Despite rain, small group of AU faculty continue week-long protest demanding mask mandate

A strong downpour in the Augusta-area did not stop a contingent of five Augusta University faculty from showing up and continue to demand mask mandates on campus.

The weeklong protest, which began Monday, has taken place on 17 campuses across the University System of Georgia, according to the American Association of University Professors, with faculty demanding action to fight the COVID-19 pandemic. The USG has remained silent on the protests, but Wednesday afternoon, it released a statement on COVID-19.

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In the news release, USG stated institutions across the state are seeing a decrease in COVID-19 cases amid progress with vaccination campaigns. USG also stated students, faculty and staff are only being encouraged to get vaccinated and wear a mask.

“Thank you to the students, faculty and staff who have gotten vaccinated and taken seriously all we’ve asked them to do to keep themselves and their campuses safe,” Acting Chancellor Teresa MacCartney said in a release. “We appreciate everyone who’s wearing a mask on campus, staying home when they’re not feeling well, getting tested and, most of all, getting vaccinated. It’s making a difference.”

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Dustin Avent-Holt, an associate professor of sociology and organizer of the AU protest, said he is skeptical about the timing of the news release.

“They are certainly aware of the protest. It came in the middle of our protest week, I don’t think it’s coincidental when that happened," he said. “They are trying to counter the narrative that we are mobilizing here that we don’t feel safe on campus, students don’t feel safe on campus.”  

Avent-Holt said faculty across the state still have one goal and that is to mandate masks on campuses. The largest protests this week have occurred on the University of Georgia's campus. Avent-Holt said they will reassess after this week and see if USG takes action, if not, they don't plan to remain silent.

“I’m sure they hoped that we would just go away, but we are not going to go away," he said. 

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He said the AAUP is expecting a big turnout on Friday. Faculty have told him they are hesitant to go to the protests or due to fear of retaliation by USG, he said.

“I’ve heard from many faculty who can’t be here because of class. I heard from faculty who can’t be here because they are sick with COVID. I’ve heard from faculty who can’t be here because their kids are sick with COVID," he said.