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MSSU to require face masks starting Monday

A new mask policy for the campus community was announced today during a virtual town hall session for all Missouri Southern State University employees. Read the full press release below:

Effective Monday, July 13, all students, faculty, staff and visitors are expected to wear a mask or face covering while on the Missouri Southern State University campus. The mask requirement will include classrooms and in office or outdoor spaces where physical distancing is difficult to maintain.

The meeting to announce the policy was led by Dr. Dean Van Galen, Missouri Southern’s president, along with Darren Fullerton, vice president for student affairs and chair of the campus COVID-19 Task Force; Dr. Paula Carson, provost and vice president of academic affairs; Evan Jewsbury, chief human resources officer; and Julie Stamps, director of the university’s Willcoxon Health Center.

Fullerton said the mask policy was developed by the task force in conjunction with university officials.

“The university and the COVID-19 Task Force believe that to assist in protecting our students, faculty and staff, we must take these recommended steps to reduce the spread of the virus,” he said.

Currently, he said, masks are one of the top methods of prevention recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.”

“Missouri Southern is committed to providing an engaging on-campus experience for students this fall, while also prioritizing the safety of our faculty, staff, students and community,” said Dr. Dean Van Galen, president of Missouri Southern. “We will continue to implement best practices and promote a campus culture that supports both high-quality education and the well-being of all.”

The university will provide two cloth face coverings for all students, faculty and staff before the start of the Fall 2020 semester. Interim measures are in place for individuals who are on campus this summer.

The new policy provides exceptions for face coverings under certain circumstances.

The new policy can be viewed here.

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