Hunter
08/11/20
University of Iowa officials held a news conference Monday to discuss its plans to return to campus in less than two weeks, while a small group of protesters say in-person classes are dangerous.
The Iowa City Press-Citizen reports that administrators went through a laundry list of mitigation efforts to keep the campus safe for students, faculty and staff.
Kevin Kregel, interim provost and vice president of Student Life said that those efforts have created room for choice.
More than half of the courses for the fall semester have moved online or have a hybrid of in-person and online instruction.
UI Vice President of Student Life Sarah Hansen says students coming to campus will be required to complete online training modules on how to prevent spread of the coronavirus. The university has also developed plans for each on-campus building regarding issues like circulation, ventilation, and cleaning regimens as move-in looms closer.
There has been pushback over the return to in-person learning.
A group of 300 instructors signed a pledge insisting on online-only instruction and a public petition calling for just online instruction has amassed nearly 700 signatures. Student government from the undergraduate, graduate and professional student groups sent a letter to administrators last week calling for the action as well.
The Press-Citizen reports that UI President Bruce Harreld insisted that shared governance was involved in the decision to return to campus, he dismissed calls to move instruction online. In an email exchange with a student, Harreld said “a vocal few shouldn’t remove the right of choice for all the rest of our community.” He added “Please do what is best for you and please resist imposing your choice on others.”
Harreld will be teaching an in-person class this semester.
Instructors and professors who are uncomfortable with teaching in person can apply for a temporary work arrangement, but haven’t formalized a criteria that needs to be met to qualify for online-exclusive teaching.
At the same time the administrators were holding their press conference, the UI Campaign To Organize Graduate Students held a protest outside the Iowa Memorial Union. They say in person classes are not only unsafe, but doesn’t make sense financially. Additionally, they believe bringing thousands of bodies to Iowa City puts the whole community in jeopardy for higher risk of getting COVID-19.