Vanderbilt University officials have announced their COVID-19 masking requirements for the new 2021-2022 school year.
Vanderbilt officials said in a Health and Safety Protocols memo that the Nashville-based school has a high vaccination rate of about 94 percent.
Nevertheless, school officials announced the following measures:
• Masks are required indoors on campus.
• Masks are not required for vaccinated individuals in private offices, or in shared workspaces, classrooms or labs where individuals can stay at least six feet apart. Instructors when lecturing do not have to wear a mask if the instructor can maintain at least six feet of physical distancing from all students at all times.
• Roommates who are vaccinated are not required to wear masks when together in their residence hall room or suite.
• All campus community members and all visitors, including family members and loved ones, must wear masks during move-in on August 21 to August 22.
• As of August 2, all visitors must wear masks in all indoor spaces on campus.
Vanderbilt officials also said that vaccinated individuals are at a lower risk and are exempt from quarantine if identified as a close contact to a positive case unless they are symptomatic.
School officials did not return The Tennessee Star’s requests for comment Wednesday.
Vanderbilt Law School Assistant Dean for Student Affairs Chris Meyers emailed the school’s law school students August 14.
“Unless otherwise directed by your professor, you should sit in one of these marked seats. In some instances, if there is a small class in a larger capacity room, your professor may provide you with an alternative distanced seating arrangement that is closer to the other students,” Meyers wrote.
“If you attend events at the law school you should sit in one of the marked accommodated seats in the room. As of now, we have enough seats in the room.”
Meyers also said in the email that they must remain masked at all times while indoors.
“However, consistent with the university’s current guidelines, you may briefly remove your mask to take a sip to drink or a bite to eat, but you must replace your mask once you’ve finished,” Meyers said.
“Please note that this also applies if you are outside, but with people nearby (i.e. today’s welcome reception for incoming students). While eating or drinking, you must maintain at least six feet of distance between yourself and others.”
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Chris Butler is an investigative journalist at The Tennessee Star. Follow Chris on Facebook. Email tips to [email protected].
