Spring Campus Updates
As public health conditions continue to improve, we want to thank you for your ongoing commitment to a safe environment for all, and to make you aware of an upcoming change in our campus masking policy.
As you may be aware, the federal Public Health Emergency (PHE) for COVID-19 is set to expire on May 11, 2023. The expiration of the PHE has provided us with the opportunity to reassess our policies and make adjustments that better reflect the current state of the pandemic. Paired with CDC guidelines, and based on the informed scientific understanding of the virus, its reduced transmission, and with our ongoing preventive measures in place, we will be modifying our mask policy.
Starting Thursday, February 16, MassArt will shift to a “masks strongly encouraged” policy in all spaces on campus, unless noted otherwise by signage. All community members are asked to continue carrying a mask on them at all times, and it is recommended that all voluntarily mask in crowded settings, such as elevators, especially indoors
Some exceptions:
- Individuals leaving COVID isolation will be required to mask for an additional 5 days
- Individuals who have a positive COVID exposure will be required to mask for 10 days
OTHER IMPORTANT REMINDERS
- Though current conditions are promising, we still urge you to take precautions, get vaccinated and boosted if you can, and wear a mask if you are feeling sick. It is still important to remain vigilant.
- There is a universal agreement that in our campus community individuals should not be made to feel uncomfortable, unwelcome, or marginalized because of their choice to wear or not wear a mask in any mask-optional setting.
- Rapid Antigen and Color PCR tests are widely available at all MassArt security desks in Tower, DMC, and Kennedy.
VISITORS TO CAMPUS
- All Visitors are required to sign in and sign out at the security desks at either Kennedy or the Design and Media Center (DMC)
- External guests are permitted in the residence halls
- The dining commons are open to the general public; masks are strongly encouraged.
CAMPUS ACCESS
- All MassArt community members will be required to swipe their IDs at both entry locations – Kennedy and Design and Media Center (DMC). Your MassArt ID card should be visible at all times.
- Colleges of the Fenway and ProArts Consortium members will be required to show security guards their IDs from their respective campuses.
- All other Visitors will be required to sign in and sign out.
QUESTIONS?
Please direct any questions you may have about these plans to one of the offices below, where colleagues are happy to help:
COVID-19 covid@massart.edu |
Academic Affairs academic.affairs@massart.edu |
Student Life studentdevelopment@massart.edu |
Human Resources humanresources@massart.edu |
Updated as of 2/14/23 |