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Cal U. joins colleges, universities requiring masks for fall semester

By Brad Hundt newsroom@heraldstandard.Com 2 min read
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A growing number of colleges and universities are requiring students and staff to wear masks indoors as they return to campuses over the next couple of weeks, and California University of Pennsylvania joined their ranks Thursday.

The masking requirement was also put in place on the campuses of Edinboro and Clarion universities, two campuses in the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education (PASSHE) with whom Cal U. recently merged. Mandates for face coverings are being put in place as the highly contagious delta variant of the coronavirus is pushing up case numbers, particularly among the unvaccinated.

The requirement went into effect on Friday, regardless of a student or staff member’s vaccination status, and covers classrooms, academic and office buildings, common areas inside residence halls and performance spaces. There is no mask requirement when a student or staffer is outdoors, or when anyone is alone in a private office, actively eating or drinking in the Gold Rush dining hall, or in a residence hall room.

Dale-Elizabeth Pehrsson, who leads all three campuses, said in a message, “It will take all of us, working together, to keep our Vulcan Nation as strong and safe as possible this fall. … New evidence shows that the delta variant causes more infections and spreads faster than early forms of the COVID-19 virus. Even fully vaccinated people may, in some cases, transmit the virus to others. So it’s more important than ever that we reduce our risk to the campus community.”

Students, along with their friends and family, will also be required to wear masks when they are moving in. Cal U. students living in residence halls will also have to participate in entry screening and surveillance testing, presenting proof of vaccination or a negative PCR test, or proof that they tested positive for COVID-19 within the last 90 days.

As fall semester gets closer, the list of campuses requiring masks or vaccinations has grown longer. Big Ten campuses like the University of Michigan and Ohio State University are requiring masks indoors, as are several local and regional colleges and universities. On Thursday, Point Park University announced it was requiring masks indoors, and Duquesne University unveiled a mask requirement the day before.

Washington & Jefferson College in Washington is requiring that masks be worn inside all campus buildings, except for designated dining locations. Private offices and student rooms are also exempt.

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