Hunter
08/12/21
New University of Iowa president Barbara Wilson is holding fast on the school’s COVID-19 policies, despite a surge in cases across the state and concern among the faculty and staff.
The Press-Citizen reports that they received a statement from Wilson’s office stating that no changes will be made to the policy at this time. She said, “I hear and understand the concerns of some of our campus community and I have been in constant communication with the presidents at Iowa State University and the University of Northern Iowa, and Board of Regents leadership.”
Wilson has already said she strongly encourages the campus community to mask up and get the readily-available free vaccine. In addition, she said the university will continue to monitor state, county and campus metrics.
A petition asking the UI to require masks included the fact that the university said it would follow the guidance of the CDC and the Big Ten throughout the pandemic, but it seems that policy has changed. Despite the CDC guidance that persons should be masked in indoor places regardless of vaccination status, the UI is not requiring masks for the fall semester. And the University is the only Big Ten school without a mask mandate.
The letter to administration wraps up by asking the UI to explain the basis for their public health decision making. It says, “Please be transparent and tell us. That way, history can judge who should be held responsible for the success or the failure of the UI’s latest COVID response.”