On March 4, an email was sent out to the Fordham community announcing that mask-wearing would be made optional in most campus locations starting March 5. While Fordham still recommends mask-wearing, it is now the individual’s choice to wear them in “classrooms, labs, work settings and public spaces.” Faculty have the ability to make mask-wearing mandatory in their individual classrooms. This new mask policy only applies to individuals who are fully up-to-date on COVID-19 vaccinations, meaning they have received the original vaccination as well as a booster shot. Following the new mandate, masks will still be required while on the Ram Van as well as in University Health Services spaces.

According to the email sent out by Marco Valera, vice president for administration and COVID-19 coordinator, this decision was based on the CDC’s new mask guidance. The CDC now states that individuals should choose whether to wear a mask based on their preferences and “personal level of risk.”

This change in policy also coincides with New York Governor Kathy Hochul’s decision to end the statewide mask mandate in schools effective March 2.

The university will continue to hold only Fordham-sponsored events on campus, but students, as well as fully vaccinated “family members, alumni and their families,” can now attend events that are being held on Fordham’s campus.

This marks a change from previous rules stating that “current students, faculty and staff and fully vaccinated parents and immediate family members” could attend athletic events as well as performances.

Additionally, the campus will remain closed to the general public.

The only exception to this rule is for formal admission tours, in which case all participants must prove complete COVID-19 vaccination.

While this decision marks a big change in university policy, there will be no changes to the quarantine and isolation policy. People infected with COVID-19 and who are asymptomatic can leave isolation after five days provided they receive a negative test.

After spring break, students will be required to upload a new negative COVID-19 PCR test, administered between March 16 and 30, to their VitalCheck daily attestation form.

If students are traveling away from campus during spring break, the university asks for them to be tested no earlier than 72 hours prior to their return and no more than five days after.