Piedmont College has joined the growing number of institutions requiring face masks to be worn on campus.
On July 10, Piedmont College human resources announced that in their “continuing efforts to flatten the COVID-19 curve and protect our community, we will be following CDC guidelines regarding [the] use of face coverings.”
As of July 13, Piedmont college began requiring everyone on campus to wear face coverings “except in situations where social distancing of at least six (6) feet between individuals is observed.”
This comes as a major change when Piedmont’s June guidelines cited that students, faculty, and staff would be “encouraged to social distance and wear face coverings” on campus. The same guideline now says that “Faculty, staff, students, and visitors will be required to social distance and wear face coverings while in class, attending events, conducting business on campus, and in densely populated common spaces.”
Caden Nelms, a Piedmont student with underlying health conditions that make him more susceptible to COVID-19, has been fighting for face coverings on campus alongside other disabled students. “It took a little more than I thought it was going to take,” Nelms said. After meetings with the Dean of Student Life, Kim Crawford, Nelms says she was able to push the importance of masks during meetings with the COVID-19 taskforce.
“As a whole, and for me personally, [masks are] the number one thing to fight against the Coronavirus,” Nelms says. “The college needs to have [mandated masks], especially being in close quarters with their students.”
The college will provide two masks to every student, as well as staff and faculty members.
NGTC and the University System of Georgia
Habersham County’s other locally based college, North Georgia Tech in Clarkesville, has signs posted on campus saying masks are “recommended.” The Technical College System of Georgia is not mandating masks but is strongly urging people to wear them.
The University System of Georgia, however, has made it clear: Masks now are required to be worn on all 26 of its campuses including the University of Georgia, Georgia Tech, and North Georgia College University.
Effective today, all faculty, staff, students and visitors are now required to wear “an appropriate face covering while inside campus facilities/buildings where six feet social distancing may not always be possible,” according to the USG rule that went into effect July 15:
Face coverings are not required in one’s own dorm room or suite, when alone in an enclosed office or study room, or in campus outdoor settings where social distancing requirements are met.
Anyone not using a face covering when required will be asked to wear one or must leave the area. Repeated refusal to comply with the requirement may result in discipline through the applicable conduct code for faculty, staff or students.
Reasonable accommodations may be made for those who are unable to wear a face covering for documented health reasons.
The university system is encouraging mask use and other public health safety measures through a video and digital campaign.
