Groups are concerned as UF President Kent Fuchs pushes for changes in the spring

GAINESVILLE, Fla. (WCJB) - UF Workers for a Safe Reopening, United Faculty of Florida at UF, and other organizations hosted a rally outside of the president’s home on campus on Sunday. One professor believes there isn’t a need to increase in-person classes.

“We are trying to protect the health and well being of students, staff, and faculty and members of our community. What we are trying to do is continue to minimize face-to-face teaching and to try to emphasize remote teaching and remote learning, and the research that we are doing right now is very effective. There is no reason to push us back into crowded classrooms and substandard conditions,” said History Professor Paul Ortiz.

Professor Ortiz and others are President Fuchs to continue with the current plan in place.

“There is no reason to push us back into face to face teaching with this pandemic not even reaching its peak yet. We feel that increasing face to face teaching is going to make health conditions really appalling for not only faculty but staff and students as well.”

We reached out to UF leaders for comment, and they referred us to President Fuch’s statement from October 9th, where he said in part, “The next step we must take is to significantly increase the opportunity for students to experience in-person, face-to-face learning. Our students deserve this opportunity.”

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