Since the onset of the semester, controversy has surrounded LSU’s mask and vaccine mandates. Students have voiced their frustration on Facebook, Twitter, YikYak and other social media platforms, and their Student Government representatives are listening.
SG President Javin Bowman said the mandate will likely remain in place for the duration of the fall semester but whether it will be enforced in the spring has yet to be decided by LSU’s administration and COVID task force. LSU’s policy is also contingent upon Gov. John Bel Edwards’ decision for the state.
According to Bowman, the university’s 84% vaccination rate is slowly but steadily increasing. Students who have yet to receive their second dose will be barred from registering for the spring semester unless they opt out via the vaccine exemption form.
“Faculty has loved being back in the classroom and so have students,” Bowman said. “COVID rules are being followed and Provost Lee said there have been little to no complaints from faculty about classes.”
Lizzie Shaw, director of student outreach in SG, said some students have expressed discontent toward the current mandates.
“A lot of students don’t understand it,” Shaw said. “They’re upset that Tiger Stadium doesn’t have a mask mandate yet students have to wear them while in class. That’s the comparison I hear most of the time, not that students are upset about having to wear masks but that the rules are hypocritically enforced in their eyes.”
Although cases have been waning locally, Shaw said she feels like the mandate is still necessary.
“I’d rather be more cautious for longer than return to normal too quickly,” Shaw said.
Sanaa Alam, director of academic affairs for SG, agrees with Shaw.
“I am in favor of the mandate staying because I don’t think we’re out of the woods yet,” Alam said. “There’s always the potential for a new variant to emerge and spread. Keeping the mandate is just the safer option in the long-term.”
Alam added that she received a lot of feedback from students during the beginning of the semester and that some of them felt unsafe due to students not wearing their masks properly.
“Some professors probably couldn’t see all the students in their class from where they were standing,” Alam said. “So it was tough for professors to make sure that all students were wearing their masks the right way.”
Alam added that there’s a form on the MyLSU homepage where students can report those who aren’t properly masking. If a specific building receives enough reports, Landmark Event Staffing Services will send a security guard to enforce the mandate.
