Masks to come off at community colleges




CHANGE IS COMING—Ventura County Community College District will no longer require persons to wear face masks indoors on the campuses beginning April 11. Acorn file photo

CHANGE IS COMING—Ventura County Community College District will no longer require persons to wear face masks indoors on the campuses beginning April 11. Acorn file photo

Students and staff across the Ventura County Community College District will no longer be required to wear face masks beginning April 11, Chancellor Greg Gillespie announced last month.

The decision was made after the administration reviewed revised guidelines from government agencies and consulted its unions.

“There will be a range of feelings and perspectives regarding this change, and I would ask that you accept individual decisions regarding the wearing of face masks indoors,” Chancellor Greg Gillespie said in a statement. “We will continue to monitor COVID-19 rates and will reinstate the mask mandate if we return to unsafe levels—though we remain hopeful that COVID-19 rates remain low.”

During a Feb. 15 board of trustees meeting, Gillespie pro- vided an update on the return to in-person classes and said the mask mandate would continue.

Trustee Joshua Chancer expressed concern that the board was not involved in the decision, and Gillespie made it clear the decision was an operational one.

On Feb. 28, Gov. Gavin Newsom announced students at K-12 public and private schools across California would no longer be required to wear masks beginning March 14.

Schools across Ventura County lifted their mask mandates, while the community college district’s policy requiring students to wear masks throughout the semester initially remained.

“Higher education was not provided a specific timeline,” Gillespie told the Acorn.

At Cal Lutheran University and California State University Channel Islands, students are still required to wear masks in indoor learning spaces.

In a March 17 statement, however, Gillespie announced that students and staff would no longer have to wear masks indoors at Moorpark, Oxnard and Ventura colleges beginning April 11.

“Ventura County data showing steep declines on COVID-19 positive test results and COVID-19 hospitalizations were important factors in the decision to lift the face mask mandate, along with changes in guidelines and orders,” Gillespie said.

Before making the decision final, he said, administrators spoke with representatives from the American Federation of Teachers and the Service Employees International Union, which both have memorandums of understanding with the district regarding COVID-19 health protocols.

Gillespie told the Acorn that April 11 was chosen as the date to lift the mandate because it comes a full week after students return from spring break.

“This allows time for impacts of spring break travel and activities on COVID-19 symptoms or infections to diminish,” he said.

Face masks will still be available upon request, Gillespie said, as they are highly recommended.