Some California college students are fighting to have mask mandates reinstated amid ongoing discussions around the return to some COVID-19 precautions.
Last week, the Disabled Students Union (DSU) at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), announced on Instagram that a proposed resolution titled “A Resolution to Mandate Masking, Weekly PCR testing, and Upcoming COVID-19 Vaccines, and to Improve Ventilation, and Reinstate the COVID-19 Task Force” failed to receive enough votes from the university’s Undergraduate Student Association Council (USAC).
Some of the main aspects of the resolution proposed by the DSU included mask requirements for indoor and crowded outdoor spaces, weekly COVID-19 PCR testing requirements, updated COVID-19 vaccine requirements, and the reinstatement of the COVID-19 task force at UCLA.
The proposed resolution comes as the discussion around the possible return to mask mandates has continued, with some hospitals in New York announcing mask requirements for staff, patients, and visitors in response to increases in COVID-19 hospitalizations. In August, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said that a new COVID-19 variant, BA.2.86, maybe more capable “of causing infection in people who have previously had COVID-19 or who have received COVID-19 vaccines.” However, on September 15, the CDC said, “At this time, BA.2.86 does not appear to be rapidly increasing or driving increases in infections or hospitalizations in the United States.”
In California, the healthcare company Kaiser Permanente announced a return to its mask mandate last month. Data from the state’s COVID-19 tracking dashboard show that as of September 9, California has a seven-day average number of new COVID-19 hospitalizations of 395.3. In comparison, throughout June and most of July, this number stayed below 200.
Getty Images/FREDERIC J. BROWN/AFP
Shortly after the proposed resolution failed to pass within the UCLA USAC, the DSU issued another response on social media calling for an emergency meeting to vote on a revised resolution.
The DSU shared a message it sent to the USAC which said in part: “Although the outcome of the voting for the resolution was disappointing for the DSU and for thousands and thousands of students comprising the organizations which pledged support for the resolution, we have revised the resolution to create a ‘new’ version of it for the USAC. The content of the resolution is largely the same, with updated numbers, and some wording changed, so we hope that the concerns raised with members not having had the chance to review the resolution will not present an issue.”
The DSU said that some members of the USAC raised concerns that the resolution was not known to a majority of the student body at UCLA, but according to the DSU, the resolution had an “outpouring of support” “from marginalized identity-based organizations, and BIPOC” which account for close to 65 percent of UCLA’s undergraduate population.
According to the DSU’s social media post, resolutions passed through the USAC “are not absolute” and the revised resolution notes that if passed, it would result in the USAC recommending mask mandates and COVID-19 vaccine requirements to UCLA.
In another update posted on the DSU Instagram story, the union received a response from the USAC internal vice president who said that their request for an emergency meeting was seen and the USAC would be holding a vote to decide whether to hold the emergency meeting in the coming days.
Newsweek reached out to UCLA, the DSU, and the USAC via email for comment.
Mask Mandates and COVID-19 Precautions: A Battle on College Campuses
As discussions around the return to COVID-19 precautions continue, college students in California are fighting to have mask mandates reinstated. The Disabled Students Union (DSU) at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), recently proposed a resolution that aimed to mandate masking, weekly PCR testing, COVID-19 vaccines, improvements in ventilation, and the reinstatement of the COVID-19 task force. Unfortunately, the resolution failed to receive enough votes from the university’s Undergraduate Student Association Council (USAC), leading the DSU to issue a call for an emergency meeting to vote on a revised version.
The Proposed Resolution and its Main Aspects
The resolution put forth by the DSU included several key components to strengthen COVID-19 precautions on campus. These aspects encompassed mask requirements for indoor and crowded outdoor spaces, weekly COVID-19 PCR testing, updated vaccine requirements, and the restoration of the COVID-19 task force at UCLA. By reinstating these measures, the DSU aims to enhance the safety and well-being of students and staff.
The Need for Mask Mandates: Growing Concern for Increasing Hospitalizations
The discussion around reinstating mask mandates has gained traction, especially as hospitals in New York have announced mask requirements due to rising COVID-19 hospitalizations. In August, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention raised concerns about a new COVID-19 variant, BA.2.86, which could potentially infect individuals who have previously had COVID-19 or received vaccines. However, recent updates from the CDC suggest that BA.2.86 is not currently causing significant increases in infections or hospitalizations in the United States.
Nevertheless, the healthcare company Kaiser Permanente in California has already re-implemented its mask mandate, reflecting the ongoing need for precautions. The state’s COVID-19 tracking dashboard indicates an average of 395.3 new COVID-19 hospitalizations per day as of September 9, which is significantly higher than the numbers seen in June and July when the average stayed below 200. These statistics provide a compelling argument for reinstating mask mandates on college campuses like UCLA.
The DSU’s Response to the Failed Resolution
Disappointed by the failed resolution, the DSU shared a message with the USAC, expressing their intention to revise the resolution and hold an emergency meeting to vote on the updated version. While some USAC members raised concerns about the resolution’s lack of visibility among the student body, the DSU emphasized that marginalized identity-based organizations and BIPOC students, who make up approximately 65 percent of UCLA’s undergraduate population, showed overwhelming support for the resolution.
The revised resolution, if passed, would prompt the USAC to recommend mask mandates and COVID-19 vaccine requirements to UCLA. The DSU remains committed to ensuring the safety and well-being of the entire UCLA community.
Awaited Decision: USAC’s Response and Next Steps
The DSU received a response from the USAC internal vice president, acknowledging their request for an emergency meeting. The USAC is currently considering whether to proceed with the emergency meeting, and a vote will be held in the coming days to determine the meeting’s fate. Updates will be shared with the UCLA community and stakeholders once a decision has been reached.
Newsweek has reached out to UCLA, the DSU, and the USAC for comment regarding this ongoing matter.
