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UFF, FEA release reopening recommendations for state colleges, universities

The recommendations include wearing masks, daily sanitation of school facilities and following the latest CDC guidelines.

TAMPA, Fla. — Reopening schools – many parents and students are eager to know when and how they can return to their universities in the Fall as we navigate coronavirus. 

On Wednesday, final recommendations for reopening state college and university campuses were released by the United Faculty of Florida and the Florida Education Association. 

The recommendations were created by a diverse group of stakeholders invested in the success of students and began working on this plan back on May 21. 

They focused on five areas: ensuring student success, social and emotional wellness and support, working conditions, investment in our neighborhood public schools and public health and safety.

“How can you enforce these face mask rules?” One person asked during the meeting. The 16-page report with guidelines for colleges and universities to reopen safely included many changes including:

  • Wearing face masks
  • Social distancing in classrooms, work spaces and buses
  • Following the CDC guidelines
  • No-touch hand sanitizers outside and inside of classrooms and bathrooms
  • Daily sanitation of school facilities

One big item noted in the report was additional funding for mental health services. It acknowledged what a traumatic time this has been and emphasized the importance of providing crisis teams to monitor emotional health at each facility.

It’s clear there will be changes come fall, the report stated “schools that seek to return to normal fall short.” But all of these changes begs the question – how will this be paid for?

One official said, “There are rainy day funds, foundation money, reserves, more money for higher education in the Heroes Act which just passed the house and we hope everyone will help us in urging our two Florida Senators to vote for passage of the heroes act and that our administration at the state level take into account that we need to maintain our funding our we are not eligible for the maximum amount of funding that could some our way.”

So what’s next? These guidelines do not need to be approved by the Florida Board of Governors or state officials. Instead, they will be sent to all Florida schools for school leaders to pull from as they create their own reopening plans.

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