Tomorrow’s FSU Forum – Guest…Format Change

8/24/2021

Dear FSU Members,

A slight/recent change in format.   Rob Pomales, the Executive Director of University Health Services, will be joining the first half of our meeting tomorrow, from 9:00 to 9:45.  He will address concerns around campus density, tracing, and vaccines.  The second half from 9:45 to 10:30 will be an open meeting for FSU members to discuss safety issues and paths forward for faculty and librarians.

 (contact FSU or Steve Striffler for Zoom information).

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Dear FSU Members,

You have probably seen the Chancellor’s memo containing the university’s “Fall 2021 COVID-19 Policies & Guidelines.”  We have already received emails from members noting that although the policies/guidelines address some issues, the memo falls short in a number of areas – including some of the concerns outlined in this FSU statement that over 90% of faculty supported (out of over 400 polled).

Please join the FSU this Wednesday at 9am to discuss our concerns, but also ways that we – as faculty and librarians -- can pressure the university to make the campus safer.   

The Chancellor’s memo announces the vaccine mandate for faculty and staff, which was negotiated by the various campus unions (the FSU agreement is attached).  If you have not already, please upload proof of vaccination here. 

The memo also reinforced the university’s commitment to the vaccine mandate for students, though it remains unclear what percentage of students have complied, or what will happen if they do not (unenrolled from their classes?).

The university is also requiring that everyone be masked indoors, and that faculty may ask students to leave the classroom if they do not comply (see Chancellor memo for additional details). Covid testing will also be available.  There does not appear to be a university commitment to providing free masks at shuttle stops or around campus (something the campus unions have pushed).

The university is also not moving at all away from its commitment to a full campus.  Nor is it implementing social distancing.  Dorms are full.  Shuttles will be full (with masking enforced). Food court returns largely to normal.  Classes are full.  No efforts to social distance in heavily trafficked area, etc.

It is also unclear whether there is any policy in place for notifying faculty when someone in their class tests positive for Covid (or what should be done about it).   And other issues….

Please join the FSU on Wednesday to discuss both the policies and what we can do as faculty and librarians.

Sincerely,

Steve Striffler

President, FSU

For information on the FSU, links to our contract and bargaining updates, and a calendar of events, see the FSU webpage