NIU to Reduce Masking Requirements on 2/28
February 26, 2022
Dear Huskies,
Illinois Gov. Pritzker has announced that, effective Monday, Feb. 28, the state will discontinue its mask mandate for K-12 schools and follow the CDC’s new guidelines for when and where masks are required. Given this new development and the university’s agreement with the NIU faculty and instructors unions for this academic year, NIU will only require masks in the following circumstances and/or locations:
- Faculty members can require masks be worn in their teaching spaces
- Public transportation
- Surveillance testing locations
- Northwestern Medicine Student Health Clinic
- NIU health clinics
- NIU Child and Family Development Center
Huskies are also expected to wear masks at the request of individuals when meeting in the personal work or living spaces of those individuals.
Masks will be optional in all other settings. Any member of the NIU community who prefers to continue to mask is welcome and encouraged to do so.
These changes are positive signs that the recent severity of the pandemic has greatly lessened and that we can take this next step toward a return to normalcy. At the same time, we recognize and respect that feelings about removing masks will differ by individual. I encourage all Huskies to demonstrate patience with one another during this transition.
As always, I’m incredibly proud of how supportive and united our Huskie community has been throughout the pandemic. Thank you for your continued patience and cooperation.
Sincerely,
Beth Ingram
Executive Vice President and Provost
