U of Vermont Faculty Union Demands More Contact Tracing

United Academics, the faculty union at the University of Vermont, has filed a grievance demanding more contact tracing, VT Digger reported.

The union, which is affiliated with the American Federation of Teachers, 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 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.

An email from Joel Seligman, the university’s chief communications officer, said, “We take compliance and the health and safety of our employees very seriously.”

He said the university invited the union to “share information with the university about any situations they were aware of where they believe COVID-19 procedures were not properly followed” and did not receive a response.