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Tennessee Tech will temporarily require masks inside campus facilities when classes begin Thursday.
Chief Communication Officer Karen Lykins said the decision was based on conversations within the President’s Cabinet with faculty and students.
“Looking at all the factors with the Delta variant. Looking at the possibility of a spike when we have a very large growth in population as people started moving in on August 11th,” Lykins said. “It seemed like the most prudent thing to do.”
Lykins said the length of the mandate is unknown as the university waits to see how successful they are in managing COVID. Tennessee Tech has 11 active cases as of August 9th.
“The goal is absolutely to stay in-person,” Lykins said. “That’s one reason that it is so important for us to take control of the situation and make sure that we are preventing any spread of COVID that might be possible.”
The mandate applies to all people on campus. According to the university, the rule will not be enforced in private offices, residence hall rooms, individual study/practice spaces, open student study areas in the library, while participating in fitness activities and while eating and drinking.
Lykins said the university’s COVID dashboard will also resume daily updates starting Tuesday.
