Originally published Dec. 5, 2021
On top of opening Texas 100%, Gov. Greg Abbott lifted mask and vaccine mandates. Many University of North Texas faculty urge Abbott to rethink this decision.
Ann Howington, a three-year support specialist at the University of North Texas’s College of Visual Arts and Design (CVAD) department of studio art, opted out to work remotely at the beginning of June last year. She later adjusted and fully embraced the experience of working from home.
But that experience may be gone for good since Gov. Greg Abbott decided to open Texas institutions, including UNT.
“When classes started again, I would walk out of the office and the hallways would be packed with students,” Howington said. “I felt a little anxious because we didn’t know who was vaccinated and who wasn’t.”
In addition to opening Texas despite the ongoing pandemic, Abbott had made an executive order to prevent local governments from requiring people to wear masks, a controversial decision that has been debated. Since then, Texas remains to have one of the nation’s worst COVID death rates. According to health officials, the virus initially mainly brought death to people over 60. However, statistics provided by the state show that while the number of current coronavirus death rates declined among people ages 60 and up, death rates among younger people increased. Approximately 12,452 UNT students have participated in the university’s Fall 2021 Vaccine Incentive Program but health officials say the overall turnaround occurred when vaccinations became available to the public, yet many young people rejected vaccination providers.
In hopes to strengthen the bond between students and COVID-19 vaccines, Howington has encouraged the state to enforce vaccine mandates.
“I know there are other universities across America that are requiring all students and teachers to be vaccinated or they can't come on campus,” Howington said. “But in Texas, we’re not doing that. It’s good that we’re doing [certain mandates] but it's probably not the best practice. I think it would be wonderful if we were doing the same thing.”
Howington is not the only member of CVAD with opposing views toward Abbott’s recent COVID policies. Department of Design Senior Administrative Specialist David Klein said he wants the state to dissolve leniency within the governor’s executive decision.
“When I heard about the school’s testing and mask mandates, I was very much in favor of them, so I had a very positive reaction when I heard about those policies,” Klein said. “I wish they could go stronger. I personally, in my individual capacity, would like to see a mask requirement, not a recommendation.”
UNT continues to abide by the executive order. The school’s faculty can only hope that the governor’s executive order is enough to protect students from getting sick and having to return to online learning. In addition, the university is requiring mandatory monthly COVID testing to students and faculty who cannot show vaccination proof. The UNT President Neal Smatresk appeared confident that the institution’s policies are enough to let in-person learning be here to stay.
“Our current rates of cases on campus are actually terrific compared to the ther schools,” Smatresk said. “We’re doing pretty well right now with having people get tested. We see that our numbers are quite low compared to the numbers we see anywhere else. We don’t have evidence yet for community spread in the classroom. So I don’t think we’ll be going back virtual.”
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