve. While also acknowledging to faculty that their epidemiological models predicted a sharp surge of infection among students due to the virulence of the Delta virus, university leaders apparently did not communicate this to students or parents. Although some individuals resist the continued use of safety measures, we expect university leaders to be moral and intellectual; to follow the latest scientific knowledge; to use all available tools; to be transparent; and to not gamble with the wellbeing and even lives of students or employees.
Is the Faculty Senate advocating for faculty safety?
On August 10, 2021, the Faculty Senate passed a previously drafted resolution advocating for mask use. Following the SC Supreme Court ruling on the so-called mask “ban,” mask use was appropriately adopted. Nevertheless, a survey of faculty would likely show that the Senate’s mask resolution was inadequate. At the various meetings and information sessions prior to and following the start of classes on August 18, it was clear that faculty had many other questions and concerns about the policies and protocols. It is the role of the Faculty Senate leadership to take up these questions and to seek answers. These include, for example, why the university is not following CDC guidelines for IHEs where the community is not fully vaccinated, or even near that level.
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