February 10, 2022 – Reminder: Masks Still Required Indoors on Campus

Dear Campus Community,

Please remember faculty, staff, and students are still required to wear masks in all indoor locations on campus. You may have heard the state of California will officially lift its mask requirement next week (February 16). However, Chico State still has its rules in place—which means, for now, face coverings are required. 

When I made the decision to begin the spring semester in-person as planned, I evaluated our current health and safety policies and relied on how we successfully conducted last semester. Our high vaccination rate and adherence to the campus's facial covering policy made the fall a success. Furthermore, though omicron has driven up both the number of positive cases and our anxiety about the pandemic, I'm encouraged by the overall data and feedback from the past few weeks about cases within our campus community. 

In short, our plan is working, and now is not the time to make significant changes. Recent studies have shown thatmasks remain a significant tool in stopping the spread of the coronavirus. So, please keep wearing your mask correctly, reuse it, and discard it properly when it is no longer effective.

I appreciate your support and engagement as we together move through—and beyond—the current wave of COVID-19. Thank you.

Sincerely,

Gayle E. Hutchinson