Face masks likely on campuses

State offers guidelines for students, staff ahead of fall reopening.

Florida’s public universities should develop plans for reopening this fall that address the use of face masks and coronavirus testing, while relying on a “shared responsibility” from students and employees to follow social distancing rules, according to guidelines approved Thursday by the state.

The Board of Governors, which oversees the state university system, approved a “blueprint” for a fall reopening of campuses, which have largely been shuttered since mid-March, when they switched to online-only classes. The guidelines cover Florida’s 12 public universities.

But state leaders acknowledged that resuming normal campus activities could accelerate the spread of the virus this fall if the universities are not careful.

The state university system serves 420,000 students and 72% of them attend campuses in counties outside other than the one where their primary residences are located, Chancellor Marshall Criser said during Thursday’s board meeting, which was conducted by video conference.

“We are going to be moving a significant number of people from one health environment to another health environment,” Criser said.

The state’s broad guidelines recognize the 12 campuses are scattered across the state and may be under different local social distancing orders in the fall, Criser said.

But the blueprint sets a few statewide standards. For example, students and employees should receive training that covers the new requirements for wearing masks and practicing social distancing. The consequences for not complying with these policies should also be made clear, the state said.

“Every individual coming to a state university campus should be prepared to accept personal responsibility for their actions,” Criser said.

Board of Governors member Charlie Lydecker agreed.

“I don’t think any of it works unless all members of the university system take personal responsibility,” he said

Resuming normal academic endeavors should be the university’s priority, but they can consider allowing extracurricular activities to continue if conditions allow for it, Criser said.

University leaders should also evaluate class sizes and classroom densities and consider moving courses outdoors and to non-traditional spaces, the state says. And, the proposal added, alternatives should be made available to students and faculty members who are at elevated risk.

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