URI, PC and RIC to require masks indoors on campus

PROVIDENCE COLLEGE announced Thursday that masks will be required to be worn indoors on campus, regardless of vaccination status starting Aug. 25. The University of Rhode Island and Rhode Island College also announced similar mask mandates, both effective immediately. / COURTESY PROVIDENCE COLLEGE

PROVIDENCE – Three additional local colleges have revised indoor their mask-wearing policies in advance of the fall semester.

Providence College, Rhode Island College and the University of Rhode Island announced Thursday that all persons, including faculty, staff, students and visitors, who are on campus will be required to wear masks while indoors, regardless of their vaccination statuses. The three colleges have cited the recent increase in COVID-19 cases in the state, particularly with younger individuals, due to the delta variant.

PC, RIC and URI join Brown University in changing their mask policies in advance of the upcoming fall semester.

While the three colleges will require masks indoors on campus, the start dates in wearing them differ. PC President Rev. Kenneth R. Sicard said in his letter to the community that the policy will become in effect on Aug. 25, while URI’s statement said the policy is in effect immediately. Rhode Island College’s mandate is also effective immediately.

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URI and RIC said the immediate mask mandate policy is consistent with Gov. Daniel J. McKee’s Thursday announcement that everyone inside all state facilities must wear masks.

Sicard said PC will add some exemptions, such as faculty members having the option to remove their masks while teaching, when classes commence.

“It is my sincere hope that we will be able to lift this requirement as soon as possible, but that will depend entirely upon conditions both here on campus and in the greater community,” Sicard said. “Things are considerably more concerning than we anticipated even a few weeks ago, and, particularly because of the high transmissibility of the delta variant, we need to band together to protect our campus community, as well as our family members and others with whom we come into contact.”

.James Bessette is the PBN special projects editor, and also covers the nonprofit and education sectors. You may reach him at Bessette@PBN.com. You may also follow him on Twitter at @James_Bessette.

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