Coronavirus: Idaho professors send letter to school president, want online classes
As the fall semester draws near, 270 faculty and staff at the University of Idaho signed a letter petitioning university President Scott Green to give them the option to pick between online or in-person classes this fall.
The letter, provided to the Statesman on Wednesday, argues that faculty and staff should have the ability to make their own decisions about how to work safely, without the possibility of penalty or being pressured into taking unneeded risks.
“With the 2020 fall semester fast approaching, an increasing number of UI employees find it both ethically troubling and pedagogically problematic to hold in-person, on-campus classes in a way that ensures safe and innovative conditions for teaching and learning,” the letter reads.
The letter cites how CDC guidelines for colleges and universities “encourage telework for as many faculty and staff possible.”
Faculty and staff recognized the financial pressure the university is facing, but they believe student needs can be met while avoiding unnecessary risks.
The letter also pointed out how other colleges across the country have already had issues with students contracting the coronavirus while back on campus. Faculty cited Boise State as an example, as 22 student-athletes tested positive for COVID-19 earlier this month.
“We are only as safe as the most vulnerable among us,” the faculty letter reads.
As of Wednesday, the university is planning on opening the campus for in-person classes this fall, according to a memo published Tuesday by Green and Torrey Lawrence, interim provost and executive vice president for the university.
“While going on-line could make our job easier in some ways, it would be the worst possible outcome for many employees and students,” the administrators’ memo says.
The memo from the administrators was issued shortly after Washington State University in Pullman — just a few miles away from Moscow — announced that it would move the upcoming semester completely online.
Anyone on campus, as well as Moscow as a whole, is required to wear a mask or face covering and encouraged to practice physical distancing at all times.
University administrators will hold a virtual town hall meeting with employees on Tuesday, Aug. 4, where administrators will outline the campus’ plan for the fall.
Idaho humanities groups to get federal funds
The Idaho Humanities Council will award an additional $64,000 in federal grant funding to 17 Idaho organizations, including some in the Treasure Valley.
The humanities council has given out $186,861 in federal funding since the coronavirus outbreak began, the funding coming from the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act, more commonly known as the CARES Act.
These grants will help support organizations that have been impacted by the COVID-19 outbreak.
Among the organizations receiving federal funds are the Hemingway Literary Center in Boise and the Emmett Public Library. Boise’s Basque Museum and Cultural Center will get $7,500, which is among the larger checks given out during this latest round of funding.
“We are fortunate to have this opportunity to assist Idaho’s humanities-based organizations affected by the pandemic,” said David Pettyjohn, IHC Executive Director, in a news release. “This funding will allow these critical organizations to maintain resources and provide programming that benefits all Idahoans.”
Vulnerable inmates at women’s prison see restrictions
To protect medically vulnerable inmates, the Idaho Department of Correction decided to house some of its female inmates at the South Boise Women’s Correctional Center under new restrictions.
The correction center can house roughly 300 female inmates for programming while incarcerated. As of Wednesday, IDOC had not reported any cases of coronavirus in the prison, but authorities have decided to house 18 medically vulnerable women together.
Those 18 women have access to their day room, restroom and outside recreation three times a day, said Jeff Ray, spokesperson for IDOC. During those times, the women have access to hot and cold water.
For the remainder of the day, the women have access to coolers with ice chests.
“To further protect SBWCC’s medically vulnerable population, we have brought in portable toilets and hand-washing stations,” Ray said in an email. “We hope to have portable showers set up soon.”
The portable toilets and hand-washing stations were brought in on July 17.
IDOC initially scheduled the portable toilets to be emptied once a week, but “found that is insufficient” and asked the vendor of the portable toilets to empty the toilets twice a week.
“In the interim, we have designated one restroom for use by the medically vulnerable population,” Ray said. “We continue to schedule access to showers. We know these measures are inconvenient. We wish there were easier ways to do things. But our top priority must be the health and safety of the people who live and work in our facilities.”
Nine deaths reported Tuesday in Idaho, including first in Boise County
On Tuesday, nine new coronavirus-related deaths were reported in Idaho. State and local health officials have counted 75 such deaths since July 1, and 20 deaths in Idaho over the past two days.
A Boise County man in his 80s was among the nine reported deaths Tuesday, the first death from COVID-19 the county has seen. The other reported deaths came in pairs, as Ada, Canyon, Twin Falls and Kootenai counties each reported two deaths each Tuesday.
According to the Idaho Department of Health and Welfare’s demographics, one of the deaths reported Tuesday was a person in their 30s, the first reported fatality of someone in Idaho under 40. However, no other details such as where the death occurred or the person’s sex was released Tuesday evening.
In total, there have been 168 reported deaths in Idaho due to the coronavirus as of Tuesday evening.
Idaho health districts reported 432 new COVID-19 cases Tuesday, bringing the state’s total to 18,010 confirmed cases. New cases were reported in 30 Idaho counties.
Ada County reported 173 on Tuesday, the most of any county, and its total now stands at 6,936 confirmed cases. Double-digit new cases were reported Tuesday in Bingham (12), Canyon (76), Kootenai (39) and Twin Falls (44).
Health officials in eastern Idaho reported the first confirmed coronavirus case in Clark County on Tuesday, meaning at least one case has been found in 42 of Idaho’s 44 counties. A man in his 50s got the virus through community transmission, according to Eastern Idaho Public Health.
Coronavirus cases have been reported in nearly all of Idaho’s 44 counties: Ada 6,936, Adams 16, Bannock 285, Bear Lake 11, Benewah 38, Bingham 174, Blaine 550, Boise 26, Bonner 132, Bonneville 412, Boundary 30, Camas 1, Canyon 4,200, Caribou 27, Cassia 393, Clark 1, Clearwater 14, Custer 7, Elmore 148, Franklin 38, Fremont 28, Gem 127, Gooding 109, Idaho 24, Jefferson 77, Jerome 341, Kootenai 1,353, Latah 67, Lemhi 7, Lincoln 43, Madison 97, Minidoka 373, Nez Perce 108, Oneida 9, Owyhee 184, Payette 267, Power 34, Shoshone 56, Teton 48, Twin Falls 1,015, Valley 42 and Washington 162.
Community spread has been reported in 37 Idaho counties: Ada, Bannock, Benewah, Bingham, Blaine, Boise, Bonner, Bonneville, Canyon, Caribou, Cassia, Clark, Clearwater, Custer, Elmore, Fremont, Gem, Gooding, Idaho, Jefferson, Jerome, Kootenai, Latah, Lemhi, Lewis, Lincoln, Madison, Minidoka, Nez Perce, Oneida, Owyhee, Payette, Power, Teton, Twin Falls, Valley and Washington.
This story was originally published July 29, 2020 at 10:17 AM.
