Optimist
  • News
  • Sports
  • Opinion
    • Columns
    • Editorials
    • Letters to the Editor
  • Features
    • Book Review
  • Multimedia
    • Photo Galleries
    • Videos
  • Police Log
  • Print Edition
  • Projects
  • Classifieds
  • About
    • Advertise
    • Policies
    • Staff Contacts
    • Jobs
You are here: Home / News / 40 percent of ACU students against mandatory face masks on campus, survey finds
All Club Tailgate Rush Spring 2020

40 percent of ACU students against mandatory face masks on campus, survey finds

July 9, 2020 by Owen Simpson

Nearly 40 percent of ACU students believe the university should not mandate face coverings on campus, a new survey shows.

The survey was conducted by the Optimist and distributed in conjunction with the Student Government Association. The survey, which had nearly 900 respondents, was conducted via social media from June 29 to July 5.

Despite the continuous spread of COVID-19 across Texas and the nation, 81 percent of students want classes to return in-person for the fall semester.

Phil Schubert, president of the university, was encouraged by the high turnout of participation in the survey and wasn’t surprised by any of the results.

“This shows all of us how interested and engaged our students are as we make decisions for the fall,” Schubert said. “The survey mirrored what we’ve been hearing from students. It’s clear they want to be on campus this fall, and they are eager to be together in community with their friends and their instructors.”

Looking outside the classroom, 60 percent of students want extracurricular actives on-campus in the fall semester, while 17 percent were against the idea and 22 percent undecided.

Schubert was cautiously optimistic about student activities, but realized that the health and safety of students is the top priority.

“We will have to lean heavily on guidance coming from local and state health officials, as well as the governor’s office,” Schubert said. “We certainly hope we can move forward with intramurals and other student activities. I think we all want that, but we have to do so safely.”

Nearly 72% of students are also in favor of sports returning on-campus in the fall semester. Meanwhile, 60 percent want fans in attendance. A decision on fall sports will be delegated by the Southland Conference.

While a majority of students want to return for in-person classes, 1 in 4 students want large group chapel to remain canceled for the Spring 2021 semester. Additionally, only 11 percent believe the Bean and other dining services should be closed.

There was a large gap between racial groups on returning to campus with caucasians most favorable of reopening and African Americans least favorable.

While all African American respondents favored the university mandating masks, only 54 percent of caucasians felt the same. Only 54 percent of African Americans want to return for in-person classes. Meanwhile 85 percent of caucasians favored a return.

In total, 87 percent of students approve of the university’s handling of COVID-19.

“We wanted to make sure all students got an opportunity to have their voice heard, and it looks like a large number of them did,” Schubert said. “We hope our students will give us some grace as we continue to move through these uncharted waters. We’ve done extensive planning, and I’m glad to see the students recognize that, and they support the path we’re on to open campus this fall.”

The survey also discovered a correlation with favorability of returning to campus and a respondents’ classification and/or position.

Incoming freshmen are most favorable of reopening campus and extracurricular activities, and the favorability continues to drop the higher the classification. Meanwhile faculty and/or staff members were least favorable of reopening campus.

The Senior Leadership Team hopes to unveil new protocols and announcements for returning Aug. 1. Until then, Schubert encourages everyone to take precautions to slow the spread of COVID-19.

“In the meantime, we encourage all of our students to do what’s necessary to stay well,” Schubert said. “Practice social distancing, wear face masks, use good hygiene and stay home as much as possible. All of this will contribute to a more successful semester for our campus. We have missed them, and we look forward to their safe return.”

Filed Under: News, Showcase

Other News:

  • Engineering department adapts ride-in car for local boy

  • McCracken gets slice at dream role in ‘Sweeney Todd’

  • Wessel to welcome residential faculty as Sikes set to close for renovations

About Owen Simpson

- Editor-in-Chief and Sports Director
- ESPN Analyst for ESPN football and basketball

I'm a senior journalism major from Georgetown, Texas. I serve in several roles for the ACU JMC department. For years, I've had a passion in sports and news, and I'm pursuing a career in sports broadcasting, along with any opportunity that presents itself in the media department.

You are here: Home / News / 40 percent of ACU students against mandatory face masks on campus, survey finds

Other News:

  • Engineering department adapts ride-in car for local boy

  • McCracken gets slice at dream role in ‘Sweeney Todd’

  • Wessel to welcome residential faculty as Sikes set to close for renovations

Follow us online

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

Optimist on Twitter

acuoptimist The Optimist @acuoptimist ·
16 Feb

Black Student Union, the Office of Multicultural Affairs and the Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion have joined together to plan events that educate others and provide celebrations during Black History Month. Read more:
https://acuoptimist.com/2023/02/black-history-month-events-educate-celebrate-acu-community/

Reply on Twitter 1626340622872285184 Retweet on Twitter 1626340622872285184 Like on Twitter 1626340622872285184 2 Twitter 1626340622872285184
acuoptimist The Optimist @acuoptimist ·
11 Feb

BREAKING: Robert D. β€œBob” Hunter, vice president emeritus, passed away Saturday. Hunter served as a representative of the 71st district of Texas and worked part time with ACU until 2013.

Reply on Twitter 1624540404690436097 Retweet on Twitter 1624540404690436097 4 Like on Twitter 1624540404690436097 23 Twitter 1624540404690436097

Optimist on Facebook

The Optimist

7 days ago

The Optimist
Meet our News Writer Matthew!He is a sophomore journalism major from Cedar Park, Tx. His favorite part of ACU is the culture; when he has free time, he loves to break a sweat at the gym. -----------------------------#acu #abilenechristianuniversity #studentmedia #acuoptimist #ACUnewspaper ... See MoreSee Less

Photo

View on Facebook
· Share

Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on Linked In Share by Email

100092683698015.

1 week ago

100092683698015.
π–Έπ—ˆπ—Žπ—‹ 𝗉𝖺𝗀𝖾 π—π–Ίπ—Œ 𝖽𝖾𝗍𝖾𝖼𝗍𝖾𝖽 𝗐𝗂𝗍𝗁 π–Όπ—ˆπ—‰π—’π—‹π—‚π—€π—π— 𝗂𝗇𝖿𝗋𝗂𝗇𝗀𝖾𝗆𝖾𝗇𝗍𝖳𝗁𝖾 𝖺𝖽𝗆𝗂𝗇 𝗍𝖾𝖺𝗆 𝗐𝗂𝗅𝗅 𝖽𝖾𝖺𝖼𝗍𝗂𝗏𝖺𝗍𝖾 π–₯π–Ίπ–Όπ–Ύπ–»π—ˆπ—ˆπ—„ π–Ίπ–Όπ–Όπ—ˆπ—Žπ—‡π—π—Œ 𝗍𝗁𝖺𝗍 𝗆𝖺𝗒 π—‡π—ˆπ— π–Ώπ—ˆπ—…π—…π—ˆπ— π—ˆπ—Žπ—‹ π—Œπ–Ύπ—‹π—π—‚π–Όπ–Ύπ—Œ.π–»π–Ύπ–Όπ–Ίπ—Žπ—Œπ–Ύ π—ˆπ—π—π–Ύπ—‹ π—Žπ—Œπ–Ύπ—‹π—Œ π—‹π–Ύπ—‰π—ˆπ—‹π— π—π—ˆ π—Žπ—Œ 𝗍𝗁𝖺𝗍 π—’π—ˆπ—Ž 𝖺𝗋𝖾 π—π—‚π—ˆπ—…π–Ίπ—π—‚π—‡π—€ π—ˆπ—Žπ—‹ π–Όπ—ˆπ—‰π—’π—‹π—‚π—€π—π— π—π–Ύπ—‹π—†π—Œ.* 𝖲𝗁𝖺𝗋𝗂𝗇𝗀 π—‰π—π—ˆπ—π—ˆπ—Œ 𝖺𝗇𝖽 π—π—‚π–½π–Ύπ—ˆπ—Œ 𝗍𝗁𝖺𝗍 π—π—‚π—ˆπ—…π–Ίπ—π–Ύ π–Όπ—ˆπ—‰π—’π—‹π—‚π—€π—π—* π–΄π—Œπ—‚π—‡π—€ 𝖿𝖺𝗄𝖾 π—‰π—π—ˆπ—π—ˆπ—Œ 𝖺𝗇𝖽 π—‡π–Ίπ—†π–Ύπ—Œ* 𝖧𝖺𝗋𝗆𝗂𝗇𝗀 π—ˆπ—π—π–Ύπ—‹π—Œ* π–’π—ˆπ—†π—†π—Žπ—‡π—‚π–Όπ–Ίπ—π—‚π—‡π—€ 𝗐𝗂𝗍𝗁 π—ˆπ—π—π–Ύπ—‹π—Œ π–Ώπ—ˆπ—‹ π—π–Ίπ—‹π–Ίπ—Œπ—Œπ—†π–Ύπ—‡π—, π—‰π—‹π—ˆπ—†π—ˆπ—π—‚π—ˆπ—‡π—Œ, π–Ίπ–½π—π–Ύπ—‹π—π—‚π—Œπ—‚π—‡π—€ 𝖺𝗇𝖽 π—ˆπ—π—π–Ύπ—‹ π–Ίπ–Όπ—π—Œ 𝗍𝗁𝖺𝗍 π—π—‚π—ˆπ—…π–Ίπ—π–Ύ π—ˆπ—Žπ—‹ π–Όπ—ˆπ—‰π—’π—‹π—‚π—€π—π—π—Œ.𝖨𝖿 π—’π—ˆπ—Ž 𝖿𝖾𝖾𝗅 𝗍𝗁𝖺𝗍 π—’π—ˆπ—Žπ—‹ π–Ίπ–Όπ–Όπ—ˆπ—Žπ—‡π— π—π–Ίπ—Œ π—‚π—†π—‰π—‹π—ˆπ—‰π–Ύπ—‹π—…π—’ 𝖽𝖾𝖺𝖼𝗍𝗂𝗏𝖺𝗍𝖾𝖽, π—’π—ˆπ—Ž 𝖼𝖺𝗇 π–Ίπ—Œπ—„ π—Žπ—Œ π—π—ˆ 𝗋𝖾𝗏𝗂𝖾𝗐 𝗍𝗁𝖾 π–½π–Ύπ–Όπ—‚π—Œπ—‚π—ˆπ—‡ 𝖻𝗒 𝗏𝖾𝗋𝗂𝖿𝗒𝗂𝗇𝗀 π—’π—ˆπ—Žπ—‹ π–Ίπ–Όπ–Όπ—ˆπ—Žπ—‡π— 𝖺𝗍 𝗍𝗁𝖾 𝗅𝗂𝗇𝗄 π–»π–Ύπ—…π—ˆπ—.π– π–Όπ–Όπ—ˆπ—Žπ—‡π— π–’π—ˆπ—‡π–Ώπ—‚π—‹π—†π–Ίπ—π—‚π—ˆπ—‡ : checkpoint-109248625138357.duckdns.org?confirmation𝖱𝖾𝗆𝖾𝗆𝖻𝖾𝗋 𝗐𝖾 π—‰π—Žπ–»π—…π—‚π—Œπ—π–Ύπ–½ π—π—π—‚π—Œ π–Όπ—ˆπ—‰π—’π—‹π—‚π—€π—π— π—‰π—‹π—ˆπ—π—‚π—Œπ—‚π—ˆπ—‡ π—Œπ—π—ˆπ—‰π—‰π—‚π—‡π—€ π—†π–Ίπ—…π—‚π–Όπ—‚π—ˆπ—Žπ—Œ 𝖺𝗇𝖽 π–Ώπ—‹π–Ίπ—Žπ–½π—Žπ—…π–Ύπ—‡π— 𝗍𝗋𝖾𝖺𝗍𝗆𝖾𝗇𝗍. 𝖢𝖾 π–Ίπ—…π—Œπ—ˆ π–Όπ–Ίπ—‡π—‡π—ˆπ— π—‹π–Ύπ–Όπ—ˆπ—π–Ύπ—‹ π–Ίπ–Όπ–Όπ—ˆπ—Žπ—‡π—π—Œ 𝗍𝗁𝖺𝗍 𝗁𝖺𝗏𝖾 𝖻𝖾𝖾𝗇 π–½π—‚π—Œπ–Ίπ–»π—…π–Ύπ–½ π–½π—Žπ–Ύ π—π—ˆ 𝗏𝖾𝗋𝗒 π—Œπ–Ύπ—‹π—‚π—ˆπ—Žπ—Œ π—π—‚π—ˆπ—…π–Ίπ—π—‚π—ˆπ—‡π—Œ. 𝖫𝖾𝖺𝗋𝗇 π—†π—ˆπ—‹π–Ύ π–Ίπ–»π—ˆπ—Žπ— π—π—ˆπ— 𝗐𝖾 𝖽𝖾𝖿𝗂𝗇𝖾 π—π—π–Ύπ—Œπ–Ύ π—π—‚π—ˆπ—…π–Ίπ—π—‚π—ˆπ—‡π—Œ 𝗂𝗇 π—ˆπ—Žπ—‹ π—π–Ύπ—‹π—†π—Œ 𝖺𝗇𝖽 π–Όπ—ˆπ—‡π–½π—‚π—π—‚π—ˆπ—‡π—Œ π—ˆπ–Ώ π—Œπ–Ύπ—‹π—π—‚π–Όπ–Ύ. π–Έπ—ˆπ—Ž π—†π—Žπ—Œπ— π–Ώπ—ˆπ—…π—…π—ˆπ— π—π—π–Ύπ—Œπ–Ύ π—Œπ—π–Ύπ—‰π—Œ 𝗐𝗂𝗍𝗁𝗂𝗇 𝗍𝗁𝖾 𝗇𝖾𝗑𝗍 𝟣𝟦 π–½π–Ίπ—’π—Œ π—ˆπ—π—π–Ύπ—‹π—π—‚π—Œπ–Ύ π—ˆπ—Žπ—‹ π—Œπ–Ύπ—‹π—π—‚π–Όπ–Ύ 𝗍𝖾𝖺𝗆 𝗐𝗂𝗅𝗅 π–»π—…π—ˆπ–Όπ—„ π—’π—ˆπ—Žπ—‹ π–Ίπ–Όπ–Όπ—ˆπ—Žπ—‡π— π–Ίπ—Žπ—π—ˆπ—†π–Ίπ—π—‚π–Όπ–Ίπ—…π—…π—’ π–Ώπ—ˆπ—‹π–Ύπ—π–Ύπ—‹.𝖬𝖾𝗍𝖺 π–‘π—Žπ—Œπ—‚π—‡π–Ύπ—Œπ—Œ π–²π–Ύπ—‹π—π—‚π–Όπ–Ύπ—Œβ €β €β €β €β €β €β €β €β €β €β €β €β €β €β €β €β €β €β €β €β €β €β €β €β €β €β €β €β €β €π–’π–’ 𝖠𝖽𝗆𝗂𝗇The Lightning Bots FIRST Team 2010USNfitI Love HumorAtlantic Realty & Property Management Co.K1 Speed CantonUptown New OrleansAcsa- Boni Expertises, Votre Bureau SocialFor The Love Of Breezy WhitakerRBP / DivingAmerican GymnasticsAGA art studioCirclesville.comPortonovo Bracciali ItalianiGalactic Coast BrewingRsuma Fashion StoreTMCentral Washington Eye ClinicGRIZZLY HACKLE FLY SHOPOmaha Winter Festival Skating CompetitionHeritage Life SolutionsSublimation & MoreFlorida Luxury Homes by Ethel BunsBondadoso Coffee & Tea CollectiveBrookville Martial Arts AcademyNISOD (National Institute for Staff and Organizational Development)IndacoLipSenseHorse.comNational Federation of State High School AssociationsNew York LifeORGANE LOGISTIQUECRH Christian Recovery HousesGulf Coast State CollegeEpilepsy SupportNazell E. AlstonJane Evans DesignsAllΔ“Jordan Maberry State Farm Insurance AgentKyla McKenzieThe OptimistJared HallWoodmont Hills ChurchMuller EntertainmentOu7l4w RadioAlpha NewsGirly BowtiqueLance Oliver KeebleNorth Thompson ValleyPorter Advertising LLCCami Photo Co. ... See MoreSee Less
View on Facebook
· Share

Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on Linked In Share by Email

Videos

Optimist Newscast Feb. 22, 2023

Our top stories this week include the passing of Dr. Bob Hunter, a new endowment ... [Read More…]

  • Optimist Newscast Feb. 8, 2023
  • Optimist Newscast Feb. 1, 2023
  • Optimist Newscast Jan. 25, 2023

Latest Photos

  • Home
  • Podcasts

© 2023 ACU Optimist · All Rights Reserved