Professors, staff plan to protest OU’s in-person class plan
NORMAN, Okla. (KFOR) – Students at the University of Oklahoma will be moving back to campus in a matter of days, but the prospect of thousands of students on campus during the pandemic is worrying some professors.
When the coronavirus pandemic spread to Oklahoma in March, the University of Oklahoma decided to close its campus and moved to online classes for the remainder of the semester.
When the semester ended, many people were wondering what the future would look like when it came to the fall.
In April, OU Interim President Joseph Harroz, Jr. announced that in-person instruction would return in the fall.
“After careful deliberation, our intention is to return to in-person educational operations on all three campuses by this fall, offering traditional instruction and residential life. We are doing everything we can to make that realistic and safe. We are acutely aware of the certain challenges COVID-19 will present as we pursue this goal and are planning to address the issues proactively and creatively,” Harroz said in the letter. “We are prepared to adapt instructional and housing models as appropriate to protect our community and still offer the life-changing in-person OU experience. Flexibility will be a guiding principle as we navigate the coming months, and we will ensure that our students, faculty, and staff are presented with appropriate options to return to our campuses, keeping their safety top of mind.”
Two months later, OU officials announced that the university would be adopting a mask policy, requiring all students, faculty, staff, and visitors to wear facial coverings on campus.
“In classrooms and common spaces of the university, we will fully expect students to wear masks anytime they are in those facilities,” OU’s Chief COVID Officer Dr. Dale Bratzler said.
As students prepare to head back to class on Aug. 24, the university has made a few modifications in order to slow the spread of COVID-19.
Before returning to campus, all employees and students will be required to complete a screening form. Also, officials with OU announced that students who will be moving into OU housing on the Norman campus will be required to be tested for COVID-19 prior to arriving on campus.
Courses with more than 40 students will be held online and courses with a smaller class size will be able to use the larger classrooms to stay under capacity.
To learn more about the changes, visit OU’s Safe and Resilient website.
Although some changes have been made, many students and faculty members are still concerned about the dangers of COVID-19.
Recently, a petition was created to urge university officials to adjust the “Safe and Resilient” plan due to the recent surge in COVID-19 cases in Oklahoma.
Now, it seems OU professors and staff members will be protesting the current reopening plan.
On Aug. 10, educators plan to protest on the Evans Hall Lawn beginning at 12 p.m. with a drive-thru option through the North Oval.
Organizers say they are demanding:
- 100% virtual classrooms for the fall
- No more layoffs
- Time and a half for essential staff
- No medical disclosure
- Chop from the top.
Organizers say masks are required for those attending the ‘Save Our Staff’ protest.
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