LOWELL, MASS. (WHDH) - UMass faculty and students are speaking out at a virtual emergency meeting over concerns about in-person learning as schools prepare for the fall semester.
UMass Lowell is planning to re-open with a hybrid model of in-person and remote learning, but researcher Thomas Estabrook said people at the school are wary of close contact.
“There’s a broader concern that the reopening is happening too fast,” Estabrook said.
The Massachusetts Teachers Association, which represents 18,,000 faculty and staff at public universities, called for the hearing Monday to discuss safety priorities during the pandemic. Estabrook said one of the biggest concerns is proper ventilation in campus buildings.
“We are concerned that there are a number of buildings that don’t have the capacity to handle … having people working in them significantly and keeping everybody safe,” Estabrook said.
UMass President Marty Meehan will be listening to the concerns of students and staff at the meeting.
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