LETTER TO THE EDITOR | Auburn's answer to COVID-19? 'Party on'

A bit more than a week ago, I sent the following message to leaders of the Auburn University administration, University Senate, Coach Bryan Harsin and Athletics Director Allen Greene:

"I feel like I am living in Bizarro World. This morning I received an email invitation to a Football Preseason Kickoff for Saturday, Aug. 28. This is during a time when:

1. the East Alabama Medical Center ICU is nearing full capacity,
2. the rate of COVID-19 cases is soaring in Alabama,
3. there is evidence that the Delta variant can be passed outdoors when people are close to each other, especially without masks and for extended periods of time,
4. the vaccination rate in Alabama is near the bottom of the entire U.S.,
5. the state of Alabama has passed a law against vaccine mandates and against even asking students or employees if they have been vaccinated,
6. the vaccination rate of AU faculty and staff is somewhere between 33% and 60% according to different sources (I’m not aware of any official number),
7. the vaccine rate among AU students is unknown but likely lower than faculty and staff,
8. our football coach will apparently not even say whether he has received the vaccine, and
9. I’ve seen no substantial public outreach from AU Athletics encouraging vaccination, nor information about vaccination rates among AU athletes. At least the University of Alabama Athletics Department has been very public about vaccine encouragement – witness public service announcements from Coach Saban, and the University of Mississippi touts its 100% vaccination rate in its Athletics Department. We know that Coach Saban is a great football coach, but it now appears that he also understands science better than our folks at AU. Athletics is given such huge emphasis at AU, and now is a time when it could actually be helping to save lives, but instead it’s throwing a party.

I’ve always thought that a university is a place where science is frontmost and center. I’m questioning that view about Auburn right now. Despite these comments which I intend to be direct and to the point, I do appreciate your efforts on behalf of Auburn University. Hoping for the good health and success of all of us.”

Since then, I have received exactly one response. That response came from the AU Executive Director of Public Affairs, and it essentially restated Auburn University’s policies on COVID-19, including the following statement: “The top priority of the university in all decisions is the health, safety and well-being of the campus community.” In the meantime since my message, all ICU beds in Alabama became occupied, and Coach Harsin tested positive for COVID. Back in July, Coach Harsin stated that taking the vaccine was “an intensely personal decision.” I beg to differ. When declining vaccination means that you are more likely to pass the infection to others, more likely to permit the development of a more dangerous variant and more likely to cause serious illness, hospitalization (including placing strain on health care facilities and workers) and death of others, it hardly seems an intensely personal decision. Instead, it seems that it’s a Golden Rule decision; “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.” I also find it ironic that some evangelical Christians are among those refusing the vaccine, given that Jesus said, “Love thy neighbor as thyself.”

Auburn University continues to advertise the Auburn Family Football Preseason Kickoff, and local high schools continue to fill stadiums for games. It appears that their answer to the greatest pandemic in our lifetime is, “Party on!” I guess that’s a personal decision also. As Dr. Fred Kam did in a recent Plainsman letter, I call on everyone to take responsibility for keeping Auburn (the University, the City and the surrounding communities) healthy during this challenging time.

Bruce Gladden is a professor in the School of Kinesiology at Auburn University, where he has been since 1989.