Penn State faculty members continue push for COVID-19 vaccine mandate with second rally
The Coalition for a Just University at Penn State held a second rally in a month on Friday to call for Penn State to require the COVID-19 vaccine for students and staff on campuses.
This time, slightly more people were in attendance, including a handful of counter-protesters.
Standing in the hot sun in front of Old Main for more than an hour, about 150 rally attendees heard from several speakers, including professors, students and community members who were in support of a vaccine mandate.
Josh Portney, a student at University Park, said he was deeply disappointed in the university’s decision not to mandate vaccines. He said those who are unvaccinated are “threatening” those who are vaccinated and those who are scared to go to classes.
He compared Penn State to other universities that have implemented a vaccine mandate. To date, more than 700 universities have done so nationwide. This week, Ohio State became the latest university in the Big Ten to make the vaccine a requirement.
“If you looked at our football schedule – because I know Penn State’s run on football, I mean, that’s where these guys get their big bucks, right? – So we have 12 teams that we play this year. All right, out of those 12 teams, … eight of those schools have vaccine mandates. So we would have a losing record against that. Do we want to have a losing record? I don’t think so,” Portney said.
The university has doubled down on its stance of encouraging and incentivizing the vaccine rather than mandate students, staff and faculty members receive it. In a letter this week to the Centre Region Council of Governments, which also pushed for a vaccine requirement, President Eric Barron defended the university’s policies and pointed to recent data showing 82% of the 13,428 students who checked into residence halls are fully vaccinated.
“The university has communicated its views on how best to drive vaccinate rates. However, we understand people feel passionate on this topic and appreciate the right to peaceful protest, which is part of university life,” spokesperson Rachel Pell wrote in an email Friday.
Steven Baska, representing the Coalition of Graduate Employees, said the pandemic has shown the importance of front-line workers and how crucial teaching roles are to any university. He said that though there is some reassurance in the indoor mask mandate, a vaccine and mask mandate would give people more reassurance.
David Almeida, a CJU representative and professor of Human Development and Family Studies at University Park, said Penn State should have flexible work arrangements that acknowledge the needs of caretakers and students. Currently, professors are unable to teach remotely and classes aren’t available online for students who miss classes due to quarantine.
“I’ve been at Penn State for 18 years building a career and raising a family. I love Penn State. I really do. I love my students. I love my colleagues. I love this community. This university is more than an employer. This university is part of who I am. This is why the events and decisions of the past 18 months have been utterly soul crushing. The Penn State administration by refusing to listen to its primary constituents regarding its most basic responsibilities of providing health and safety, has lost its compass,” Almeida said.
With students back on campus, they were invited to Friday’s rally, whereas the first on Aug. 13 was mostly faculty. Emma Cihanowyz, an undergraduate student, said some places on campus aren’t enforcing the indoor mask mandate. Though she is fully vaccinated, others aren’t, putting everyone’s health in jeopardy.
“In the first couple of days back on campus, we’ve already seen locations on campus such as the IM building struggling to enforce mask mandates,” Cihanowyz said.
Jesse Barlow, State College Borough Council president and Penn State professor, said he hopes the university’s administration changes their mind.
“My 40 proud years at this university have shown me that the administrators seldom change their mind. I think some of you’ve learned that by now. I beseech President Barron to have the wisdom to change his mind this time,” Barlow said.
Though most people in attendance were in favor of a vaccine mandate, there were a handful of counter-protesters standing in the back and sometimes yelling in opposition to statements made. One counter-protester at the beginning of the rally was more vocal and disruptive, and was eventually led away by police officers after some shoving occurred.
An “Unmask Penn State” rally is planned for noon Tuesday at Old Main. According to a tweet, the rally is to “peacefully protest against (Penn State’s) draconian mask mandate.”
This story was originally published August 27, 2021 at 7:13 PM.
