The Indiana Graduate Workers Coalition - United Electrical Workers wrote a letter to the administration Wednesday about growing COVID-19 policy concerns. The coalition sent the letter days after Monroe County moved into the COVID-19 county advisory red zone.
The letter urges university officials to distribute KN95/N95 masks in campus buildings and update the language surrounding in-person instruction. Both the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and IU are recommending students, faculty and staff wear KN95 masks instead of surgical and cloth masks.
Language in faculty policy contradicts with IU’s COVID-19 frequently asked questions page, making it difficult for instructors to know whether or not they are allowed to move class online if they are exposed to or test positive for COVID-19, according to the letter. The coalition is asking IU to assure instructors they can move or alter their course format if exposed to COVID-19, according to the letter.
COVID-19 cases last week at IU increased by 109.2%, jumping from 260 to 544 cases.
“As cases of the Omicron variant of the SARS-COV-2 virus are increasing, there is growing concern among members of the Indiana University community that we are not well equipped for an in-person semester,” the coalition said in the letter.
