As the 2022 Spring semester at George Mason University is about to begin, several students are pushing back in an effort to ensure the health and safety of their peers and administration.

On December 29, 2021, alone, the Fairfax Health District reported, 2,213 new cases of COVID-19. Based on the current data, cases throughout Northern Virginia and the District of Columbia have shown no sign of decreasing. The Omnicron variant has forced several schools and businesses to alter operations and return to virtual environments as it has steadily grown. In an announcement on Friday, December 31, school president Gregory Washington announced that the university will open as planned January 3.

An online petition via Change.org has been created in order to encourage the school faculty to reconsider their stance and go to online classes until the numbers begin to decrease. We spoke with senior Sarah Mae Dizon, who created the petition, and she spoke about the importance of going virtual.

“This petition is for more than just students at George Mason University, but also for the many workers that keep our facilities running and for the rest of the DC region. Our university does not exist in a vacuum, and it’s imperative that the administration act in the interest of the health and safety of everyone before enrollment numbers.”