Franklin Pierce University has ended its mandatory mask rule as it rolls back COVID-19 policies.
University Communications Director Kathryn Grosso Gann said that the decision was made “in light of continuing downward trends in local and regional COVID infection rates.”
The decision went into effect on March 1, making it so students would no longer be required to wear masks in classrooms or labs on campus.
Grosso Gann said that while masks will no longer be mandatory, those who wish to will still be able to wear them. Additionally, professors will have the ability to set their own rules.
“While a formal mask mandate is no longer in effect, faculty or staff, at their discretion, may continue to require masking in classrooms and other high-traffic areas, including the library,” Grosso Gann said.
This change comes after the university put stringent measures in place in January to protect against COVID-19 spread, including holding all classes remotely for the first week of the spring semester. Other strategies included a suspension of social gatherings and overnight guests, as well as a restriction of campus dining to be grab-and-go only.
Franklin Pierce also has a vaccine requirement, which was put into effect over the summer and updated to include booster shots when they became widely available. Grosso Gann said that the campus community vaccination rate is more than 96%.
The mask protocol may be subject to change if the situation warrants it, Grosso Gann said.
“The university will continue to monitor the situation and take appropriate steps, including a return to mask requirements, should conditions merit this step,” she said.