All students, faculty, and staff are currently required to mask in public indoor settings, regardless of vaccination status.
This decision is consistent with recommendations from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), New York State Department of Health, American College Health Association (ACHA), and Commission of Independent Colleges and Universities (CICU).
Please note that an indoor mask mandate is currently in effect in New York State.
Along with vaccinations and boosters, masking remains one of the most effective ways to prevent the spread of COVID. Please wear a well-fitted mask wherever masking is recommended or required on and off campus. The most important detail of masking is that whatever the type, it fits well: it should completely cover your nose and mouth, and not allow infiltration around the sides. The better the fit, the greater the protection.
Specifics include:
· Dining: Students and employees may remove their masks when seated and eating.
· Residential Life: Students are required to wear masks in all common areas of residence halls (for example: kitchens, common rooms, hallways, and shared bathrooms). Masks are not required in private dorm rooms.
· Classrooms: Faculty and students are required to mask in indoor classrooms and labs.
· Meetings/Office Spaces: Masking is required in shared office spaces as well as in meetings. This includes all student meetings and events. Masks can be removed in private offices.
· Campus Vehicles: Employees and students must be masked in College vehicles.
· Libraries: Masks are required in all public and congregate spaces in all campus libraries, including Stevenson Library.
Masks are not required outdoors in group settings for those who are fully vaccinated.
Vaccination is our primary defense against COVID-19: students, faculty, and staff in Annandale have come together to achieve an over 99 percent vaccination level as we begin the 2021–22 academic year. Layers of protection, including masking and testing, when appropriate, also remain integral to the public health protocols of our campus and the larger community.
Updated January 13, 2022