OSU-Cascades in Bend, OSU in Corvallis to require wearing masks on campus
(Update: Adding video, student, official comments)
New policy, with few exceptions, set to go into effect on June 14
BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) -- To curb the spread of COVID-19, Oregon State University, including the OSU-Cascades campus in Bend, has established a new policy that will require everyone on any OSU campus to wear a mask or face shield, with certain exceptions, starting June 14.
OSU, in a face-covering policy issued Wednesday, is requiring "faculty, staff, students, and visitors across all OSU locations to use face coverings, which include masks, cloth face coverings, or face shields, when in enclosed public and common areas on campus and outdoor areas where physical distancing is not easily maintained, unless an exception is met.
"Masks and cloth face coverings should be worn in combination with other measures, such as strict physical distancing and proper hand washing," the policy states.
Sarah Eugenio, a student at OSU-Cascades, told NewsChannel 21 on Thursday she is in favor of the new policy, but said it may be a little too late.
“I think it’s good overall like the safety of people is important for yourself and other people," Eugenio said. "So them doing it now is fine but it won’t be as effective, I don’t think.”
In a e-mail to NewsChannel 21, Steve Clark, vice president of relations and marketing for OSU, called the new policy a" commitment to safety."
"The face coverings policy at Oregon State University is a commitment by the university – and our students and employees -- to engage in one of the most effective pandemic public health measures promoted nationally," Clark wrote.
"Face coverings are but one of the foundational aspects of the university’s plans for considering resuming on-site activities at our campuses in Bend and Corvallis – and facilities around the state of Oregon.
"In addition to a requirement for faculty, staff, students and guests to wear face coverings in close settings and to engage in physical and social distancing, OSU is planning for many other measures. These efforts include proven hygiene practices, enhanced cleaning protocols, prevalence testing for the virus on our campuses and collaborating with county health authorities for contact tracing," Clark added.
Exceptions to the OSU policy include:
a. Use goes against documented industry best practices for a specific position, or by law or regulation, including the use of standard personal protective equipment (“PPE”) per Occupational Safety and Health Administration standards;
b. When working alone in an enclosed workspace;
c. When exercising in a gym where barriers are provided;
d. When exercising and working outdoors as long as a distance of at least six (6) feet is maintained at all times;
e. When an individual is under the age of 2;
f. When an individual is unable to remove the covering without assistance;
g. Individuals with medical conditions that prohibit them from wearing any face covering; and,
h. Where space can be designed to provide for adequate barriers.
"Face coverings are particularly important in spaces where physical distancing may be difficult, or when working in enclosed spaces shared by other people, with the exception of immediate family or household members (e.g., partner, child, parents, or roommates)," according to the policy, which "applies to all OSU employees, students, volunteers, visitors, and community members."
Several examples are listed of settings requiring the use of face coverings, from in-person classrooms to shared lab spaces, common areas and "high-density shared outdoor spaces," such as the MU Quad.
Central Oregon Community College spokesman Ron Paradis tells NewsChannel 21 that they have not yet made any decisions to reopen during the summer, or to require masks during the fall term.
