This week from the senate chambers: talks over the continuation of mask mandates.
The meeting began with an appearance from Faculty Senate President Audrey Cardany and University of Rhode Island Health Services and Interim Vice President of Student Affairs Ellen Reynolds.
Cardany and Reynolds, who are both part of the COVID-19 pandemic leadership group, came to hear the Senate’s perspective on if the University should keep its mask mandates. The responses varied.
“I guess my biggest concern would be for individuals who have family members who are at risk,” Senator Lauren Peckham said. “Even though they are vaccinated, if they still get COVID, they are putting their family members at risk.”
Other questions came from senators like William Rider, who said that the students were not qualified to make medical decisions. Cardany responded that they are just looking for opinions from the students and that final decisions will belong to the COVID-19 leadership group.
Some students were in favor of removing the mask mandate.
“Seeing nationally that 65 percent of Americans are vaccinated but we have 95 percent of students on this campus vaccinated, I think the school should strongly consider removing the mask mandate [or] making it encouraged,” Senator Mitchell Asante said.
Other things brought up were if the school would still cover the cost for students staying at the COVID-19 isolation hotel if they were to test positive. Cardany responded that the school’s contract expires on March 31, and that they hope to not have to renew it and that situations will be made with the incoming data.
Speaker Chris Bove asked what course of action will be taken towards unvaccinated students, to which Reynolds replied that they will continue monitoring and testing the students.
In addition, the Senate also discussed two bills. The first bill, to have the senate recognize the URI National Association for Music Education, was passed unanimously. The second bill, about the Senate’s official recommendation on masks, had differing opinions.
Senator Jose Montoya was against the resolution recommending ending the mask mandate.
“There’s no tier system of removing mask mandates, there’s no separation of residential and academic spaces, there’s no consideration for professors, their families, students that have immunocompromised families,” Montoya said.
On the other side, External Affairs Chair Grace Kierman said that COVID-19 has affected her as well but she is still in favor of lifting the mask mandate, mentioning that she lives off campus and that many people who live off campus do not wear masks anywhere but campus.
After a motion to end questioning failed, an amendment was proposed by Bove and Senator Annabelle Gibson, that the University consider setting where it may not be safe to not have a mask mandate, a motion that passed.
After debating for a while, Chair Katie Siegle motioned to move it to next week. Some opposition came from people such as Senator Olivia Johnson, who said that if they do not give a recommendation, the Faculty Senate may ignore them again.
The motion passed and the bill was moved to their next meeting, which will be on March 2.