Zoom problems postpone Fresno-area colleges vaccine mandate vote
After hundreds of people were capped out of entering the State Center Community College special meeting Friday, leaders decided to reschedule, which would let more of the public give input on whether or not the district should require a COVID-19 vaccine to be on campus.
After the meeting began at 1 p.m., trustees realized only about 300 people were able to get in, leaving out about 400 more.
The chancellor, trustees and legal counsel discussed the problem for about 45 minutes before trustees voted 6-1 to reschedule. A time and date will be posted online at least 24 hours in advance.
The rescheduled meeting will be set as a webinar on Zoom, instead of a regular meeting, which caps the number of participants and is how the board usually conducts its meetings.
Chancellor Doug Houston said the district has a license to create a webinar, but it was already in use Friday. It would have also put the district in a gray area of violating the Brown Act, because the new link would have not been posted for at least 24 hours.
What was the special meeting about?
The board was supposed to vote whether to mandate COVID-19 vaccinations for all employees, students, contractors, and visitors on campuses.
State Center is home to Fresno City College, Reedley College, and Clovis and Madera Community Colleges.
School began Aug. 9 at Fresno City College and with classes underway it wasn’t immediately clear when such a requirement would go into effect or how it could be implemented.
The California Community College system, unlike California State University and the University of California, has left the decision to require vaccinations up to each district. The CSU and UC announced over the summer they were mandating vaccinations on all campuses.
Just three weeks ago, Chancellor Doug Houston said the plan, “right now, is not to mandate vaccines unless circumstances change.”
The district is already requiring employees to report their vaccination status. Masks are required indoors at all campuses, regardless of vaccination status. Each college provides incentives, such as $250 bookstore vouchers at Fresno City College, to students who show proof of vaccination.
The consideration comes after coronavirus hospitalizations have begun rising again due to the Delta variant, after falling during the summer.
If the resolution passes, exemptions for religious beliefs and medical conditions would be honored. Any other person would have to show proof of vaccination before “physically accessing any District building, classroom, library gymnasium, facility, or other indoor space.”
Students could be removed from in-person classes, disciplined, or expelled for failing to or refusing to comply with the requirements, the resolution read. Employees could be subject to disciplinary measures or have pay withheld.
Members of the public who wish to comment can give advance notice by emailing bot570@scccd.edu or calling 559-243-7103 with their name and comment topic.
This story was originally published August 19, 2021 at 7:34 AM.