TERRE HAUTE, Ind. – Indiana State University said Monday it will require masks for all indoor activities, regardless of a person’s vaccination status.
In a letter to students and staff, ISU President Dr. Deborah Curtis said it was “not an easy decision to make,” however, it is the “right and responsible course of action in light of recent announcements from federal and state public health officials.”
See the full letter from Dr. Curtis below:
“Dear Fellow Sycamores:
I am writing to announce that Indiana State University will resume requiring face coverings indoors for all University employees, students, and campus visitors (regardless of vaccination status) effective as soon as possible and no later than 8 a.m. Tuesday, August 3. This requirement will be in effect until further notice and is subject to change based on future guidance from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the State of Indiana Department of Health.
This is not an easy decision to make, but it is the right and responsible course of action in light of recent announcements from federal and state public health officials.
On June 18, I had the pleasure of informing you that Indiana State University’s COVID-19 cases (including individuals in isolation or quarantine) had remained at zero for over ten straight days. This was a moment of celebration as the University, along with most other entities around the state, were able to begin relaxing public health requirements.
The University has also continually and consistently communicated that while ISU will not mandate vaccination, we strongly encourage employees and students to get vaccinated as soon as possible. We have offered on-campus vaccinations while providing information on other vaccine-provider locations in Vigo County. We have offered online portals for employees and students to voluntarily and confidentially upload proof of vaccination to assist University contact tracers in the future.
Despite growing concerns over the Delta variant and other future potential variants of this devastating virus, the overwhelming evidence shows that those who are vaccinated are highly protected against severe illness and hospitalization.
We learned last week of the CDC’s new guidance recommending vaccinated individuals to resume wearing face coverings while indoors because of the possibility that they could still be transmitters of the virus. The Indiana Department of Health has echoed this new guidance.
The most important thing is the health and safety of our fellow Sycamores — our students, employees, and their families. Also important is our shared goal of resuming normalized operations of academic and campus life activities.
By resuming the requirement, it is our goal that on-campus, in-person academic and campus life activities and experiences (including University events at full capacity) may be preserved throughout the upcoming academic calendar. Wearing our face coverings indoors will help minimize transmission of the virus while we get back to the on-campus experiences that we treasure.
In the coming days, University division leadership will announce further expectations on how we will conduct ourselves through these continued challenging times.
If you have received your vaccine and voluntarily uploaded your proof of vaccination, thank you! If you have not yet done so, please get vaccinated.
In our true Sycamore spirit, we will weather this challenging time together. Thank you for your role in making this a reality.
Deborah J. Curtis, Ph.D. President”
