President gets more heat on PSU’s virus response
Penn State University President Eric Barron, facing criticism over his school’s COVID-19 response, is giving no hint that a vaccination mandate is forthcoming, but he says the state’s flagship university is protecting health while navigating sharp personal and political divides over masks and vaccines.
His words came as the school’s Faculty Senate on Friday approved a vote of no confidence in the school’s plan to deal with the coronavirus this fall and as faculty members wearing masks rallied outside Old Main on the University Park campus at noon with signs that included, “PSU Faculty Support Science” and “Vaccine
Mandate Now.”
Students will arrive in the coming days, and fall classes a reset to begin Aug. 23.
In an open letter made public Thursday evening, Mr. Barron offered his most direct acknowledgement to date about state-level political pressures, in particular those on public institutions like his. Nevertheless, he characterized Penn State’s response to the rapidly changing pandemic as deliberate and systematic with the singular goal of safeguarding health and safety.
He said campus decisions have been based on science, data and advice from medical professionals.
“Unfortunately, across the nation every action in response to the pandemic is being met with division and controversy,” said Mr. Barron. He asserted that the nation is nearly split in half on vaccine mandates, citing one Quinnipiac poll recently that found 49% against vaccine mandates versus 48% in favor.
He said Penn State is getting it from both sides.
“A recent decision at Penn State to require indoor masking regardless of vaccination status generated a petition exceeding 1,000 student signatures in opposition — in only its first day of posting,” Mr. Barron wrote. “Many faculty members at Penn State supported the masking requirement and are also calling for a vaccine mandate. At the same time, others are attempting to organize ‘resistance campaigns.’
He said other universities have seen mandates “met with implementation, enforcement and legal challenges.”
“Public universities, in particular, have challenges with the mode of response to the pandemic. Regulations across the country clearly reflect state-level political realities,” he said. “State funding of our university requires a two-thirds vote of the Pennsylvania Legislature, meaning that our funding relies on strong bipartisan support.”
Groups on and off Penn State’s campus have called fora vaccination mandate as the best way to protect the university and general public, including the Coalition for a Just University, made up of faculty and other university constituencies, as well as the borough council in State College.
That community sees its population swell each fall with student arrivals from across the nation and globally. About half of Penn State’s 90,000 students attend the main campus that touches State College.
“Wehave a duty to protect our communities and those who belong to the Penn State community, and requiring vaccinations will ensure just that,” State College borough council President Jesse Barlow wrote in an open letter recently, citing the council’s support for a mandate.
Nationally, nearly 700 colleges and universities have vaccination mandates of some kind, according to The Chronicle of Higher Education, mostly private campuses in states that voted for Democrat Joe Biden for president over Republican Donald Trump. No public universities in Pennsylvania require vaccinations, with State System of Higher Education leaders saying only an act of the Republican-controlled state Legislature can authorize them to institute such a policy on its 14university campuses.
About half of those have now instituted mask mandates indoors and in classrooms, given rising coronavirus cases fueled by the delta variant.
The University of Minnesota has indicated that it will begin requiring the shot once the federal Food and Drug Administration gives the vaccine full approval, according to media reports in that state. Critics including the Coalition for a Just University have said Penn State is increasingly isolated among universities in the Big 10 in not having a mandate.
Penn State, while not requiring the vaccine, has offered students and employees cash and other incentives to get it. Mr. Barron cited efforts from those to make the vaccine available to special rules that those unvaccinated will face this fall on a campus looking to return to face-to-face instruction and offers no guarantees that those forced to isolate will have access to remote classes.
He said numbers so far suggest that most of the university is opting to be vaccinated.
“The final results of our COVID-19 vaccination survey show that, among both undergraduate and graduate student respondents, 88% of University Park respondents, 73% of Commonwealth Campus respondents and 84% of World Campus respondents report being partially or fully vaccinated,” wrote Thursday.
“As of today, more than 73.5% of students entering residence halls have already uploaded their proof of vaccination, and the numbers are steadily growing on a daily basis.
“We expect many other students will demonstrate vaccination status or provide proof of having COVID19 over the last 90 days. Vaccination uploads by academic personnel are slightly lower at 69%, and unfortunately there has been little growth in academic uploads since early July,” he added.
He said survey data for all sectors suggest that vaccination rates are higher than what is currently uploaded and individuals have just not yet uploaded their information. The highest vaccination rate is for administrators, currently at 86%.
Mr. Barron said, “We have worked to make vaccination easy.”
Friday’s no-confidence vote stopped short of criticizing the school’s leadership itself. It was one of two related resolutions passed by the Senate, the other calling for a vaccine mandate, twice-weekly COVID-19 testing for individuals without proof of vaccination, and instructor choice in determining course and/or class delivery modes based on individual instructors and student circumstances, among others.
Board of trustees leadership at Penn State, in response, acknowledged differing views and the importance of dialogue but added, “The board is unified in its unequivocal support for President Barron, his administration and their plans for the upcoming fall semester.”
“Public universities, in particular, have challenges with the mode of response to the pandemic. Regulations across the country clearly reflect state-level political realities. State funding of our university requires a two-thirds vote of the Pennsylvania Legislature, meaning that our funding relies on strong bipartisan support.”
— Eric Barron, Penn State president