Arizona State University has addressed complaints about a professor who asked students to sit close together, instead of social distancing. Engineering associate professor Thomas Seager forced his in-person students to move to the first two rows of the class, according to a post on social media network Reddit.
A photo shows students sitting a chair apart, some directly behind someone else. Students reported the incident to the university.
Seager was replicated a classroom seating exercise he has used in previous semesters, a university spokesperson said. He isn't not facing any disciplinary action.
"We have since spoken to Professor Seager regarding this, strongly reiterating the need to allow all individuals to self-select their spacing, observing six-feet of physical distancing to feel safer in their learning environments given current circumstances," the spokesperson said in a statement. "Dr. Seager is now aligned with these expectations and will communicate his adherence to them with students for future classes."
To date, the university has not received reports of similar incidents, the spokesperson said.