Chico State President Gayle Hutchinson, announced in an email that beginning March 12, masking would be optional in “most locations on campus for students, faculty, staff, and visitors, regardless of vaccination status.”

Hutchinson’s email says that due to Butte County’s elevation to the CDC’s “Medium Risk of Transmission” category and Chico State’s high booster and vaccination rates, the university is able to lift its policy on masking “sooner than originally planned.”

Following California Department of Public Health Guidelines, Hutchinson said masks will still be required in campus healthcare facilities, on Chico State’s Campus Connection Shuttle and while attending large events at Laxson Auditorium that fall under the CDHP “mega-event guidelines.”

Sean Murphy, Chico State’s media relations coordinator, said masks will not be required in any other campus buildings — including classrooms. 

When asked about the vaccination rates of campus faculty and students, Murphy said the university was at 90% vaccinated status.

The announcement came a week and a half after California Gov. Gavin Newsom announced that California K-12 schools would no longer require masking indoors regardless of vaccination status. 

Hutchinson urged students and faculty who planned to travel over Spring Break to take an antigen test 24 hours before returning to campus and a PCR test three to five days after returning.

“Although masks will no longer be required, we want to be clear that masks are always welcome on our campus,” Hutchinson said. “I encourage anyone who feels more comfortable wearing a mask to continue to do so, and I ask everyone to respect all who wish to continue wearing them.”

The news was met with mixed reactions from the campus community.

Ava Norgrove can be reached at [email protected] and @AvaNorgove on Twitter.