WORCESTER, Mass. - Signs are reminding students and staff to mask up indoors at Worcester State University. The university is keeping its policy in place for the fall. 

“I think we all hoped by this point in time we'll be done with this,” Barry Maloney, president of Worcester State University said. “The delta [variant] very reminded us all that we have to stay vigilant in our health and welfare protocols.”


What You Need To Know

  • Worcester State is keeping its mask policy for now 

  • Clark University is also requiring masks on campus 

  • Worcester State, Clark and Anna Maria College are requiring vaccinations unless students have an exception

  • Worcester State is preparing COVID-19 testing and vaccination clinics for fall

Students are required to get vaccinated before returning this fall unless they have a medical or religious exemption. Maloney says the masking policy is a balanced approach.

“We're not singling any individuals out," Maloney said. "It allows us time, to make sure that everyone is in compliance. We know that masking really does help as well. And so that helps to make our faculty and students feel comfortable.”

Students agree, especially with classes going back to normal sizes.

“I’m feeling good about it,” junior Avery Oldakowski said. “I feel like that'll make everyone a lot more comfortable.”

“It’s constricting at times, but it definitely feels worth it to make sure that everyone is safe," junior Felipe Rodriguez said. 

Other schools like Clark University are requiring masks to be worn indoors regardless of vaccination status. At Anna Maria College, masks aren’t currently required for vaccinated students.

“We're going to follow state, federal [and] local public health guide guidelines on that, and that's an evolving picture right now," Hugh Drummond, Anna Maria College’s vice president of external relations said. 

The college is also requiring vaccinations for students and staff unless they have an exemption

“We are looking to have as much of a traditional college fall as we can and vaccine is a large part of that," Drummond said. 

Back at Worcester State, leaders says they’ll be prepared if cases continue to rise. Students and staff will have access to COVID-19 testing as well as vaccination clinics on campus.