The UW Board of Trustees will meet next Wednesday, Feb. 16 to discuss potential changes to the current mask mandate.
President Ed Seidel has recommended that masks still be worn in places where social distancing is not possible and in all UW classrooms and offices.
Seidel additionally recommended that all medically related buildings, such as Student Health, and the Early Childhood Education Center’s continue to uphold the mask mandate.
“I think a mask mandate should be held in all places,” senior Grace Gustafson said. “With case numbers as high as they are in Wyoming and the student population being so unvaccinated, I think it would be a terrible idea to lift the mask mandate.”
“I agree. I think it’s a little premature to lift the mandate,” senior Kate Swenson said. “I understand lifting it in places where people can social distance. But I think it’s still too soon. If you lift it now, you’re just going to have another surge in cases.”
According to the Wyoming Department of Health website, there are currently 8,170 lab-confirmed cases and 1,499 probable cases of CoronaVirus in Albany County alone.
Some UW staff have also expressed concerns about lifting the mask mandate.
“I hope the mask mandate stays in place. I hope that the board doesn’t vote to make it optional,” Shannon Sweeney, a barista at the Rolling Mill Café said.
“In our immediate surroundings, COVID has made its way around food service employees,” Sweeney said. “ I think we would be subjecting ourselves to more risk if employees were to come in to work, not yet knowing that they have COVID.”
“People feel the pressure to come in because of staffing issues or they need money. Without masks, that little barrier of protection that we have is gone.”
Quinn Marquardt, the Special Events Coordinator for the Union, shared her thoughts on the mask mandate.
“I have mixed opinions. We’ve been in it for two years now. It’s almost to the point where the virus is something we have to live with,” Marquardt said. “But at the same time, places like the Union or the residence halls, if we stopped requiring masks we are going to see a rise in cases.”
“Am I still going to wear my mask, walking through those densely populated areas? Probably. I oversee 26 students. I don’t want to risk myself getting the virus and I don’t want to risk my students getting it. So, you know, I’m mixed about it,” Marquardt said.
Chad Baldwin, Associate Vice President of Marketing and Communication, made a statement about the Board of Trustees meeting to potentially lift the mask mandate.
“It will be up to the Board of Trustees to decide whether to adopt the president’s recommendation or do something else,” said Baldwin.
The meeting will take place via teleconference on Wednesday, Feb. 16 at 7:30 a.m. There will be a public session following the meeting at 8:30 a.m., which will be live-streamed through WyoCast and YouTube. Links can be found here.
