Email: Change to Face Covering Policy and COVID Related Updates
March 9, 2022
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Dear Campus Community,
We are notifying you of a change to the University of Michigan Face Covering Policy. Effective Monday, March 14, 2022, face coverings will be optional for some indoor spaces on the University of Michigan campuses. Face coverings continue to be required in classrooms, other spaces where instruction takes place, UM-Flint Safe Ride, and campus COVID-19 testing sites. The policy applies to all students, faculty, staff and visitors – regardless of vaccination status – on the Ann Arbor, Dearborn and Flint campuses. In addition, COVID-19 positive or exposed individuals are still required to wear a face-covering through Day 10 of their isolation or quarantine period.
Classrooms
Face coverings continue to be required in both department managed and general classrooms, instructional labs, and clinical settings. Instructional spaces are spaces that are used to support the teaching of a specific class. This may include laboratories, performance venues, conference rooms, or other spaces used to support the academic experience. These are extensions of the classroom and therefore are included as spaces where masking is required.
Campus Events
All events and activities scheduled to occur in spaces designated for classroom activity or in an instructional lab require that individuals wear a face covering. Face coverings are not required for events in other locations unless required by event organizers. Please consult with Conferences & Events if you have questions regarding an on-campus event.
Office Space
The new policy applies to all campus workspaces. We ask that all employees and students have respect for those who wish to continue to wear a mask in workspaces. For additional information, please review the FAQ website.
Reporting
Adhering to the amended face-covering policy is an important component to maintaining our progress. To report violations of the policy please complete the Face Covering Non-Compliance Reporting Form.
Signage
Campus signage related to face coverings will be updated. We are asking academic departments to please post this sign in your department-specific classrooms, instructional labs, and clinical settings where the policy is in effect.
ResponsiBLUE Version 2.0
The UM ResponsiBLUE daily health screening app has been updated to include booster eligibility and vaccination and testing compliance information. An update to the app is required. An outdated version of the app can display an invalid status. The update is now available on iTunes and Google play store.
Additional Mitigation Strategies
The revision of the UM face-covering policy is an encouraging sign that we are slowly returning to more familiar campus operations. Please help us continue this positive momentum by remembering these important public health strategies.
The Reopening Committee is encouraged by this change in policy and we remain grateful to you for your vigilance with our virus mitigation strategies. We are hopeful that this trend continues and we will continue to be flexible. We will continue to adapt our mitigation strategies to align with any changes that we experience with the virus in our community. For additional information about these changes, please review the FAQ website. We wish you a safe and healthy remainder of the winter semester.
Be well,