VTDigger: UVM union says contact tracing for faculty is insufficient, files grievance

UVM union says contact tracing for faculty is insufficient, files grievance

“United Academics cited four instances when an instructor did not receive warning that a student they worked with one-on-one had been diagnosed with Covid-19, as well as other instances when professors were not notified by administrators of multiple students in their class testing positive.

“Instructors are becoming aware of close-contact exposure only when they are told directly by students in their classes who tested positive,” the grievance read. 

According to university policy, students are not alerted to a possible Covid-19 exposure if one of their classmates tests positive. Administrators say they enacted this policy because there was no evidence of classroom transmission during the 2020-21 academic year.

But the union has rejected that reasoning, pointing out that classes last year were socially distanced, whereas this year they are not.”