The State System of Higher Education universities are each grappling with the issues that will or will not allow them to reopen for in-person classes for the fall semester, and one of the biggest obstacles now emerging is the reluctance of faculty members to place themselves in harm’s way.
APSCUF, the faculty union at the State System, says more than seventy percent of its members responding to a survey “do not feel safe teaching or interacting with students face-to-face in the fall.”
APSCUF surveyed about 4,800 faculty members and nearly 3,200 responded, a 66 percent response rate. It found that about 40 percent have a medical condition that puts them at risk, and among them, more than half also live with or fare for someone at risk. More than 60 percent are very concerned about contracting Covid-19 or potentially exposing their family to it, and only 12 percent actually want to return to in-person teaching.
More than 90 percent of the respondents believe students will not appropriately distance themselves in their residence halls or other social settings, and the same percentage say they are experiencing much or more stress and anxiety about returning to campus, compared to last year.
Dr. Jamie Martin raised the union’s concerns last week before the State System Board of Governors.
Martin offers a telling question about union members’ concerns.
The survey was taken July 8th through the 11th, and APSCUF is still processing the results. An expanded report will be issued in the coming weeks.
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