FAU announced to students via email from FAU on March 1, notifying them that masks are no longer “expected” – as previous suggestions stated.

Effective immediately, masks do not have to be worn inside or outside on university property. 

FAU has reflected health and safety policies based on the recommendations made by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

On Feb. 25, the CDC updated their official COVID-19 guidelines in a press conference.

This new information suggests that masks do not need to be worn indoors in counties with “low” or “medium” COVID-19 “community levels,” which 72% of the United States falls into. 

“We’re recommending that schools use the same guidance that we are recommending in general community settings, which is that we are recommending people wear a mask in high levels of COVID 19,” Greta Massetti, a member of the CDC COVID-19 Incident Management Team, said in a Q&A session.

As of March 1, Palm Beach County is at a medium community level. 

The previous FAU health and safety policy stated that “all FAU students, faculty, and staff were to follow the full measures of wearing face coverings regardless of their personal vaccination status or the vaccination status of others.”

For senior psychology major Levi Robles, she feels indifferent about the new policy.

“I don’t necessarily think it is harmful or beneficial because since the mandate was lowered from required to expected, many students already chose to not wear masks,” said Robles.

Robles has an undiagnosed neurological disability that makes it hard for her to regulate her body temperature; wearing a mask further affects her ability to do so.

“[Wearing a mask] made it really hard to function in class as the overheating drains me out of energy,” Robles said.

Most of FAU’s students agree with the new mask policy.

“I think it is beneficial as long as everyone is still safe and keeping up with their everyday hygiene and like washing your hands and cleaning surfaces that multiple people use,” said sophomore health science major Hannah Birge.

Birge thinks that a lot of students will be pleased with this new policy.

“I feel that a lot of people complain about mask mandates even though they’re in a place to keep everyone safe so not requiring them can keep a lot of people happy,” Birge said.

However, there are some FAU students who are going against this new update.

“We are still in the middle of a pandemic. As frustrating as it is, we can’t pretend it’s not still going on just because things have gotten a little better,” said sophomore social work major Ky Walker. 

Walker also expressed his disappointment that the school is not continuing with the previous mask policy. 

“Our school is not making a more conscious effort to continue to protect its students,” Walker said. 

Samantha Sheradsky is a Staff Writer for the University Press. For more information regarding this or other stories, email [email protected] or DM her on Twitter @samtheham132