Masks are Off!

Masks are off! Neumann University has lifted the mandate, with masks no longer being required. 

After spring break, the mask mandate at Neumann University was lifted. The email was sent out on March 4th, just three days before students would come back to school. The announcement was a very big one, as wearing masks has been required since 2020. 

According to David Brownlee, vice president for human resources, “The designated leadership team charged with monitoring, assessing, and making recommendations to Neumann’s Executive Team and Dr. Domes has been communicating weekly, if not daily, since March of 2020. We have been closely monitoring the state, local, and campus conditions relative to COVID-19 throughout each stage and variant of the pandemic. NU is proud and fortunate that we have a very high percentage of vaccinated students, faculty and staff. When the decision was made cases had been (and continue to be) low at Neumann, as well as in the surrounding counties.”  

Brownlee goes on to say: “Recent assessment of the data warranted an update to campus protocols. The mask mandate was lifted Monday, March 7th for inside campus buildings. Please note, individuals were/are certainly able to continue wearing masks should that be a personal preference. Continued self-awareness and conscientiousness relative to one’s symptoms/health was encouraged as it was reiterated that all faculty, staff and students are encouraged to stay at home if they are not feeling well and contact their healthcare providers. The team continues to monitor state, local, and campus conditions and the University reserves its right to modify the protocols as deemed necessary.”  

Moreover, I asked many students around Neumann University on their opinions of the mandate being upraised. Here are some student reactions to the mandate being lifted. 

“You know I was really excited to hear that the mask mandate was gonna be lifted. I’ll be honest when wearing the mask in class, it always would give me a headache. So to be able to see what people actually look like and have a normal semester is something that really means a lot to me. It’s really great to see people without the mask. Now, I actually know what they look like and it’s really enhanced the experience of college,” says James McDonald, NU sophomore. 

“I think it’s a good thing. Having the student body being vaccinated, myself to be included in that population, just has been a really good thing. I like being able to talk to a person face-to-face than having their face covered up. I could say it seems like some should keep the mask on, but jokes aside, I think it’s very good to get back to seeing everyone without a mask on.” says Peter Troy, NU junior. 

“Honestly, I was a little worried about it because I don’t want Covid to spread to go back online. But I think of all the positives and now I’m excited. I feel like they look so different than I imagined because I met all the people on campus during the beginning of the semester since I’m a freshman. And so I never really saw any of their faces unless I hung out with them off campus. So seeing my peers faces for the first time without a mask on, it’s not how I imagined you to look like in my head,” one student said.

Are you excited about the mask mandate coming off? Or are you worried? Let us know!