Hofstra Division I sports seem to have become the exception for university-wide mask mandates this fall. // Photo courtesy of Hofstra Athletics.
While the Hofstra campus continues to prioritize campus safety and follow the “Together Again” guidelines set by the University, Hofstra Division I sports teams have become the exception to these restrictions. Students in the men’s and women’s basketball teams are allowed to practice and compete without wearing their masks.
“It’s really frustrating because [they are] blatantly not following the guidance and rules that Hofstra has given to all departments in the school,” said junior drama major Zach Morris. “It feels like they care about sports and the things sports does for the school more than the community health.”
Other students involved in club sports, the dance team and the drama and dance department feel as though Hofstra should be treating all students equally.
“The Division I athletes are students just like everyone else,” said sophomore public relations major and member of the Hofstra dance team Bella LoBue. “If they’re going to continue to tell me to put my mask on, then they should be telling [DI student athletes] to put their mask on.”
LoBue thinks practicing and dancing with a mask on is extremely difficult and is a challenge for all the dancers. Being Hofstra University’s third highest ranked team, LoBue does not understand why the sports teams are getting preferential treatment over the dance team.
“Our NCAA Division I student athletes train, practice and compete under the supervision of a team physician and a cadre of athletic trainers,” read a statement from University Relations Assistant Vice President Karla Schuster, “who monitor their health with the guidance of Northwell Health.”
Hofstra’s drama and dance department is requiring all students to wear masks when training and rehearsing indoors. However, students will be allowed to perform without masks if they are regularly tested for COVID-19 during show weeks.
Division I student athletes are following the same safety and COVID-19 testing protocols as the rest of the student body, according to statements released from the University and athletics department.
“Student athletes, like all on campus students, are vaccinated,” read a statement from the University. “They are subject to the same testing protocols as on-campus students, participating in surveillance testing as well as being tested if they are symptomatic or are deemed to have been in close contact with someone who has tested positive.”
Students do not think that being supervised by a team physician is a valid excuse for student athletes to not follow the same mask protocols as the rest of the Hofstra community. Morris believes that the athletes cannot be supervised during their free time, so safety cannot be ensured.
“Knowing that there’s a number of athletes in Greek life and knowing that Greek life is definitely having parties on the weekends,” Morris said. “I don’t know what supervision is going to do for that.”
With Division I student athletes being allowed to practice indoors without masks, students are concerned for the safety of the campus and equality of students.
“They’re telling me it’s equal,” LoBue said. “But at the end of the day, I think everybody’s actions are speaking a lot louder than their words right now.”
