The results of the mask and vaccine mandate survey have been released and were discussed at the College Planning Council meeting on Tuesday, Sept. 20. 

Superintendent Interim-President, Kindred Murrillo, sent out an email at the beginning of September that linked a survey about COVID-19 protocols at City College. The email stated that the purpose of the survey was to gain input from students on masking and vaccination policies for the spring semester to predict how the policies may affect attendance. 

The results of the survey reflected that students are more likely to return to in-person classes if mask mandates are lifted yet results were evenly split on vaccine requirements. Most staff members voted the requirement of vaccines wouldn’t be a deciding factor in their return, but mask requirements would. 

A poll was also conducted during the meeting in which 75% of council members said they didn’t support requiring masking for spring. A second poll was administered and the results showed about 45% of council members were not in favor of a vaccine mandate. 

The council members discussed the results and gave their input on the possible policies while representing their respective departments. 

“Vaccines are important but in terms of a college campus, the vaccine would act very different now than it did at the start of the pandemic,” Jamie Campbell, representative of the faculty association, said. “Having a mostly vaccinated community will not impart protection to other people the way that it did at the start of the pandemic.”

When comparing data from other city colleges in this area, fewer students return when mask and vaccine mandates are in place. City College had a 4.2% decrease in the headcount of students this year. Antelope Valley College and Oxnard College did not require masking and vaccines this semester and had an increase in headcount. 

The main concern is if masking and vaccines are enforced, fewer students will return to in-person classes next semester. 

Members who deal with admission in their departments explained enrolling was much harder with the vaccine mandate in place which could be one of the reasons enrollment decreased. 

“The process of uploading the vaccine cards was extremely challenging for students,” Student Success Coordinator, Marylou Huerta, said. 

She went on to explain how students already have to apply, do an orientation, plan classes, register for those classes, and activate their pipeline accounts. According to Huerta, adding another step makes things much more complicated for students. 

While the importance of having a student-centered response to the survey was stressed by council members, a few members argued that convenience shouldn’t be favored over serious health risks. 

Campbell explained he had been receiving emails from “scared faculty members” concerned about masking. 

“I had one professor email me and tell me that in the middle of her impassioned plea for students to wear masks because she is immunocompromised, students were taking off their masks,” Campbell said.  

At this meeting, no decision was made about mask and vaccine mandates but in the meantime, representatives are expected to share this information with their respective departments and discuss it.