We KU administrators put students’ safety first as they return to class amid COVID-19

The Star’s recent editorial critical of University of Kansas administrators for our approach to bringing students back to campus is riddled with reckless accusations. Moreover, the editorial is entirely silent on the health and safety measures KU has implemented to continue serving the students and citizens who rely on us.

We did not lie about data from a recent student survey. Our survey showed 78.5% of respondents said they intended to enroll in classes that are either entirely or partially in-person. Any suggestion otherwise is simply untrue.

The overall premise of the editorial — that our decision to have students on campus is driven by money — is irresponsible and wrong. Our decisions are driven by our mission to serve students and the region, which includes Kansas City businesses, nonprofits, schools and health care organizations that rely on our graduates, our research and our outreach.

Our students have overwhelmingly told us they want and need to be here. They want to be here because of the interactions and experiences that only a university campus can provide. They need to be here because some coursework needs to be done in a laboratory, in a design studio or on a stage. They want and need to be here so they can access on-campus programs and services, many of which are crucial to our most vulnerable populations.

The desire to be in the classroom is not unique to KU or higher education. At universities across the country, and in many Kansas City school districts, students and parents are pleading for classroom instruction, peer connections and co-curricular activities.

Additionally, we are disappointed that The Star’s editorial did not make any mention of the extraordinary safety measures KU has implemented — measures that make our campus safer than many other areas of society. Here are just a few examples:

▪ We have reengineered every aspect of university operations to reduce density and provide as much protection as possible. Everyone whose work can be done from home continues to work from home. Everyone is provided personal protective equipment. We’ve modified classroom spaces, erected tents for outdoor meetings and shortened our academic calendar to minimize travel. We’ve enacted a mask policy, changed our class schedule to allow for social distancing and acquired housing for self-isolation and quarantine.

▪ We have committed to reaching our students wherever they are, including those who are not able to be on campus for health, financial or travel reasons. We are providing 34% of our class sections online, 33% in hybrid format and 33% on campus. We have met 1,000 student requests for course adaptations.

▪ We are one of the region’s only institutions with mandatory COVID-19 testing for all students and employees returning to campus. So far, we have registered 19,452 entry test results with a positivity rate of 1.14%. This rate is in line with what we expected and are prepared to manage, and it is lower than rates of many local counties.

Finally, the editorial board’s suggestion that we are “determined to keep students on campus until the checks clear” is, frankly, appalling. We will not close campus unless it’s absolutely necessary, and that determination will be made by our Pandemic Medical Advisory Team, which includes nine of the region’s top public health officials and doctors.

This pandemic represents an unprecedented challenge for society. As a public research university, this is precisely when students and organizations across Kansas City expect KU to step up, lead and continue its mission of education, service and research.

We are proud of the work our faculty, staff and students have done to help us thoughtfully reopen campus, and we will continue to prioritize their health and safety.

Douglas A. Girod is chancellor of the University of Kansas. He coauthored this with Barbara A. Bichelmeyer, KU provost and executive vice chancellor.

This story was originally published August 28, 2020 at 5:00 AM with the headline "We KU administrators put students’ safety first as they return to class amid COVID-19."