The university announced on Aug. 2, 2021, that it will require all unvaccinated individuals to wear masks indoors and in public spaces on campus. Any fully vaccinated individuals are encouraged to wear masks as well.

This change in policy comes after guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), which recommends everyone wear a mask in indoor and public settings, regardless of vaccination status. 

Just over a month prior to this change, Fordham lifted its own mask mandate, following the CDC’s guidance on May 13, 2021, to remove the yearlong mask requirement for indoor and public spaces. This mask recommendation was reinstated by the CDC two months later on July 27.

Many students have continued to live on campus this summer, taking advantage of free summer classes offered by the university.

The reason for this reinstatement is due to the rising numbers of COVID-19 cases caused by the Delta variant of SARS-CoV-2. Despite having greater protection against infection, vaccinated individuals were found to have similarly high viral loads if infected with the Delta variant, which caused concern that they would spread the virus unknowingly to unvaccinated or high-risk individuals.

Many students have continued to live on campus this summer, taking advantage of free summer classes offered by the university. The change in guidelines created confusion and concern among these students, including Lindsey McCrossan, Fordham College at Lincoln Center (FCLC) ’24, who lived in McMahon Hall for the June summer session. 

Prior to Fordham’s lifting of the mask restriction, McCrossan said there were already “some people not wearing them indoors, typically in elevators or hallways.”

The negligence worried McCrossan, making it seem “almost as if there had been no pandemic.”

Early on in the summer session, students reported masks being enforced when entering the building. A transfer student, Sophia Pellillo, FCLC ’24, recounted how she was required to wear her mask indoors because she wasn’t able to upload her vaccine card in time. 

“There was one time I tried (to enter the building without a mask), and the front desk people gave me a face mask and I apologized even though I was fully vaccinated at the time,” Pellillo said. 

Pellillo thinks that the groups who are required to wear masks on campus will as long as the enforcement of mask wearing by security guards continues.

At this time, there are no required quarantine procedures for traveling individuals entering the university or state from inside the U.S.

After Fordham’s recommendation for all individuals to wear masks indoors, McCrossan said she is glad about the change, stating: “I just hope people remain conscious about the health of not only themselves but others.”

New York’s cases with the variant are rising, despite 57% of the population being fully vaccinated. In a recent update from NYC Mayor Bill de Blasio on Aug. 3, 2021, NYC will require proof of at least one dose of the vaccine to enter indoor, public spaces. De Blasio is moving away from requiring a city-wide mask mandate with the intent to encourage more people to get vaccinated.

Missouri, Nevada, Colorado and California are the states with the highest percentage of Delta variant cases, which has now become the dominant strain in the U.S.

In addition to the mask recommendation, Fordham has stated that all students, faculty and staff entering the university must be fully vaccinated, unless they receive an approved waiver.

At this time, there are no required quarantine procedures for traveling individuals entering the university or state from inside the U.S. International travelers entering the university, regardless of vaccination status, must present a COVID-19 test three to five days prior to entering campus, and remain masked indoors for 14 days or until testing negative. 

Fordham’s change to recommend masks is relatively moderate compared to other NYC universities’ fall semester plans, including Barnard College, which recently announced it will require all individuals, vaccinated or unvaccinated, to be masked indoors. The New School will also be requiring masks for all individuals, except for inside dorms.

In addition to the mask recommendation, Fordham has stated that all students, faculty and staff entering the university must be fully vaccinated, unless they receive an approved waiver.

Many students have reported that they wish Fordham would enforce a stricter mask policy.

These procedures are not enough in some students’ eyes, and many students have reported that they wish Fordham would enforce a stricter mask policy.

“Even though they sent the email saying it’s ‘recommended’ for fully vaccinated people to wear masks, there’s still going to be that group of people who don’t,” McCrossan said. “That’s all that is needed to start the spread again.”

While COVID-19 cases are rising in NYC, McCrossan said the best thing Fordham can do is require masks.

“It’s not like it hurts people by wearing it,” she said.