FAYETTEVILLE -- No specific covid-19 criteria have been set that would trigger a campus pivot to remote learning this fall at the University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, said Bill Kincaid, UA's acting chancellor.
"We're going to look at and take into account all the facts and circumstances and make judgments. And really, we all just have to be super flexible, super adaptable, and stay steady," Kincaid said Thursday. The university will "coordinate closely" with the UA System and University of Arkansas board of trustees, he added.
Kincaid spoke during a panel discussion to share information about the coming fall semester with faculty members.
UA and other universities in the state continue to plan for a return to full or mostly full classrooms and bustling campuses, even as covid-19 hospitalizations statewide have climbed to levels not seen since January.
Kincaid said UA is "trying so hard to have an in-person experience for students." For some, in-person support and encouragement may be necessary to succeed, he said.
No public university in Arkansas under state law can require covid-19 vaccinations, but UA officials Thursday described plans to ramp up encouragement for students to get vaccinated and also offer incentives.
Officials also said that students this fall will be responsible for notifying instructors if they test positive for covid-19.
About 25 faculty members attended the forum in person. Charles Robinson, UA's provost and executive vice chancellor for academic and student affairs, said more than 250 people participated virtually.
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Lance Miller, an associate professor of mathematics, in a question to the panel said he's concerned about risks related to in-person teaching.
"We can't guarantee that we will not be locked in a room six times a week with unvaccinated students. I don't know about anyone else, I don't feel comfortable going home and hugging my children," Miller said. Children under 12 are not eligible for the covid-19 vaccine.
Miller told the panel that it's unclear what authority an instructor has "to, say, give classes remotely until such time as the case numbers drop," and he asked for "some guidance or leadership to the faculty about this kind of particular anxiety."
In response, Robinson cited the availability of the covid-19 vaccine as "a really positive step" toward reducing risk. He also referred to faculty members perhaps keeping a front row of seating empty to create some distancing in the classroom.
"There's nothing that's 100% in anything that we do. And so we try to mitigate as much as possible. It is not ideal, and I'm not trying to make it ideal. But it is a situation that I think we have significant tools to mitigate, and hopefully, really make it very much less likely that you're transmitting this to children," Robinson said.
Earlier in the forum, Terry Martin, UA's senior provost for academic affairs, described steps for managing classrooms.
"You can certainly ask students in your classrooms to mask. They're not required by law to do so," Martin said.
A state law passed this year prohibits public entities, including public universities and K-12 schools, from requiring face coverings.
Gov. Asa Hutchinson said Thursday that consideration of possible changes to the law "is a K-12 issue" when asked at a news conference about public colleges and universities. A UA spokesman said in a statement Thursday evening that the campus "urge[s]" Hutchinson and lawmakers to also consider colleges and universities.
Miller, in an interview after the panel discussion, said administrators are "doing the best they can in a very bad situation." But with his question, he said he was trying to advocate for other faculty members, including nontenured instructional faculty, with similar concerns. He said he's worried that there could be "a massive number of covid cases on campus."
STUDENT RESPONSIBILITY
Dr. Huda Sharaf, medical director for UA's campus health center, and Melissa Harwood-Rom, UA's dean of students, spoke about how new at-home covid-19 tests are a change from the previous academic year.
"At any given time, we may or may not have an accurate list, or an up-to-date list, of students who are positive. And one of the reasons that that has changed, even since last year, is the existence of the home covid test," Harwood-Rom said.
She said there would be disciplinary "consequences" for any students failing to report positive covid-19 test results. Students will be responsible for notifying their instructors of positive test results, she said.
Sharaf said anyone testing positive must isolate for 10 days from the date their test was done or from when symptoms first began.
Unlike last fall, UA is providing far fewer isolation spaces on campus -- approximately 25-35, to start the semester, a spokesman said last week -- so on-campus residents who test positive for covid-19 or need to quarantine should plan to travel home or stay off-campus, according to UA's website.
Martin said faculty members can be lenient with attendance policies, as "there's going to be some students that are sick" or need to isolate or quarantine.
Robinson said no update was available on the percentage of vaccinated UA students.
Michael Pierce, an associate professor of history, attended the forum and in an interview said he's comfortable being in a classroom. He said he has concerns about next month's sorority rush, however.
Pierce, the parent of a UA student, referred to a research article published by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention linking UA fraternity and sorority activities to a surge of covid-19 cases.
"The university trusted the Greek system last year, the Greek system failed the university, and their response this year is, 'we're going to just trust the Greek system again,'" Pierce said.
John Thomas, a UA spokesman, in an email said the first round of sorority recruitment will be done virtually and others in person.
"Chapters are encouraged to host most of their recruitment rounds outdoors. Tents will be provided for men's recruitment to help with social distancing and/or any weather-related concerns," Thomas said.
Outdoors activities with physical distancing are considered to have a lower risk than indoor activities when it comes to the spread of covid-19, according to the CDC.
"Encouragement for vaccination and recruitment reminders have been emailed to all potential new [sorority] members," Thomas said.
PUSH TO VACCINATE
Mary Savin, chairperson of UA's faculty senate, in an email said she appreciated administrators holding the event.
"The concerns that faculty have of others on campus becoming sick are real," Savin said, calling it "crucially important for people in Arkansas to vaccinate and for people on campus to wear masks, which they will have to do voluntarily."
Mark Rushing, UA's associate vice chancellor for university relations, during the panel discussion said vaccination clinics are being scheduled for August, with the vaccine also available at UA's Pat Walker Health Center. Rushing said students are being encouraged to get vaccinated before the fall.
"We passed out cards to students at orientation this summer sharing vaccine availability information, encouraging them to stop by Pat Walker while on campus," Rushing said.
A coming social media campaign to encourage vaccination will feature Razorbacks head football coach Sam Pittman and head men's basketball coach Eric Musselman, Rushing said
Rushing said there will also be incentives offered.
"I don't have details exactly what that looks like," Rushing said. "But a lot of great options are being considered."
Pierce said that as the parent of a UA student, he's experienced a lack of communication from the university about covid-19.
"Every two weeks, I get an email from [UA's] family programs. They haven't mentioned covid since May 23," Pierce said.
He said social media efforts featuring Pittman and Musselman should have been launched earlier.
"For the vaccines to take effect, they need to be in people's arms now, not in August. And so, you know, my fear is that the university is going to be facing a major crisis," Pierce said.