ATLANTA — Some students and faculty are asking Georgia State University leaders to do more to stop the spread of COVID-19 on campus.
On Monday, members of the United Campus Workers of Georgia State University held a demonstration arguing class sizes make social distancing nearly impossible and students are forced to choose between their health and staying in school due to the lack of online options.
“I feel like the university is making us a party to bringing students into the classroom and making them feel like they have to be in an unsafe situation. And we could be responsible for them getting sick or giving long haul COVID or for their relatives dying," union member and GSU professor Cassandra White said.
The group is asking for GSU President Dr. Brian Blake to issue a mask mandate for all campus buildings, a vaccine requirement or testing mandate for those who don't get a shot, flexibility for classes to be taught virtually, and the rehiring of faculty members who were fired or resigned over work conditions during the pandemic.
In a meet-and-greet on Monday, GSU's president said that he does not have the authority to impose stricter mandates under the University System of Georgia's policy which currently only recommends masks and encourages vaccines.
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The policy does, however, forbid professors from requiring masks.