Faculty Message: Mask Compliance

August 19, 2021

Dear Faculty,

The information below is also in the communication I emailed on August 11; however, I wanted you to have easy access to this should you need it. As a reminder, everyone, regardless of vaccination status, is required to wear a face covering when inside buildings and classrooms.

If a student is without a face covering in a classroom, lab, library or other public common spaces, in accordance with this policy, the following process should be used to ensure compliance.

  1. Offer mask. ​If the mask is refused...
  2. Explain the need for everyone in the learning community to protect each other and remind the student of the policy included in the syllabus and the campus mask mandate. Explain that everyone must be wearing masks for the class to continue. Consider mentioning that the student may express concerns to upper administration, but class time is not the place for protest. If the student refuses to comply...
  3. Explain the consequences of non-compliance – the dean’s office will be alerted, and the Director of Community Standards and Student Ethics will follow up on the incident and sanction accordingly, which could include fines, educational sanctions, disciplinary probation, housing probation, housing suspension without a refund and/or University suspension. If the student refuses to comply...
  4. Ask the student to leave the building immediately. The student must leave class and not return to class without a mask, as the student poses a health risk to everyone in the building. The student may be administratively dropped from the course and added to an all-online schedule, if available. If the student refuses to comply and leave...
  5. Cancel class and notify JSU UPD.

This temporary requirement, beginning August 9, 2021, applies to everyone, regardless of vaccination status, and is designed to keep us safely operating in person and on campus as we begin the fall semester. Please contact covidquestions@jsu.edu, your department head, or dean if you have questions.

Thank you,

Dr. Christie Shelton
Provost & Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs