At least four state-owned universities in Western Pennsylvania with more than 24,000 students collectively notified their campuses Thursday of plans to require masks indoors this fall — including classrooms — regardless of vaccination status, as concern grows over rising COVID-19 cases.
California, Clarion and Edinboro universities, now under a single chief executive, as well as Slippery Rock University, informed students and parents of those moves, as well as other protocols for testing and health safety.
Officials at Indiana University of Pennsylvania, the other western campus, reversed course earlier this summer and indicated that masks would not be required indoors for IUP’s 10,000-plus students.
Asked Thursday if that is still the case, spokeswoman Michelle Fryling replied: “Correct.”
Earlier Thursday, Point Park University joined other Pittsburgh-area campuses in instituting indoor mask mandates. Its policy takes effect Friday, as does one at Duquesne University. Penn State University implemented such a policy on its main and branch campuses statewide, with about 90,000 students, earlier this month. The University of Pittsburgh is continuing to require masks indoors on its five campuses with 34,000 students.
In a message to Cal U, Clarion and Edinboro, Dale Dale-Elizabeth Pehrsson explained her rationale. She is Clarion president and is also serving as interim leader of Cal U and Edinboro, as the State System of Higher Education merges those campuses and three others effective in fall 2022.
”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,” she wrote. “So it’s more important than ever that we reduce the risk to our campus community.
”Masks will not be required in most outdoor settings,” she added. “You may remove your mask when you are inside your own residence hall room, actively eating or drinking in the Gold Rush or other dining area, or alone in a private office.
Residence hall students are required to participate in entry screening, officials said, as well as surveillance testing. She said one of the following will be required:
• Present a negative PCR test that was administered within 72 hours before your arrival. (At-home tests do NOT fulfill this requirement.)
• Provide proof of being fully vaccinated or have tested positive for COVID-19 within the last 90 days.
• Enter a modified quarantine until a COVID-19 test can be administered on campus and a negative result received. Students will be asked to restrict their movements around campus and wear a mask when interacting with any other person. On-campus testing information will be provided at check-in.
State System spokesman David Pidgeon could not immediately be reached Thursday to ascertain if indoor masks will be required this fall on the rest of the 14 member universities, which collectively enroll almost 94,000 students.
Nearly 700 campuses, most private and in the Northeast and West Coast, have vaccination requirements of some kind for students and/ or employees. State System officials have said they can not require the shot, without an act of the Republican-controlled state Legislature.
Campuses implementing indoor mask policies have cited guidance from the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta, county and state health officials and other experts.
Angela Burrows, a spokeswoman for Edinboro, said Edinboro, California and Clarion have largely the same directives, allowing for some local distinctions. She said fall 2021 will be closer to pre-pandemic, masks or not.
