From: "Gross, Louis J" Date: Saturday, August 21, 2021 at 1:36 PM To: dplowman Cc: "Gross, Louis J" , "Spurgeon, Shawn Lamont" , "Schussler, Elisabeth Ellen" , "Lyons, Beauvais" Subject: Re: Request for a full mask mandate at UT Chancellor Plowman, I continue to receive a plethora of communications from faculty asking why UTK is not following CDC guidance regarding masks on campus. The Knoxville News Sentinel today notes that for the Knoxville hospital district 96% of adult hospital beds are occupied, only seven ICU beds are available and hospitalizations for Covid are 25 times higher now than at the start of July. Dr. Wendy Long, president of the Tennessee Hospital Association, and “countless other medical professionals urge Tennesseans to wear masks in indoor public places to slow the spread of the virus”. This is to implore you to follow the lead of Chancellor Schwab at UTHSC and require masks indoors in all UTK facilities (see https://www.uthsc.edu/chancellor/messages/update-08-02-21.php ). President Boyd made it clear to the University Faculty Council that you have the authority to make decisions regarding mask wearing at UTK. From personal observation and reports from faculty (as well as was evident from my participation in several activities sponsored by various university offices over the past two weeks) very few individuals outside of classrooms are complying with CDC guidance and the guidance of our Tennessee health experts to wear masks indoors in public spaces. Though it may be too late to completely slow the spread, it is irresponsible of the University to not follow the clear guidance from health authorities on this matter. Stay well, Lou -- Louis J. Gross (he, him, his) Chancellor’s Professor and Alvin and Sally Beaman Distinguished Professor of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology and Mathematics Director Emeritus, National Institute for Mathematical and Biological Synthesis (NIMBioS.org) Director, The Institute for Environmental Modeling University of Tennessee - Knoxville President, 2006-2007, 2021-2022, UTK Faculty Senate Past-President, 2003-2005, Society for Mathematical Biology http://lgross.utk.edu/