UNF Faculty Association petitions UNF administration to implement policies to protect the  healthand safety oftheUNF community.

Whereas, the UNF Faculty Association is charged with advising the President, Provost, and SeniorVice President for UNF Health of the University of North Florida, and "the development and implementation of recommendations in areas of traditional faculty concern”; and

Whereas, UNF administration has an obligation to protect the health and well-being of their faculty, students, staff, and surrounding communities, as laid out in the Principles ofCommunity; and

Whereas, as of March 9, 2020, Governor Ron DeSantis declared a Public Health Emergency intheState ofFloridathat was ended onMay 3, 2021; and

Whereas, on June 23, 2020, the Florida Board of Governors approved a careful, phased reopening planaimedat protecting the healthand safety of the universitycommunity; and

Whereas,asofJuly27,2021,theCDCaddedarecommendationfor fullyvaccinatedpeopletowearmasks in publicindoor settings in areasof substantial orhigh transmission; and

Whereas, vaccinations are not mandated, vaccinations do not uniformly prevent thetransmissionofthevirus,andvaccinationstatuscannot besurveyedforallfaculty,students,andstaff;and

Whereas, Florida Department of Health data indicate that new case rates, test positivity rates,and deaths have been steadily increasing in Florida since June, 2021; and as of August 15th,2021, Community Transmission rates remain high in each of the counties that make up the UNFcommunity; and

Whereas, UNF is currently scheduled to return to in-person classroom settings in the fall  semester 2021 using classroom configurations that in many cases will not permit socialdistancing;and

Whereas, UNF administration, in its recent Classroom Guidance for Instructional Faculty, hasimposedfurtherrestrictionsonmitigating thespreadofthevirusandinterferedwithpedagogicaldecisionsbest left to faculty; therefore

BE IT RESOLVED UNF policy should be to followCDC guidelines about masks, and to create opportunities for social distancing inclassrooms and protection of faculty.