The University of Michigan is
planning to hold a fall semester
mostly
featuring
a
return
to
normalcy,
including
in-person
instruction for small and medium
size classes, on-campus housing and
large crowds at sports games. This is
largely due to the state of Michigan’s
and the University’s progress in
COVID-19 vaccinations.
In a previous interview with
The Michigan Daily, University
President
Mark
Schlissel
said
vaccinations against COVID-19 are
crucial to the University’s plans to
open in the fall.
“The greater fraction of people
who are vaccinated, the more likely
we are to have a semester in the
fall that feels as close to normal as
possible,” Schlissel said. “The best
case scenario is that 95 or 98% of
students and an overwhelming
majority of faculty and staff are
vaccinated.”
Vaccination Updates
Everybody over the age of 12
in Michigan is currently eligible
to get vaccinated. At the time
of publication, 58.1% of eligible
Michigan residents have received
at least one shot of a COVID-19
vaccine. Washtenaw County has
one of the highest rates of COVID-19
vaccination in Michigan, with 62.4%
of those eligible receiving at least
one shot of a COVID-19 vaccine.
Anybody 12 years or older can
receive a COVID-19 vaccine at
Michigan Medicine. The University
urges
vaccinated
students
to
report their vaccination status to
Wolverine Access. This information
will be used to inform plans for the
fall semester and will allow students
to opt out of regular COVID-19
testing in the fall.
LSA sophomore Ava Ben-David
was impressed with how easy it is
to access COVID-19 vaccines in Ann
Arbor.
“(I) think that vaccinations are
very accessible, and that people
are getting them,” Ben-David said.
“Every single one of my friends is
vaccinated, and I don’t really know
anyone that isn’t vaccinated.”
In an email to The Daily,
University
spokesperson
Kim
Broekhuizen said the University
expects many students to get a
COVID-19 vaccine without making
it mandatory.
“We remain confident that …
we will have a sufficiently high
percentage
of
our
community
vaccinated,” Broekhuizen wrote.
“Encouragement may be more
effective than a mandate to achieve
the goal of maximizing vaccinations
against COVID-19 in the months
ahead. Any student who is in
need of vaccination will have the
opportunity to be vaccinated when
they arrive in Ann Arbor.”
Some
faculty
have
grown
frustrated with the lack of a vaccine
mandate for students living on
campus
and
attending
classes
during the upcoming fall semester.
In early May, over 700 instructors
signed on to a petition calling for
a vaccine mandate. In the event
that the administration refused
to institute a mandate, the faculty
members requested that instructors
2
Thursday, June 3, 2021
The Michigan Daily — michigandaily.com
NEWS
Vaccines are here. Here’s
what you need to know
about U-M’s fall semester
The
Ann
Arbor
Art
Fair
will be held after all this July,
leaders of all three Ann Arbor
Art Fairs (Ann Arbor Original
Art Fair, The State Street Art
Fair and the Summer Art Fair)
announced in a joint statement
released on Thursday. The move
comes after the Art Fair was
initially canceled on May 12 due
to COVID-19 safety concerns
and protocols limiting outdoor
gatherings. In the statement,
Art Fair Leaders wrote that Gov.
Gretchen Whitmer’s May 20
announcement that all outdoor
gathering
restrictions
would
expire on June 1 paved the way
for the Ann Arbor Art Fair to
return in full swing.
“In
light
of
the
recent
announcement
lifting
the
restrictions on outdoor events,
the Fair Directors met with city
officials and the local health
department and decided that
a safe and successful event
could be achieved after all,” the
organizers wrote.
Due to the late timing of the
decision, the Art Fair has been
condensed from four to three days
— July 15, 16 and 17. Additionally,
the
fair
will
be
instituting
stronger safety measures and
protocols, organizers said.
“This year’s event will include
more
space
between
booths
to allow for social distancing,
masks will be encouraged and
hand sanitizing stations will
be throughout the fair,” the
organizers wrote. “Fair staff will
also continue working closely
with the health department to
ensure the safety of the artists,
fairgoers, staff and everyone
involved.”
Ann Arbor Art Fair Back on
After Cancellation
JUSTIN O’BEIRNE
Daily Staff Reporter
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The Michigan Daily (ISSN 0745-967) is published Monday
through Friday during the fall and winter terms by students
at the University of Michigan. One copy is available free
of charge to all readers. Additional copies may be picked
up at the Daily’s office for $2 per issue. Subscriptions for
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Design by Maggie Wiebe
uncomfortable
with
teaching
unvaccinated students be able to opt
out of in person instruction.
Studnts who are not vaccinated
against COVID-19 will be required
to undergo weekly COVID-19 testing.
However, as of May 20, Broekhuizen
said the University has verified more
than 13,300 vaccinated students.
In December 2020, shortly after the
first Emergency Use Authorization
of a COVID-19 vaccine in the United
States, Michigan Medicine released
the “Blue Queue Questionnaire.”
All U-M and Michigan Medicine
students, faculty, staff and employees
were encouraged to fill out the
Questionnaire. The Questionnaire
asked participants about certain
criteria, such as age and occupation,
as well as interest level in getting a
COVID-19 vaccine. Participants were
emailed when they became eligible
for a vaccine.
On Tuesday, May 18, the Blue
Queue sent an email writing that
everybody
who
demonstrated
interest in receiving a COVID-19
vaccine through the Blue Queue
have been officially told that they are
eligible for vaccination.
“We have at this point been able
to clear the ‘Queue,’” the email said.
“All U-M Personnel who completed
the Blue Queue questionnaire and
indicated an interest in the COVID-
19 vaccine have been invited to
schedule an appointment or received
the vaccine elsewhere.”
Residence Halls
Residence halls are planning to
open this fall at no more than 80%
capacity. Students planning to live
in on-campus housing are required
to be vaccinated against COVID-
19 and need to report receiving
the vaccine to Wolverine Access
by 5 p.m. on July 16. The Michigan
Housing website says any students
unable to meet this deadline should
contact MHousing. The University
will accept any vaccines approved
by the United States Food and Drug
Administration
(FDA),
including
the
Pfizer-BioNTech,
Moderna
and Johnson & Johnson/Jannsen
vaccines, or the World Health
Organization
(WHO),
including
the AstraZeneca (Covishield) and
Sinopharm vaccines.
The University said it will help
students get a vaccine if they arrive
on campus unvaccinated, which has
been of particular concern for some
international students who come
from countries that have not received
many doses of the vaccine.
According
to
the
MHousing
website, limited exceptions to the
vaccination requirement will be
allowed. Students may apply for a
vaccine waiver no later than July
16. Students who receive a vaccine
waiver will be required to undergo
regular COVID-19 testing to live
on-campus.
Read more at michigandaily.com