DePauw to require masks inside all university-owned spaces

Sunday, June 21, 2020

DePauw University has updated its mask policy as of June 20.

The university requires medical masks, cloth face coverings or non-medical masks inside DePauw-owned spaces.

Employees are required to wear cloth face coverings or non-medical masks, except when in their own private work areas with no one else present.

Students are required to wear cloth face coverings or non-medical masks, except when they are in their own private room.

DePauw describes medical masks as surgical or procedure masks worn generally by health care workers, individuals with symptoms consistent with COVID-19, and by vulnerable populations in settings where physical distancing cannot be maintained and there is an increased risk of viral transmission.

Universal masking, combined with physical distancing and hand washing, is likely to be effective in reducing the viral transmission. Students and employees are also required to wear a medical mask, cloth face covering or non-medical mask in the following situations:

Inside the DePauw Health Wellness Center.
Immediately upon experiencing any symptoms of COVID-19.
Immediately upon learning they were in close contact with a person diagnosed with COVID-19.
While in quarantine as described in university quarantine instructions.
When employees and students must be closer than six feet distance to another person.

The Health and Safety pod of the COVID-19 Task Force recognizes that some situations may require an exception to the universal mask policy, for example in some class activities where a cloth face covering or non-medical mask might compromise learning (i.e. playing an instrument, learning a foreign language) or during athletics participation. These situations will be handled on an individual case basis by the Health and Safety pod of the COVID-19 Task Force.

There are other situations when the universal mask policy must be upheld, for example in classes where vulnerable individuals may be present, or that the accommodation provided to a student or employee may require others to change their behavior. For example, an individual who has a hearing loss may need others in their classroom setting to wear masks that allow for lip-reading. These situations will be handled on an individual case basis by the Health and Safety pod of the COVID-19 Task Force.

Students with accessibility concerns, allergies or acute or chronic respiratory illness which makes wearing a medical mask, cloth face covering or non-medical mask problematic should contact the Office of Accessibility Services. DePauw requests that students who identify in a high-risk population self-identify to Student Accessibility Services.

Employees with accessibility concerns, allergies or acute or chronic respiratory illness which makes wearing a medical mask, cloth face covering or non-medical mask problematic should contact Human Resources. The university requests that employees who identify in a high-risk population self-identify to Human Resources.

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