Starting Monday, students and faculty were expected to wear only surgical masks, surgical masks with cloth masks on top, or KN95 masks.
This is part of new masking regulations the University sent out three days prior to in person learning.
The ordinance means that wearing only cloth masks will not be acceptable in Temple buildings, as they do not protect as well against the Covid virus and its variants.
Junior Kaylin Desedas Green said she wore a cloth mask to class Monday and nothing happened as a result.
“The new guidance was so far down in the message that the University emailed out, that I did not even realize I couldn’t wear one,” Desedas Green said.
Desedas Green said she already struggles with money while in college, so having to replenish surgical or KN95 masks creates a financial hurdle for her.
“I know I don’t have the money to go and buy a bunch of disposable masks, and keep buying them, and I know I was using a cloth mask for a really long time because you can wash them and reuse them,” Desedas Green said.
By swiping a Temple ID, any student or faculty member can receive a free KN95 or surgical mask through the University. These can be found at the Charles Library, the Tech Center and the Student Center.
PHD student Jafar Bukhari said one free mask from the University is not enough.
“One mask hardly lasts for two days because beyond that, if you keep using it, it’s more unhygienic to use the mask than rome free,” Bukhari said.
Both Bukhari and Desedas Green said they will comply with the mask regulations and they understand why they are in place.
There are ways the University will handle students who do not meet the standards for wearing a mask.
“We would remind the student of the policy, request that they abide and offer a mask,” Temple’s Associate Director of Issues Management, Stephen Orbanek, said.
Orbanek said that if a student continuously does not comply, they will be referred to student conduct.
He says that the message put out through the University was just one example of how regulations are always evolving with Covid, even with short notice.
Orbanek commends the Temple community, especially the students for all they have done, and reminds everyone that the University is here for them.
Be the first to comment