Dear
Students, Faculty and Staff, I
hope each of you are enjoying the warmer weather, and you all have plans to find
some time to relax and rejuvenate over the summer. We are looking forward with
great anticipation to the Fall 2021 semester and the return to a much more
normal campus experience for working, learning and living. On
May 17, the Governor’s Office issued an Executive Order detailing updated
public health guidance provided by the Centers for
Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The Governor’s announcement includes a Bridge Phase which began in
Illinois May 14. As a response to updated guidelines offered by Illinois’
Bridge Phase and enhanced CDC recommendations, EIU is implementing the
following changes to our campus face masking policy. These modifications will take effect
beginning Monday, May 24. Face Masks (On
Campus, Outdoors)Face masks
will not be required outdoors for anyone who is fully vaccinated or for anyone
who is not fully vaccinated but who can maintain appropriate (minimum 6-feet)
physical distancing. Face Masks (On
Campus, Indoors)General Guidance: With no
way to easily or unobtrusively determine who has been fully
vaccinated*, the default will remain that all individuals — regardless of
vaccination status — must wear face masks while indoors
in shared settings including summer classrooms, Student Medical Clinic, Shield
Testing (Court 5, Student Rec Center), indoor public spaces and riding the
Panther Shuttle. However, the following exceptions exist:** Private Offices and Multi-Person
Offices
Employees are not required to wear face masks when alone in their private office. Employees in multi-person offices are not
required to wear face masks if all people in the workspace are fully vaccinated*. Meetings in Offices and/or Conference Rooms (This does not include ballrooms, auditoriums, classrooms or
other large meeting spaces.)
In cases where all people attending a meeting or gathering in an office or
conference room have been fully vaccinated*, face masks will not be required. Research Labs and Shared Academic Spaces
(Non-Classroom)
In cases where all people working in research labs or non-classroom academic
spaces have been fully vaccinated*, face masks will not be required.
* Fully vaccinated
individuals are two (2) weeks past their second injection (Pfizer or Moderna)
or single injection (Johnson & Johnson) vaccinations. **Declaration of
an employee or student being fully vaccinated in these contexts will be based
on the honor system. No one should
request to see anyone’s vaccination card or other documentation. Additional
guidance is anticipated as the State approaches Phase 5, which may begin as
early as mid-June. When the Phase 5 guidelines are announced, we anticipate further
easing of face mask requirements for fully vaccinated employees and
students. The
best way to truly end the pandemic and return to normal operations is for all
students and employees to receive vaccinations if they can do so. As such, students and employees are
strongly encouraged by the University to get vaccinated. Vaccines are
currently and widely available for
people age 12 and older. As
always, the university continues to monitor the situation and will continue to
update our guidelines as more information is made available from the CDC,
Governor’s Office, IDPH and the IBHE. We
are working quickly to update our existing resources with guidance and
information. We will continue to provide more information about any further
adjustments or changes to our operations and policies We wholly appreciate your continued patience as we
navigate this newest phase. If you have questions about any of these new
changes, you can always email covid19info@eiu.edu. With
gratitude, | 
