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• Vol. 115 • Issue 1 • Aug. 27, 2021
UCM Reinstates Campus-wide Mask Mandate MATTHEW GOLDSMITH News Editor After months without a campus-wide
mask mandate for vaccinated individuals, the University of Central Missouri
reinstated its mask mandate starting Aug. 16. The mandate came in response to
the rapid increase of the Delta variant of COVID-19.
UCM had been without a campus-wide
mask mandate since May 20, a decision which coincided with the Centers for
Disease Control’s revised guidance for face coverings for vaccinated individuals.
The Delta variant hit Missouri hard this
summer. Missouri’s weekly cases rose to
around 20,000 in August after spending much of June below 5,000. Currently,
Missouri is averaging 2,508 cases per day according to the Mayo Clinic.
UCM President Roger Best said he spoke
to other university presidents, medical
professionals and the President’s Council before the mask mandate. He said the move-in process played a role in the institution of the mask mandate.
“Even though vaccinated individuals are
much less likely to get severely ill from the
Delta variant, we thought it was prudent, with the population of students coming
back in and a large number coming back in at once, to go ahead and reintroduce the mask requirement,” Best said.
Best said low vaccination rates have also
played a part in UCM returning to a mask mandate, while saying he understands that individuals have a choice to be
vaccinated or not. He also acknowledged
the frustration some members of the UCM
community are feeling about the mandate. “I can certainly understand the
disappointment and frustration because I feel equally disappointed that we find ourselves back here,” Best said.
Interim Health Center Director Diana
Herman said it is understood by health
professionals that the Delta variant is more contagious than the initial strand and
vaccinated, immunocompromised people
are getting it, but most vaccinated people
who have gotten the strand have not died or been hospitalized. However, she said
there is still uncertainty surrounding the Delta variant and its effects. JUMP TO PAGE 2
Todd Dining Hall Open MALLIE CRUTCHFIELD Reporter After closing in spring 2021 to undergo
renovations, Todd Dining Hall has
reopened. The renovations made many
changes, from self-serve stations to new food choices and a modernized look.
be back in the dining hall.
Freshman sports management major Jackson Lunders eats lunch at the newly renovated Todd Dining Hall with friends. “I didn’t get to see the last one, but it looks really nice,” Lunders said. Photo by Mallie Crutchfield
out a wall by the old pizza area and adding
that Todd has opened back up, the students
Jeri Braun, senior supervisor of Ellis and
Todd Dining Hall, said the staff is proud of the work that was done and are excited to Braun said the new addition was taking
a deli. Additionally, the old deli area is now a pantry place with new tables that have
electrical outlets. The lighting is also new,
and more efficient windows were installed. “I think it’s gorgeous,” Braun said.
“Everything about it looks cleaner and
neater. Hopefully, we could do renovations to Ellis in a couple of years.”
While Todd was closed, students had the
choice of going to Ellis or Fitzgerald dining halls instead. Lorie Wright, manager of
Ellis and Todd halls, said Fitzgerald Hall’s food choices were limited because they
didn’t have a grill or the pasta station. Now have the grill and pasta station again.
“It’s just the most modern right now, it’s
more open, it’s more accessible,” Wright said. “To me, it’s brighter, happier, it’s a better vibe.”
While many are happy with the
renovations, some miss the previous
layout. Sydney Armstrong, sophomore
medical laboratory science major, said she liked Todd before renovations.
“I liked it before because I felt that
the food was cooked to order and now everything is staged,” Armstrong said.
During the first week of classes, the university hosted the Involvement Fair, Career Fair and other student activities. Students are recommended to wear masks outside and masks are required in university buildings. “We don’t know for sure what’s going to happen, and we don’t want to be caught not being prepared, so we’re trying to prepare for the worst because there’s always that potential,” Interim Health Center Director Diana Herman said. Photo by Lauryn Morrow
Retrenchment Process Ongoing MATTHEW GOLDSMITH News Editor While 43 faculty positions have been eliminated at the University of Central Missouri as a result of last year’s retrenchment process, 20 were vacant because of prior retirements and resignations and many of the 23 impacted faculty members are still teaching, including tenured faculty in the middle of the appeals process. UCM President Roger Best announced on March 29 that 41 positions would be eliminated. However, he said the number increased to 43 after the automotive technology management program’s appeal was denied, resulting in the program being put into abeyance. Best said eight of the 23 positions were occupied by tenured faculty, and all of the tenure-track faculty members identified by retrenchment are still teaching this year. “Of the 23 who were notified, only a small number of them actually were not reemployed for this current academic year,” Best said. Phillip Bridgmon, provost and vice president of academic affairs, said the appeal process for tenured faculty
members is a two-step process. This summer, faculty members could petition the reconsideration committee, who then sent their recommendations to Best. The faculty members then could appeal the president’s decision to UCM’s Board of Governors. Bridgmon said the appeals process is currently with the Board of Governors. Citing increased enrollment from last fall, he said he doesn’t expect a similar retrenchment process this year. “I’ve shared with a couple of groups that, as we look ahead, I don’t see a likelihood that we will have a similar instance of the process that we had last fall and into the spring,” Bridgmon said. Bridgmon acknowledged last year was challenging, but is optimistic about the potential of this school year. “We have a real opportunity here to make it a very special year in building back our community and making some final choices on some processes we started last year,” Bridgmon said. “The value of the lessons learned that we’ve all experienced in this last year, I think, will give us strength and support.” JUMP TO PAGE 2