After a brief COVID-19 controversy, Spelman College administrators have agreed that professors will to return to in-person teaching.
Professors vowed not to return to in-person teaching until the college addressed its COVID-19 safety guidelines, the Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported.
However, the disagreement ended on Friday.
“Spelman faculty members have decided to return to in-person teaching effective Monday, Aug. 23,” Spelman President Mary Schmidt Campbell said in a statement. “The College continues to work with the faculty to provide additional guidance on health and safety protocols as rapidly changing circumstances around COVID-19 continue to develop.”
Classes were scheduled to begin on August 18, but students received an email on August 19 announcing Spelman’s Faculty Council’s decision not to return to campus.
“The faculty at Spelman College were excited about returning to in-person instruction… However, much to our disappointment, faculty have not received clear and enforceable protocol and safety guidelines that will ensure our health and wellbeing when teaching face-to-face,” they wrote.
“While awaiting acceptable responses to these concerns, we have decided not to teach in person. Most faculty will use alternative instructional methods for course delivery.”
The college announced that the agreement to return had been made the same day Spelman released an extensive 22-page document containing updated COVID safety measures.
Spelman’s administrators also announced on Friday that 98% of its student population is fully vaccinated. Spelman, like other schools across the country, required all faculty and employees to be vaccinated to come back to campus this year, Revolt TV reported.
