College to Adopt Voluntary-Only Face Mask Policy

With COVID-19 cases continuing to decline across our region, and Charleston County now rated as a low-risk community by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the College plans to move into the next phase of its mitigation efforts.

Effective Monday, March 21, the College of Charleston will adopt a voluntary-only face mask policy. This means that face masks will no longer be required in instructional spaces such as classrooms, labs and libraries.* Face masks will continue to be required in Student Health Services and on public transportation.

(*Note: Certain classes and/or events may require face masks.)

Faculty and staff members may request that others wear face masks when visiting their private offices and/or private workspaces, and to this end signs are available on the Back on the Bricks website for campus members to print and post.

The decision regarding face masks is based on the latest scientific data and guidance from public health officials. In addition, the results of a recent campus survey indicated that a majority of respondents favor a voluntary-only face mask policy. While we remain optimistic that the worst of COVID-19 is behind us, the College is prepared to reimpose guidelines and restrictions as conditions warrant.

When this policy takes effect next week, individual members of campus may decide for themselves whether to wear a face mask. We continue to encourage face masks for those with symptoms of illness, those recently out of isolation from a positive COVID-19 test or those with recent exposure to someone with COVID-19 as well as for those at risk for illness and those who live with someone at risk for illness. N-95 face masks are available for free at several campus locations.

We ask all community members to respect and honor each person’s individual choice on this matter. There are many reasons why an individual may choose to wear or not wear a face mask, and under no circumstances should that choice be questioned or challenged by any member of our community.

Thank you, all, for everything that you have done over these past two years to help us get to this point where we can cautiously return to some sense of normalcy on campus.

Sincerely,

CofC COVID-19 Leadership Team