Maddening Rutgers mask policy changed again

The on again, off again, mask policy at Rutgers University is off again.

The faculty union has been pressing for Rutgers to let professors decide if masks should be worn in classrooms, and are awaiting a final ruling from the state's Public Employment Relations Council (PERC.)

A hearing has been schedule for later this month, but a final ruling is not expected until December.

Rutgers dropped the universal mask policy that had been in effect during the pandemic on Oct.3. It was reinstated Oct. 5 when the Rutgers AAUP-AFT union filed a complaint before PERC, claiming the decision was made without their input and outside the collective bargaining process. They claimed it was a "change in working conditions."

PERC has now said Rutgers can drop the mask mandate pending their final ruling.

Rutgers' executive vice president and chief operations officer Antonio Calcado explained the change in an email to faculty and staff, stressing that face covering remains optional in classrooms and libraries. Calcado says the school "fully respects" a personal decision to wear a mask, and encouraged students and staff to do so, but it was not a requirement.

Union officials expressed disappointment.

The majority of colleges and universities in New Jersey dropped mask mandates for the new school year, though they remain optional for anyone on campus.

Princeton University does allow professors to decide if masks are to be worn in their individual learning spaces, which is what the Rutgers' union is arguing for.

The PERC hearing on the matter is scheduled for Nov. 22.

Eric Scott is the senior political director and anchor for New Jersey 101.5. You can reach him at eric.scott@townsquaremedia.com

Click here to contact an editor about feedback or a correction for this story.

How much does the average NJ home cost? Median prices by county

Everything is costing more these days — and housing is certainly no exception in New Jersey.

Data for 2022 from January through August, compiled by New Jersey Realtors, shows that South Jersey has been seeing homes hit the market and sell in less than a month, on average.

Median prices for single-family homes have reached $500,000 and above in nine counties in North and Central Jersey.

All but two counties have seen houses go for more than the list price, on average, this year.

What would happen to NJ if we were attacked by nuclear weapons?

We used NUKEMAP by Alex Wellerstein to see what would happen if a nuclear warhead hit New York, Philadelphia, Washington or New Jersey.

The models show what would happen in aerial detonation, meaning the bomb would be set off in the sky, causing considerable damage to structures and people below; or what would happen in a ground detonation, which would have the alarming result of nuclear fallout. The models do not take into account the number of casualties that would result from fallout.

LOOK: Baby names that are illegal around the world

Stacker scoured hundreds of baby name databases and news releases to curate a list of baby names that are illegal somewhere in the world, along with explanations for why they’re banned.

Source: Maddening Rutgers mask policy changed again

Filed Under: mask mandate, Rutgers University

Categories: New Jersey News