Texas A&M Faculty Senate Hears From The President And Provost About Reopening And The Costs Of Sul Ross Statue Protests

Screen shot from a Texas A&M faculty senate video conference meeting.
Screen shot from a Texas A&M faculty senate video conference meeting.

Texas A&M president Michael Young and provost Carol Fierke were among the speakers at the August meeting of the university’s faculty senate.

Dr. Fierke says they are monitoring 20 different things that will help determine if and when A&M makes operational changes due to the pandemic. Faculty senate members also learned that more than 56,000 students have completed required coronavirus prevention training. Students who don’t complete the training will have their online HOWDY accounts frozen. Fierke and associate provosts Michael Benedik and Michael Stephenson fielded a variety of faculty questions related to student conduct in and out of the classroom and on and off campus.

Click below for campus reopening comments from the August 10, 2020 Texas A&M faculty senate meeting:

Listen to “Comments from Texas A&M administrators to the faculty senate about reopening the campus” on Spreaker.

When asked about the ongoing protests and counterprotests at the Sul Ross statue, Young says each event costs the university $15,000 to $25,000 for public safety. Young says that is money that could be going towards academics. Provost Carol Fierke also detailed the number of law enforcement officers and devices that have been used during protests and counterprotests that have and have not been in public view.

Click below for Sul Ross statue comments from the August 10, 2020 Texas A&M faculty senate meeting:

Listen to “Texas A&M faculty senate learns the cost of protests and counterprotests at the Sul Ross statue” on Spreaker.