A big weekend for incoming freshmen at Arizona State University as families began moving students into residence halls on campus. This, as hundreds of professors, students, and staff members say it is too soon to reopen safely.
In a letter addressed to ASU President Michael Crow, more than 900 members of the ASU community are urging leaders to postpone in-person instruction for the fall semester until certain recommendations are met, including the recent benchmarks released by ADHS.
The letter goes on to express concerns over a lack of transparency, the increased risk of spreading COVID-19, and discrepancies in online learning opportunities.
It also refers to State Superintendent Kathy Hoffman's recent statement that, "Arizona is not currently in a place to resume traditional in-person instruction or hybrid learning models. Every indicator shows that there is high community spread across the state.”
ASU details its reopening plans on its website, which includes measures like hybrid or fully-online learning environments, physical distancing, mandatory face coverings, isolation spaces, takeout-only options in dining halls and increased sanitization, among others.
A university spokesperson sent the following statement to ABC15:
President Crow and Provost Searle will continue this week to address the concerns articulated in the letter through a variety of communications and discussions with the entire ASU community of 100,000 employees and students. There are many very legitimate ideas, questions, requests and concerns that have been expressed by this very committed community of people. ASU will continue to provide a university-wide framework for managing and mitigating the spread of COVID-19, which to the maximum extent possible empowers individual members of the ASU community to live, work, teach, research, and serve the people of Arizona in whatever ways best address the needs of each individual member of the ASU community.
Read the full letter to ASU's executive leadership here.
For a link to sign the letter, click here.
