University of Winnipeg removes mask mandate despite faculty concerns, union president says

As post-secondary institutions prepare for a full return to campus this fall, the University of Winnipeg has lifted its mask mandate — in spite of some faculty at the school saying they're apprehensive about that decision.

In a COVID-19 update posted online last week, the university said that effective Aug. 17, masks would "highly recommended," but not required on campus.

The announcement came just as the University of Winnipeg Faculty Association was wrapping up a survey on how staff felt about mandatory masks for the upcoming fall term.

Peter Miller, the president of the association, says that its members — both permanent and contract staff — were strongly in favour of keeping the mandate.

"We're returning to a full-scale campus here for the first time since the pandemic began. But in doing so, we've abandoned some of the easiest safety protocols," Miller said.

"It seemed to us that this non-invasive form of prevention of COVID-19 made sense in order to have a successful — as they're [university administration] calling it — return to campus this fall."

He says that despite the faculty concerns, the university has held firm in its new mask policy.

The University of Winnipeg declined to provide comment to CBC News.

The U of W joins several other Manitoba post-secondary schools in dropping the mask requirement.

University College of the North, Red River College Polytechnic, Brandon University and Canadian Mennonite University will not require masks on campus.

The University of St. Boniface currently has a mask mandate, but it will expire Sept. 1.

The University of Manitoba will continue to require masks in September and until further notice, but has amended its policy to allow instructors to remove them while teaching, provided students are a minimum of two metres away. Staff can also remove their masks at their desks, if there are barriers in place between them and adjacent workers.

'I don't feel protected': prof

U of W professor Michelle Owens says she's confused by the fact her school has dropped its mask requirement, while the province's largest university has chosen to keep its policy in place.

"I was shocked," said Owens, who co-ordinates the U of W's disability studies program.

"Presumably both institutions are working from the same data," she said. "I really don't understand how they're going in such different directions."

Owens said she will be teaching in a small classroom and will try to spread students out as much as she can, but wonders how many students simply won't come to class because they don't feel safe.

"I really thought when I was told that I would be teaching back in the classroom this fall that my administration would be protecting me — and I don't feel protected."

While the University of Winnipeg strongly recommends the use of masks, faculty are not allowed to require that in their own classrooms.

"Hopefully in the classroom when … a faculty member says, 'let's all remember to put it on,' people will do it," said Miller.

"But the obvious way to avoid all these situations of having to remind people … is simply to mandate it."