University of Missouri faculty concerned about COVID-19 omicron spread as students return

University of Missouri faculty members were concerned Tuesday as students returned for the spring semester with the omicron variant raging and masks optional on campus.

The University of Missouri System Board of Curators last week rejected two recommendations by President Mun Choi to approve a temporary mask requirement at the start of the semester.

"I think everyone is concerned," said MU Faculty Council chairwoman Kathleen Trauth.

Some classrooms are in very tight spaces with no opportunity for social distancing, she said.

"Omicron seems to be so transmittable," Trauth said. "It's a challenge."

The Faculty Council's executive committee last week outlined faculty concerns in an email to Choi. The message included information about multiple record-breaking days where the number of new COVID-19 cases in Boone County was the highest since the start of the pandemic. It also noted mask or vaccine requirements at peer institutions.

"Faculty are reporting concerns to us about keeping themselves and their students safe," with immunocompromised students and faculty especially at risk, the email stated.

Education may be affected, the email stated.

"Frequent illness absences among students and teachers also heavily disrupt students' learning experiences," the email stated. "Lastly, faculty report that lack of action from the curators to maintain or restore basic COVID prevention seriously harms faculty morale."

The executive committee asked Choi "at a minimum" to ask the curators to vote again on the mask mandate; ask them to vote on a vaccine mandate with medical, religious and moral exemptions; update the university's COVID dashboard with information about self-reported vaccinations; provide N95 masks for students; and allow faculty flexible learning formations during peak infections.

The faculty appreciates that Choi made the recommendations to the curators last Tuesday, Trauth said.

"The authority remains with the curators," Trauth said. "I expect there's ongoing dialog there."

Choi responded to the Faculty Council that he doesn't have the support for a mask mandate, but will continue to ask everyone on campus to wear masks indoors.

The university won't require a vaccine mandate since the federal executive order was put on hold by a challenge in federal courts, Choi wrote.

The curators had previously voted to prohibit vaccine mandates on the campuses.

KN95 masks have been ordered and will be available free to students, faculty and staff at the book store, Choi wrote.

The KN95 masks are on order, but not yet available, said MU spokeswoman Stephanie Fleming on Tuesday. They are expected by the end of the week.

The more common disposable masks are available at most building entrances, she said.

Faculty are expected to teach in person, but not come to campus if they are ill or isolating, Choi wrote.

"I wish we had a bit more flexibility in courses for continuity of instruction," Trauth said.

The issues aren't easy ones, she said.

"I think the executive committee understands it is a very complex issue when considering how to balance everything," Trauth said. "I think everyone recognizes the complexity."

When the campus mask requirement expired in October, Trauth said she asked her students if they would be willing to mask in her classes. Most agreed to wear masks.

"Some may be a little reticent to say if they have young children who can't be vaccinated or they are immunocompromised," Trauth said of the mask request. "If we can have that conversation and ask, that may be an action we can take."

The issue may be a topic of further discussion at Thursday's Faculty Council meeting, she said.

rmckinney@columbiatribune.com

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This article originally appeared on Columbia Daily Tribune: University of Missouri faculty worried by COVID mask-optional campus