University’s Return Plan to Classroom Ignores Pandemic’s Impact on Communities of Color

IOWA CITY — In early July, the United States surpassed three million COVID-19 cases. As of July 17, the country has confirmed more than 138,000 deaths stemming from the pandemic. Nonetheless, universities across the country are eager to send students, faculty, and instructional staff back into the classroom.

The University of Iowa (UI), where I am a graduate student and Teaching Assistant,
announced last month that it is’s prioritizing face-to-face instruction for fall 2020.” They have opted for a hybrid model in which classes of 50 or more students...