AU protesters call for mask mandate from BOR
By Chris Woods | News editor
Augusta University staff and students gathered every day last week on the Summerville campus in protest of the Board of Regents of the University System of Georgia’s current COVID-19-related policies, calling for, at a minimum, a mandate on mask wear.
With the resurgence of COVID-19 cases that struck near the start of the semester, students and faculty from several universities throughout the USG began protesting the COVID-19 policies set by the BOR, and this week Augusta University joined in.
Protester and associate professor in the Department of Social Sciences Dustin Avent-Holt, in his address on Friday, called out Chancellor Teresa MacCartney and the BOR on its “failed leadership” for enacting “undermining” policies that lack “simple” and “effective” mitigation practices like mandating masks.
“This is the simplest thing I think that we can do,” he said regarding a mask mandate. “More than 1,000 universities have implemented vaccine requirements, and yet, we cannot even implement a mask mandate on campus. So, that’s what we’re pushing for right now.”
According to Avent-Holt, this week’s USG-wide protests were planned by the Georgia chapter of the American Association of University Professors. Avent-Holt, a member of the AU chapter of AAUP, acted as AU’s point person for the protests.
Each demonstration lasted about 15 to 20 minutes, during which time students and faculty members gave oral presentations while other activists held up signs of protest.
After each session, attendees chalked the sidewalks around campus with attention-grabbing phrases like, “Mask it or casket,” which was written Tuesday by political science professor Sudha Ratan after she addressed the group.
“It’s shameful. Shameful. We have the science; so, why are we in this situation?” Ratan said in a one-on-one interview. “People have converted something that should be handled by the Department of Health and made it about politics and about their freedom and liberty. It makes me so angry.”
Associate professor of Anthropology Angela Bratton also spoke at Tuesday’s protest, offering a unique anthropological perspective, reflecting on “lessons” from prehistoric communities and other modern cultures that she said shows that survival relies on cooperation and caring for one another.
“Today, many cultures around the world have a focus on oneself as a member of the group first and their individual identity second. Many of these cultures have had a practice for a long time of masking sick people for others’ protection. These lessons teach us that our survival is dependent on us working and caring for each other together!” she said.
Friday’s protest drew the biggest yet still-not-large crowd of 15 and had a surprise visit. AU Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs and Provost Neil J. MacKinnon made an unexpected appearance in a seeming show of support and solidarity and even briefly addressed the group.
“As a pharmacist. I know the science behind this, and the science is definitely on your side,” he said. “Thank you for being out here and expressing this.”
Associate professor in the AU College of Education Darla Linville expressed her dismay to Friday’s group over the number of Georgia teachers who have died of COVID-19 just this school year and questioned the lack of a mask mandate as local county school systems have already adopted mandatory mask wear for all students and faculty.
“We’re not doing our part,” she said.
Avent-Holt on Friday made statements directed at the newly appointed MacCartney, condemning her authorization of policies that he said have prevented parents from sending their kids to USG schools and averted new PhD graduates from pursuing jobs in Georgia.
“Chancellor MacCartney, I hope you see these policies are undermining our higher education institutions in the state of Georgia...and embarrassing our universities now and well into the future,” he said. “This is the exact opposite of what you were hired to do.”
In addition to speaking to protesters, attempts were made to contact several members of the Board of Regents directly, including James Hull, Don Waters, Dr. C. Thomas Hopkins Jr., Erin Hames, Samuel Holmes, Barbara Rivera Holmes, Kessel Stelling Jr. and Cade Joiner. Only Hull was able to be reached for comment.
Hull, who also serves on the Augusta University Health System board and has lived in Augusta his whole life, responded with a message of appreciation and support for COVID-19 vaccinations.
“I’m committed to helping this community stay healthy and safe. I think it’s incredibly important for everyone to get the COVID-19 vaccine, and I appreciate all the work The Bell Ringer has done to draw attention to the university’s efforts to get students, faculty and staff vaccinated,” he said.
Additionally, Associate Vice Chancellor of Communications with the Board of Regents Lance Wallace was contacted Friday afternoon, Sept. 17. When asked about the protests over the BOR’s COVID-19 policies, he later responded in an email with the following statement:
“USG’s 26 public colleges and universities have directly administered thousands of vaccine doses, and continue to help faculty, staff and students get vaccinated either on campus or with a local provider,"“ Wallace wrote. “Many USG institutions, including Augusta University, are now offering incentives for students, faculty and staff to get vaccinated. This summer, USG also made vaccines available to all students, including incoming students, at 15 sites across the state. USG continues to encourage students, faculty and staff to get vaccinated against COVID-19 and wear masks inside campus facilities, with institutions this week beginning to report declines in early spikes of positive COVID-19 cases on their campuses.”
At the onset of the fall semester, AU President Brooks A. Keel held a townhall meeting to disseminate the USG’s updated policies and protocols, which did not require wearing masks or face coverings anywhere on campus regardless of vaccination status. Vaccinations and mask wear were “highly encouraged.”
As of today, no changes in policy have been made.
In a one-on-one interview following Friday’s protest, Avent-Holt made a modest, personal plea for a public show of solidarity by the BOR to show that they are “on our side.”
“I wish the Board of Regents would listen to our voice...this is what we need,” he said. “Stop listening to Gov. (Brian) Kemp, and listen to us. We just want our staff and our students safe.”
Contact Chris Woods at riwoods@augusta.edu.
Associate Professor Dustin Event-Holt (R) leads a protest at Augusta University; he and other professors are dissatisfied with the Georgia Board of Regents not requiring masks to be worn on the 26 campuses of the University System of Georgia, which was the policy last academic year. Masks and vaccinations are highly encouraged at AU. At the top of the page, Augusta professors show their protest signs in the Tear Drop. (photos by Chris Woods)
