President Michael Crow
Provost Nancy Gonzales
University Senate President Eduardo Pagan
University Staff Council President Jared Vibber
Dean Tepper, Dean Ostrom, Dean Squires, Dean Kenney, Dean Boone, Dean Wentz, Dean Helitzer, Dean Grabski, Dean Sandrin, Dean Jacobs, Dean Gilger, Dean Chodorow, Dean Kramer, Dean Kenney, Dean Thatcher, Dean Lietz, Dean Basile, Dean Khagram, Dean Jhaj

Dear University Leadership,

Once again we find ourselves in the unfortunate position of starting a new semester amid a pandemic that continues to threaten the lives and health of members of the ASU community. COVID-19 cases are on the rise in the state and the new Delta variant is proving to be considerably more virulent than previous strains. Despite these rising numbers and the accompanying concerns that many have about the effects of bringing thousands of people back to campus for Fall 2021 semester, we have been told that university operations will “return to normal” - with all classes, services, and administrative activities to be conducted in person. Indeed, it seems that all of the choices that were offered for remote learning and working over the last year have disappeared.

As a collective body working to ensure the safety, security, and well-being of all working members of this community, United Campus Workers of Arizona, the wall-to-wall union representing all workers on our campuses, we are greatly concerned about this situation. Once again we feel compelled to appeal to you to use your positions as leaders to implement policies that are in the best interests of our community. To do so, it is absolutely necessary to be guided by strong scientific evidence and a commitment to our core values, both of which dictate that the university maintain positions on vaccination, masking, and testing that serve the public interest and demonstrate care for one another and our communities. Therefore, we ask the university to undertake the following actions:

1. Require masks for all individuals (students, staff, and faculty) who will be working in person and in contact with other members of our community. Without a mask mandate, we not only put the community at risk of serious illness, but importantly, we risk creating antagonistic relationships across the university, eroding trust and a shared sense of responsibility.

2. Require regular, bi-weekly testing for all members of our community who have not been fully vaccinated. Most new cases of COVID-19 and nearly ALL deaths as a result of infection with COVID-19 are among those who have not been fully vaccinated and therefore are the most significant and dangerous sources of further spread of the virus. The university must be able to identify and isolate these individuals in order to mitigate further spread.

3. Require vaccinations for all students, staff, and faculty (with appropriate exemptions). ASU has been a leading force in the vaccination process, and we are very grateful to the university administration for prioritizing university workers in the early roll-out of the vaccine. But ASU should continue to play this vital role, which, according to the scientific community, is the best way to ensure that the pandemic is brought under control and that a majority of members of our society are protected from its deadliest effects.

4.Offer alternative forms of learning, teaching, and working to students, faculty, and staff who do not feel comfortable returning to in-person learning and working, particularly those who are exempted from vaccination or have family/household members that cannot be vaccinated. The success of AY 2020-2021 was largely the result of the options made available to students, staff, and faculty, facilitated by millions of dollars of investment into technology that made remote learning and working possible. We have both the capability and the expertise to continue making this work, and we should use them to ensure that the Fall 2021 semester is similarly successful.

We understand that some of what we are asking technically contravenes the Executive Order issued by Governor Ducey on June 15 that prohibits the mandating of vaccinations, mask wearing, and testing by public educational institutions. However, the Governor’s order is in direct contradiction to the established medical science regarding how to best mitigate the pandemic and has been strongly criticized by public health experts. One of President Crow’s oft-repeated lines is “COVID is not going away.” This is, of course, true. However, there are different ways we can learn to live with COVID. If we exhibit the bold moral leadership that is required now to protect our communities, we can get to a less deadly, less damaging COVID faster. ASU has proven itself to be a leader in the state in many important areas and thus needs to operate in ways that protect and promote public health and safety, and stand against the egregious overreach into the autonomy of university operations. We were shocked at how quickly ASU leadership indicated its willingness to comply with this clearly harmful measure, especially considering that it had initially indicated its intention to strongly promote vaccination and require masking and regular testing. ASU should follow the example of the 600+ universities and colleges across the country in requiring vaccination for all students, faculty, and staff. The lack of enforceable mitigation strategies, the severely restricted remote learning and work opportunities, and the failure to meaningfully acknowledge the changing circumstances undermines ASU’s stated commitment to fostering a community of care. The university has the resources and the expertise needed to push back against this dangerous law. We are asking you to find the courage to do the right thing.

Thank you for your consideration in this important matter,

The membership of United Campus Workers Arizona, Local 7065, Arizona State University Chapter

Community members of Maricopa County