The University of Michigan will make face masking optional, starting March 14, for most indoor spaces on campus, including offices, residence halls and athletic events.
Masks will remain required in classrooms and other instructional spaces during class times, and in patient care areas, campus COVID-19 testing sites and on campus buses at least through the end of the winter semester. Instructional spaces include those that are an extension of classrooms, such as teaching laboratories and performance spaces.
more information
- Messages to Ann Arbor, Dearborn and Flint campuses
- U-M face-covering policy
- Policy and compliance FAQ
The policy change is possible, campus officials say, because of the high vaccination rate among students, faculty and staff as well as improving conditions in the region.
The updated policy applies to all students, faculty, staff and visitors — regardless of vaccination status — on the Ann Arbor, Dearborn and Flint campuses. The Dearborn and Flint campuses will communicate the policy directly to their respective campuses.
In addition, the COVID-19 Campus Health Response Committee has issued new guidance for the community that no longer calls for guests attending indoor ticketed Michigan Athletic events to show proof of vaccination or a negative COVID-19 test.
The CHRC continues to recommend using ResponsiBLUE as a symptom screening tool for the campus community as well as for guests at in-person events and programs, and notes that food and drink are now acceptable for in-person gatherings.
The guidance reflects the latest recommendations from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and is supported by a majority of the U-M community being up to date on their COVID-19 vaccinations — 89 percent of students and 85 percent of employees, excluding Michigan Medicine — according to the university’s vaccination dashboard.
“As the rate of COVID-19 activity decreases on campus and our state and region move from a ‘Response’ to ‘Recovery’ phase of the pandemic, the Campus Health Response Committee is issuing new guidance regarding COVID response on campus,” said Robert Ernst, associate vice president for student life for health and wellness and CHRC director.
“Mask use is still an effective strategy for enhanced personal protection, especially for those with compromised immune status, those who are not vaccinated or up to date on their COVID-19 vaccinations, and anyone with a perceived increased situational risk.”
Campus leaders urge the community to recognize and respect that some on campus will choose to continue to wear masks in spaces where they are no longer required, and they encourage all individuals to be kind and respectful of that personal choice.
Certain units, such as Michigan Medicine and the U-M Children’s Centers, may issue local-level policies that supersede the broader policy. Masks remain required in all patient care areas including in Michigan Medicine, University Health Service and the Dental School clinical areas.
The timing of the policy change takes into consideration the recent break in the academic term when many individuals traveled. Individuals experienced an increased risk of exposure to COVID-19, and campus experts anticipate some increase in COVID-19 cases following travelers’ return to the campus community.
Under the latest guidance from the CDC, mask use is not listed among the recommended prevention behavior guidance for most individuals in areas with a “Medium” COVID-19 Community Level, which is the current level for Washtenaw County. Those who may be at higher risk for severe illness are encouraged to speak with their health care provider about guidance for masking when around others.
Masks remain required for all indoor spaces if an individual is completing the full 10 days of an isolation and quarantine period as outlined in the guidance from the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services.
Other COVID-19 mitigation measures that remain in place include:
- The U-M COVID-19 Vaccination Policy that requires students, faculty and staff to remain up to date with COVID-19 vaccinations.
- Maintaining the availability of free, COVID-19 testing on campus through the Community Sampling and Tracking Program.
- Weekly testing remains required of U-M community members who have an exemption from the vaccine policy.
- Meeting or exceeding standards set by the CDC for classroom ventilation, as well as Michigan Building Code heating and cooling system requirements for airflow at maximum occupancy.
- Quarantine and isolation housing space remains available for students who need space to quarantine or isolate.
Michelle Chapman
It is strange that you do not have to wear a mask at an athletic event that has hundreds of people in attendance, but have to wear one in a classroom or on the bus. This does not make sense.
Thomas Cook
Of course it makes sense, not from a science standpoint, but from a public relations standpoint:
“Individuals attending indoor athletic events will no longer need to show proof of vaccination or a negative test.”
Individuals means mainly the general public who’ve been going to the store or church or restaurants, basically out and about, without masking for months… because they can vote with their dollars and feet. No one outside the system will put up with UM’s rules for a basketball game anymore because our old rules didn’t make sense and were an outlier compared to what’s happening outside of our campuses.
But those of us within the system with no other recourse except leaving the U – faculty, students, and staff – are still subject to their arbitrary rules. And I say arbitrary not to be incendiary but because I can see no reasonable safety and scientific reasons for the decisions the U makes.
“The updated policy applies to all students, faculty, staff and visitors — regardless of vaccination status — on the Ann Arbor, Dearborn and Flint campuses.”
So much for the folks who were forced out of their jobs for not getting vaccinated. And don’t try to argue it was their choice – when you’re dependent on your job for your livelihood you don’t have much choice in the matter, except for the brave few who stood on their principals and chose to leave rather than submit.
“Mask use is still an effective strategy for enhanced personal protection, especially for those with compromised immune status, those who are not vaccinated or up to date on their COVID-19 vaccinations, and anyone with a perceived increased situational risk.”
Uh…maybe? You’re saying so doesn’t make it so though. There’s way too much clinical info coming out that puts much of this statement in question. At the very least everything in the above statement can be used to argue the opposite point, namely if I’m not immune compromised, have 3 shots (we’ll leave that to science to see what they’re worth vs natural immunity) and have no situational risk, then I shouldn’t have to wear a mask unless I want to.
But did you catch that wording by the way? “… anyone with a perceived increased situational risk.” That’s not science, masks aren’t an “effective strategy for enhanced personal protection” for your perception of risk, that’s pure emotion. Facts don’t care abut your feelings folks. Again, mask if you want, but you can’t use “perceived increased situational risk” as a catch-all reason for everyone.
“Other COVID-19 mitigation measures that remain in place include: Meeting or exceeding standards set by the CDC for classroom ventilation, as well as Michigan Building Code heating and cooling system requirements for airflow at maximum occupancy.”
I can’t speak for every building on campus but I know the building I work in has a ridiculous amount of air turnover, classrooms included. Sitting in a campus classroom has to be way safer than popping into Speedway for a pack of smokes, sandwich, and a pop. And it’s WAY safer than doing what everyone has been doing away from campus for months now – living their unmasked lives out and about amongst the vaccinated and unvaccinated. The vast majority of us take our masks off the second we step outside a campus building.. and the further away from campus we get the less we wear masks, indoors and out.
“89 percent of students and 85 percent of employees, excluding Michigan Medicine — according to the university’s vaccination dashboard.”
So… why any further restrictions? (And how’d the 11% and 15% get a pass? Seems higher than I could have guessed for how much the U was enforcing the rules). Campus is safe as houses… ha! it’s probably safer than the houses we live in! Other universities in the state with much lower vaccination rates are not requiring masks in the classrooms and they’re situated in areas with much less overall vaccination rates. (And then there’s the other 49 states in the Union, some with way less restrictions and no discernable difference in infection rates… but I’ll stay semi on topic!).Of course we all have seen that with the more spreadable but less virulent variations like Omicron, vaccination and masking hasn’t been as effective as were once told, so again, why are we pretending anymore that these restrictions are based on science and not perception?
“Under the latest guidance from the CDC, mask use is not listed among the recommended prevention behavior guidance for most individuals in areas with a “Medium” COVID-19 Community Level, which is the current level for Washtenaw County.”
Recommended, not required by any sort of enforceable law. So… it’s arbitrary – our employer can dictate what we can do on the job (same as always in fact!). Kettering University in Flint in Genesee County left masks in the classroom up to the professors on January 29:
“The primary differences therefore between this policy and the revision communicated earlier this week are that: any masking or distancing requirements for specific classes and labs are now to be set by the professor of record in the course; groups meeting in other spaces and university facilities may establish together whether masks are required and appropriate for their meeting; and staff may similarly define the masking requirements for their meetings. Mask wearing indoors remains recommended, as it was before, as does vaccination and social distancing, etc.”.
How reasonable can you get, huh? It’s almost like you’re empowering people to make their own decisions in the light of new information. Sorry for UM-Flint folks though – same town, different employer, different rules.
Sorry for the long rant and using my semi-free speech rights to rage against the machine in a valid public venue, but the only reason I can see for “why” is “because we said so”. Fair enough, just be honest about it, we’re all adults here.
Stephen Ragsdale
The community needs a clear statement about the policies in research laboratories around campus.