The anticipated COVID-19 update is here. Masks are optional on campus.

Students were notified of the impending update in a campus wide email Thursday, March 3. However, the new change did not become official until Saturday, March 12, when the assessment period was complete.

Stacey Brodak, vice president for institutional advancement and university relations, stresses that Waynesburg University is now a mask-optional location, rather than mask free.

“Recognizing that comfort levels differ, all individuals are welcome to continue wearing masks indoors or outdoors. All individuals are encouraged to communicate and engage in a respectful manner with those around them in relation to vaccination, masking and physical distancing preferences,” Brodak said in an email.

In addition to the masking guidelines, the KWW team also made updates to the surveillance testing policies. As stated on Waynesburg’s website, below are the following updates to Waynesburg’s COVID-19 policies:

Masking

• “Masks are optional for everyone across campus, both indoors and outdoors.”
• “Recognizing that comfort levels differ, all individuals are welcome to continue wearing masks indoors or outdoors. You are encouraged to communicate and engage in a respectful manner with those around you in relation to vaccination, masking, and physical distancing preferences.”

Surveillance Testing

• “As of March 12, 2022, surveillance testing has been discontinued for the remainder of the spring semester. Waynesburg University reserves the right to resume surveillance testing, if warranted by conditions on campus.”

Even though these policies have changed, Brodak said the health and screening policies remain the same.

“All persons accessing campus, regardless of vaccination status, are expected to continue monitoring their health on a daily basis and to report symptoms, exposures and positive tests via the Screening Form to protect themselves and others,” Brodak said. 

As the Keep Waynesburg Well team continues to assess and make changes to the COVID-19 policies, Brodak hopes the community continues to have confidence in the team.

“Although we don’t know how everyone feels about the guidance we have outlined over the past two years, we certainly hope that our WU community has confidence in the team to have made decisions that prioritized the health and wellness of our community,” Brodak said.