Faculty respond to student claims of neglecting CU Safely Back measures

 Professor Julie Leopo gets masked up to teach her photojournalism class. Photo by DANIEL PEARSON, Photo Editor

Students recently expressed concern over some faculty members’ disregard of COVID-19 safety measures such as indoor masking, naming several professors who have allegedly taught without masks on in the classroom. 

Of the four accused professors, Mark Skousen, Patrick Flaherty, Duncan Houldsworth and Fred Smoller, three teach in Argyros School of Business and Economics. Thomas Turk, dean of the business school, told The Panther in an email interview that he has spoken with the faculty members named in the article, but has received no other complaints from students regarding neglect of COVID-19 safety measures in the classroom. 

“Each semester we remind faculty of the university guidelines and reiterate them in meetings,” Turk wrote to The Panther. “Faculty also receive emails from the university administration reviewing the evolving guidelines and reiterate them in meetings. If there is a complaint I will contact the professor to emphasize the importance of following the guidelines.”

Although California has lifted its indoor mask mandate, members of the Chapman community are still required to wear masks when indoors on campus.

“Certainly we are all looking forward to rolling back mask requirements when it is responsible to do so,” Turk wrote to The Panther. 

Fred Smoller, a political science professor named in student reports of mask misconduct, said he supports the university’s policy on masking. He contends that his mask sometimes slips and that he occasionally pulls it down to breathe; however, he told The Panther he has otherwise complied with the policy. 

“If I (made a student uncomfortable), I apologize and can only tell you I fully support the policy,” Smoller told The Panther. “The policy is right.”

The alleged incident took place in September, but Smoller maintains that he presently always wears his mask in the classroom. 

“Throughout interterm (and) throughout spring I’ve worn (a mask),” Smoller said. “I’m not bucking the policy.”

Additionally, Smoller told The Panther he has been getting tested for COVID-19 regularly to avoid potential exposure to students. 

“I’ve been tested more than I should, and I’ve never had any indication of having it,” Smoller said. “That doesn’t absolve me of responsibility to wear (a mask) but, just so you know, I haven’t been coming to school sick.” 

The student in question who dropped Smoller’s class reported the incident to the Dean of Students’ office, however, Smoller told The Panther he was never contacted with any complaints or disciplinary action. 

In a poll by The Panther asking if students are aware of the protocol to report a professor for disregarding CU Safely Back policies, one respondent out of 111 voted they were unfamiliar with who to report faculty non-compliance to. 

According to Provost Norma Bouchard, students should reach out to the dean of the college associated with the professor they are seeking to report and copy her on the email. If the complaint is about a dean, then students should report the situation directly to the provost’s office. 

“I understand the students might not feel comfortable asking a faculty member to put the mask on, but if they write to the dean of the college who oversees (professors in their college), they will inform the faculty that they’re out of compliance and have to put their masks back on,” Bouchard told The Panther. “If that doesn’t happen, of course, as the provost, I intervene.”

Though Orange County is currently in the orange, “substantial” tier for COVID-19 transmission according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention data tracker, declining positive case rates indicate potential for the county to soon transition to the yellow, “moderate” tier. In alignment with this transition, Chapman’s COVID-19 Task Force will be re-evaluating the university community’s comfort level with current masking protocols in the classroom.

The survey is due no later than 12 p.m. Feb. 28 and is accessible here.