Message from the Provost: Mask Guidelines in Instructional Spaces

Dear colleagues,

As we approach the start of the fall semester and prepare to welcome students back to the campus, we are continuing to address critical areas of concern for our academic community. Recent communications with faculty, department heads, and deans regarding the university’s mask mandate have prompted questions and requests for clarification on the use of face shields, and how best to follow health and safety guidelines in instructional settings. I appreciate your attention to these matters and your willingness to ask for more information to ensure you are doing what is necessary to protect your students, faculty colleagues, yourselves and the entire campus community.

Effective August 23, Virginia Tech will require face masks in all instructional spaces, including classrooms, laboratories, and studio spaces, for both instructors and students, regardless of vaccination status. Face shields or other types of face coverings are not permitted in lieu of masks. Although vaccination rates are at 95 percent for students and more than 80 percent for employees, mitigation measures in classroom and lab spaces are still appropriate. Most classrooms will be near capacity and may not allow for physical distancing between the teaching station and the nearest student. Face shields do not offer the same level of protection as masks and therefore are not approved for use in instructional spaces. Also, faculty should not reconfigure classroom seating or teaching stations in an effort to create physical distance between instructor and students.

The university recognizes that there may be conditions and situations that could create challenges for individual faculty and/or students in adhering to the mask mandate. Faculty who believe that there are extenuating circumstances that would preclude them from wearing masks in instructional spaces should communicate with their department heads and/or associate deans, and consult the Office of Equity and Accessibility and Human Resources as appropriate. The university will continue to assist academic units and administrators in helping their faculty (and their students) understand and adhere to university health and safety guidelines.

Through revised mask mandates, availability of vaccinations, surveillance testing, and adherence to campus safety protocols, we are confident that Virginia Tech is well positioned to conduct in-person class and lab activities while mitigating the spread of COVID-19. We continue to review health and safety data from the CDC, Virginia Department of Health, and New River Health District to inform decisions that protect our community and allow us to fulfill our commitment to in-person experiences for our students. As information and guidance continues to evolve, we will update and communicate our practices in the best interests of faculty, staff, and students in Blacksburg and throughout the state. Current information on university policies, guidelines, and procedures can be found on the Virginia Tech Ready website. Although we cannot anticipate every scenario or circumstance, the Ready site offers the most complete and updated information available as it relates to COVID-19 and the campus community.

I wish to thank all our faculty and department heads for your ongoing partnership in ensuring the mask mandate and other campus safety guidelines are understood and followed. Your efforts and input are critical to protecting our campus community, especially those who cannot be vaccinated against COVID-19. Combined with vaccination of all those who are eligible, wearing masks in instructional spaces during times of heightened community risk of transmission is our best tool to preserve in-person instruction and extracurricular activities this fall.

Cyril