Classes Resume Monday, but Instructors say Eastern Michigan University Not Fully Prepared to Prevent Spread of COVID-19
News from
EMU’s Instructional Unions
Media advisory -- For immediate release, August 26, 2021
Contact: Roger Kerson, roger@rkcommunications.net, 734.645.0535
Classes Resume Monday, but Instructors say Eastern Michigan University Not Fully Prepared to Prevent Spread of COVID-19 Safety concerns including patchwork vaccine requirements, lack of enforcement, inadequate testing
Ypsilanti – The EMU Federation of Teachers (EMUFT) and EMU-American Association of University Professors (EMU-AAUP) , the unions representing instructional staff at Eastern Michigan University, say the school is not fully prepared to prevent the spread of COVID-19, with classes set to resume on campus this coming Monday, August 30th. Patchwork vaccine requirements, lax enforcement and EMU’s slow progress to improve health and safety provisions put students, faculty and staff at risk.
Unlike several other Michigan colleges and universities -- including the University of Michigan, Michigan State, Oakland, Wayne State, Grand Valley State University and others -- EMU is not requiring a COVID-19 vaccination for all students, faculty and staff.
Only students living in EMU dormitories are required to be vaccinated. But documentary proof of vaccination is not required; dormitory residents will self-report their status.
Despite a reduction in social distancing from six to three feet, EMU will not necessarily notify instructors or students of classroom exposures to COVID-19.
Tenured faculty were asked to make decisions on classroom vs. online instruction months ago -- before the spread of the highly contagious Delta variant. Many lecturers who preferred online instruction for the coming semester were denied that opportunity and lost work and wages as a result.
EMUFT and EMU-AAUP have polled their members, and a majority in both unions support a campus-wide vaccine mandate.
“We want everyone at EMU -- students, faculty and staff -- to be as safe as possible when we start the fall semester,” said EMU-AAUP President Mohamed El-Sayed. “We are particularly concerned for members who are immunocompromised or have children who can’t yet be vaccinated. Many of our members agreed to teach in-person courses in very different circumstances.”
“We all want to be back on campus,” said Daric Thorne, EMUFT’s president. “But we want to make sure that our students, faculty and staff are as safe as possible in the classroom. The best policy to keep EMU open is vaccination, frequent testing, and masking. EMU is moving in that direction, but we have to move faster. Classes start Monday. This is no time for delay.”
The instructional unions are calling for a requirement that the campus community get vaccinated or test every 72 hours. EMU is now reporting a dozen confirmed cases among students between August 18 and 24. More frequent testing is essential when the new semester starts with many more people on campus, creating a far greater risk of exposure to the virus.
Union leaders also emphasize that enforcement is vital. Every possible step should be taken to confirm vaccinations and testing should be connected to EMU’s COVID-19 passport system. Unions are urging EMU to allow more flexibility for faculty in choosing to deliver online or in-person instruction, particularly for those in vulnerable groups and people with children who can’t yet be vaccinated.
“Eastern waited until nearly the last possible moment to begin to strengthen health and safety protocols,” Mark Higbee, EMU-AAUP’s vice president said, “They are trying to put the tires on the metaphoric bus as they drive it down the street and tell us to all get on board. You can understand our concern and our desire to protect the entire campus community. Right now, EMU administration is asking us to stand in front of a classroom without knowing whether or not students are vaccinated, or whether they have tested positive for COVID-19.”
Although classes are set to resume next week, many EMU instructors only just today received classroom or building assignments, making it difficult to review or confirm safety conditions.
According to Sarah Lynn-Callo, director of Michigan’s Bureau of Epidemiology, without more safety precautions the state could soon see a sharp increase n COVID-19 cases, hospitalizations, and deaths. Cases have been on the rise in Washtenaw and surrounding counties. Michigan Safe Start reports that there is a 4.8% positive rate in Washtenaw County over the last seven days and all of the surrounding counties have higher rates.
“There’s a clear way forward,” said Jeremy Proulx, EMUFT’s chief grievance officer, “Get people vaccinated, confirm vaccination status, and test frequently. Introduce options for flexibility in delivering instruction as cases continue to rise.”
Recent polls by both unions show overwhelming support for better policies, including a vaccine mandate and flexibility for faculty to alter the mode of instruction.
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The EMUFT represents nontenure-track faculty at EMU. EMU-AAUP represents tenured and tenure-track faculty.