Michigan State is the latest university to ditch mask mandate while keeping COVID vaccine requirement

In an Apr. 15 memo, Michigan State University announced that it would be lifting its mask mandate, although the school will continue to require the COVID-19 vaccine.

MSU President Samuel Stanley updated the student body on the COVID-19 directives for the 2022-2023 school year, stating that effective May 16, “MSU is lifting its face-covering directive, and masks will no longer be required during classes and academic labs and in most research labs.”

[RELATED: MI Senate passes resolution opposing COVID mandates on college campuses]

While masks will no longer be required, Stanley also announced that all students, faculty, and staff without an approved exemption must both “be fully vaccinated and have received a booster shot.”

However, as of May 13, “those with medical or religious exemptions no longer will be required to routinely test.”

Students who fail to submit their vaccine information “will be prevented from enrolling in summer 2022 and fall 2022 classes,” while employees “will be referred to the appropriate discipline process.”

[RELATED: Anonymous Twitter account encourages students to submit pictures of maskless classmates] 

Michigan State University is not the only school lifting its mask mandate while keeping its vaccine mandate. A number of schools around the country have followed suit, including Rutgers University, The College of New Jersey, and Indiana University Bloomington.

Several universities that previously ditched their mask mandates, including Columbia University, American University, George Washington University, Georgetown University, and Johns Hopkins University, announced they were reinstating those policies earlier this month after Philadelphia reportedly became the “first major US city” to reinstate its own mask mandate.

Days after Philadelphia reinstated its indoor mask mandate, the city reversed course and rescinded the requirement.

Campus Reform reached out to Michigan State University for comment. This article will be updated accordingly.

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