Mask off: campus policy revised

After nearly a year and half of a mask mandate, the masking requirement at CSB/SJU will be rolled back to its lowest levels since fall 2020.

The change began on Oct. 2, and, while masks are still strongly encouraged, they will be optional starting Oct. 16.

Students were notified of the changes in an email from the Office of the Presidents, which reported that the reason for the recent change was because the vaccination rate on both campuses had almost reached 90%. The policy change that went into effect on Oct. 2 ended masking requirements for students in all parts of campus except classrooms, buses and performance venues. As transmission rates remain low, mask requirements in the classroom will be up to each academic department. Unvaccinated campus visitors to campus will still be required to wear a mask indoors.

Many students are embracing the policy. Not being restrained by the mask is a welcomed introduction to their school year, and high vaccination rates quell many students’ fear.

“I believe that if people feel they must wear masks, then they should,” SJU sophomore Evan Mattson said. “But I feel safe moving forward without the old mask policy, especially as our vaccination rate rises.”

However, while students may embrace the freedom provided by the rollback of the masking policy, masking will continue to be a part of everyday life, including those classrooms of departments that require them.

The Fine Arts program will continue to require masking at all related events in the foreseeable future.

“We’re going to still have massive fine arts events in our fine arts venues,” said Tanya Gertz, executive director of Fine Arts. “We will still have masks. The number one reason for this is that I want to bring you amazing live art, and I want to do it all year long. I haven’t done it since February 2020. I don’t want anything to get in the way of it. I have a number one goal of bringing awesome art and having students experience it in-person with an in-person artist together.”

The Fine Arts Program is basing their policy off of the policies of other major venues, which currently includes mandatory masking and testing.

This new initiative includes a new policy for outside visitors who will need to provide proof of vaccination or a negative COVID test taken in the last 72 hours.

“But, for our students, you just need your CSB/SJU ID card because you’ve already gone through the whole process here.” Gertz said.

Despite the apparent necessity for continued masking in some places on campus, students hope that the changes to the policy represent a return to normal in the near future.

“You never know—we could always have a big spike,” first-year Addy Bowne said. “But I feel like the policy, along with the high vaccination rate, is a sign that we are moving back to normal.”