OUSC, The Post host student survey on campus mask mandate
OUSC and The Oakland Post are now hosting a student survey so OU students can share their thoughts on the university potentially lifting the mask mandate before the end of the winter semester.
During last Thursday’s OU Senate meeting it was discussed that university leadership is considering potentially lifting its on-campus indoor mask mandate before the end of the winter semester.
In an effort to make sure as many student voices are heard as possible on the mask mandate issue before any decision is made, Oakland University Student Congress (OUSC) and The Post are collaborating to host the Oakland University mask mandate student survey.
The survey requires an OU email and is only accessible to members of the campus community. The survey features a few short questions about the mask mandate and university policies, as well as a section to leave a written comment. It only takes a couple minutes to answer and all responses to the survey will remain anonymous.
Student Body President Andrew Romano and Vice President Murryum Farooqi were both at the senate meeting last week and left concerned about what could be motivating the potential change in masking policy.
“One of the main reasons upper administration is considering dropping the mask mandate is that there seems to be an overwhelming amount of students who want the mask mandate gone,” Romano said. “The evidence that led them to this conclusion was that they are getting more angry emails than supportive ones about the mandate. Without knowing the mask mandate was in jeopardy those who support it likely had no reason to email administration about the issue, creating what could be a biased sample size. If our university is going to pivot from their ‘listening to the science approach’ and adopt a ‘listening to the students’ approach on [COVID-19] I suggest they give every student a fair opportunity to share their perspective.”
In addition to OUSC leaders sharing the results of the survey with university leadership, The Post plans on publishing a story with the survey results so the information about what OU students want is public and readily available to the campus community.
“I intend to meet with the administration and share the results of the poll, to ensure every student who wants to be heard will be heard on this issue,” Romano said. “The status of the mask mandate affects every student, and many student’s families as we are a majority commuter campus. In my conversations with administration I am committed to sharing what the entire student body wants. I believe all stakeholders should be given the opportunity to weigh in on the status of the mask mandate including faculty, staff, and other campus affiliates.”
All students are encouraged to participate in the survey and make their voices heard on this hugely-significant issue.
Christina • Mar 8, 2022 at 10:26 PM
The survey was not sent out to all students that participate in on campus learning. I am a grad student that never received an email or note about responding to this survey. How can we get a full representation of the desires of students if not all learners on campus are included?
Michelle • Feb 23, 2022 at 3:53 AM
Being an OU grad, it makes me sad that the policy on masking and testing doesn’t follow any science at OU. Vaccinated and unvaccinated alike are spreading Covid. Masks aren’t working. It’s spreading anyway. Numbers are very low. Drop the mandate.
Mary • Feb 22, 2022 at 3:33 PM
Mandates are supposed to be based on science, not on the opinion of students, families, admin or common folk. Deaths and pure Covid hospitalizations are down, mandates should be gone.
Amie • Feb 22, 2022 at 3:21 PM
My daughter, who is transferring from Her early middle college program in fall ‘22 chose a different university due to OU’s mask mandate. She had taken all her classes to transfer InTo the business program but will be attending Liberty University instead. Sad. OU was my alma mater for my masters degree.
Yousef • Feb 21, 2022 at 3:35 PM
Get rid of the mandates! The OU admins are the worst versions of leaders we could hope to have had in this pandemic. We knew before the break was over omicron wasnt a threat based on south africa data. we knew the Jabs did nothing to stop transmission for a year now. These admins are the most cowardly jellyfish i have ever seen. Always waiting for other states and agencies under immense pressure to make decisions before quietly following suit. You did the same thing with the vax mandates. When the data comes out in years to come how unnecessary they were for the student population and we start to see the negative side effects vastly outweighed the benefits you will see plainly how incompetent you are.
The mere fact we are having this survey means masking was a political decision and never one about science. Resign Michael Wadsworth and Ora Pescovitz, your leadership through the last two years is evidence you lack it.
yousef • Nov 30, 2023 at 3:35 PM
apparently its okay to say natural immunity is more effective than the clot shots.