Sweet Briar will require masks in indoor settings
All members of the Sweet Briar College community are required to wear masks while in indoor, public settings, the college announced last week.
Students began returning to campus for the fall semester over the weekend and classes are set to begin Thursday.
“While this news is disappointing, mask wearing is a small price to pay to be together and enjoy the benefits of in-person living and learning,” Sweet Briar College President Meredith Woo said in a message to the college community. “As circumstances relating to COVID-19 change and the CDC updates its guidelines, so will Sweet Briar.”
Woo also urged students and staff to wear masks while off campus in public settings.
Sweet Briar, along with Randolph College and the University of Lynchburg, required students to become vaccinated against COVID-19 before returning to campus for the fall semester.
According to Woo, more than 90% of the college’s on-campus community is fully vaccinated, and the rest have submitted religious or medical exemptions.
Sweet Briar’s requirement for individuals to wear masks while indoors follows similar requirements from the University of Lynchburg and Randolph College.