Penn State President Eric Barron defends COVID-19 policies after COG push for vaccine requirement
Days after the Centre Region Council of Governments sent a letter to Penn State’s president to “strongly encourage” a COVID-19 vaccine requirement, Eric Barron responded in defense of the university’s policies.
In an Aug. 24 letter, Penn State President Eric Barron said he was “extremely disappointed” by the tone and tenor of the letter, as he said it singled out Penn State students and treated them as if they were merely visitors in the community.
COG’s letter stated: “...it should be emphasized that there is concern regarding unvaccinated students visiting our communities to shop, eat and socialize. In doing so, students will interact with residents of the Centre Region. During normal times, the presence of students in stores and restaurants is one of the great benefits of the town-gown relationship in our wider community. Now, however, we feel we must stress the need for continued safety and vigilance to prevent the spread of COVID-19 in our communities.”
Barron wrote that the letter treated students “as if they are not vital members of our community, but ‘others’ who are unwanted visitors. Students are an incredibly important part of our community and should be treated as such.”
Moreso, Barron said Penn State students are vaccinated at a higher rate than most of Centre County, which has a vaccination rate of 57% for those above 18 years of age. That number, however, does not include all vaccinated Penn State students, who are counted by their permanent address, according to the state Department of Health.
Eighty-two percent of the 13,428 students who checked into residence halls are fully vaccinated, Barron wrote. As of Aug. 20, 94% of administrators and 82% of academic personnel are vaccinated, he said. The total for all full-time staff is 72%.
The letter did not include vaccination rates for students who live off-campus. All students who do not submit confirmation of COVID-19 vaccination will be required to be tested for the coronavirus weekly throughout the fall semester.
“Penn State has made vaccination easy, incentivized it, put in place a testing and enforcement mechanism for those who are not vaccinated, required arrival testing for any student prior to accessing a residence hall room if they have not uploaded their vaccination status, put in place an indoor masking requirement, among many other steps,” Barron wrote.
He continued on to say that though COG — which includes State College Borough and College, Ferguson, Halfmoon, Harris and Patton townships — has strongly encouraged Penn State to implement a COVID-19 vaccine requirement for its staff and students, the municipalities have not done so.
Barron concluded his letter by saying the two agencies were better off focusing on the productive partnership that developed throughout the pandemic. He wrote the agencies have “worked closely and productively, by information sharing, alignment of university and municipal policies, health information communications, vaccination clinics and more.”
“Letters like the one you sent only perpetuate the myth that Penn State and local leaders do not work collaboratively to solve challenges in our community,” he wrote.
COG Chair Dennis Hameister did not immediately return a request for comment.
COG’s letter followed in the footsteps of other groups, including calls by two local student governments and a faculty-based group, in addition to resolutions calling for vaccine mandates from both Penn State’s faculty senate and the University Park Undergraduate Association. State College Borough and Patton Township have also sent out respective letters, among others.
While Penn State has continued to decline to implement a COVID-19 requirement, it does require everyone – regardless of vaccination status – to wear a mask indoors, while encouraging the vaccine. The board of trustees has stood behind the decision.
This story was originally published August 27, 2021 at 2:23 PM.
