Thursday, February 6, 2025

How Local Schools Plan to Adjust this Fall

Toledo Area Colleges Announce Preventative Covid Measures

Fall is fast approaching and with it comes the start of a new college semester. With a highly contagious variant of COVID rapidly spreading across the country and vaccination rates still too low for comfort, parents and students alike are probably unsure of what their college expects from them. Where and when should I wear a mask? Will classes resume on campus? Find answers to your important questions below for some of our local colleges.

Public Colleges

Bowling Green State University
– Face coverings are required for everyone, regardless of vaccination status, in indoor public settings on BGSU campuses. This includes classrooms, laboratories, libraries, gathering spaces and areas outside of individual, enclosed spaces like residence hall rooms, individual offices, cubicles, and private workspaces. Face coverings are not required when working alone in a laboratory or classroom, when eating or drinking in a dining facility, or when actively exercising indoors. Unvaccinated individuals should wear face coverings whenever they are around others on campus, both indoors and outdoors.

– There is no requirement for physical distancing on campus indoors or outside, but they encourage physical distancing as much as the location allows.

– BGSU will have at-home test kits widely available across both campuses that any faculty, staff, or student can take to keep with them at their place of residence.

– All in-person classes, activities and events are currently offered at full capacity.

– BGSU is implementing a vaccine incentive program, with prizes that will be distributed in weekly drawings.

– For more information, visit https://www.bgsu.edu/covid19/faq.html or call their hotline at

419-372-3000.

Monroe County Community College

– Face masks or face coverings are no longer required on campus, but all students are required to wear facemasks in classrooms and labs.

– The college encourages those who are not fully vaccinated to wear face coverings in indoor spaces, especially when social distancing cannot be maintained.

– MCCC is not requiring proof of vaccinations for employees or students.

– “As of right now— that’s where we stand. It is always a fluid situation where we are evaluating each and every day.” – Joe Verkennes, Director of Marketing and Communications

Owens Community College

– “Owens Community College will require all faculty, staff, visitors and students to wear masks on its campuses indoors, regardless of vaccination status. This is based on our close work and collaboration with local health departments and CDC updated guidance.” -Amy Giordano, Vice President, Enrollment Management and Student Services

– Classes will be offered at full capacity with no social distancing requirements.

– Water fountains have progressively been replaced with water bottle fill stations on both campuses since the beginning of the pandemic. 

– Owens has a unique twist to their COVID measures: bipolar ionization air filtration. The project is complete and operational in Health Technologies, Bicentennial Hall, Student Health and Activities Center, AVCC, Library, Math/Science, CFPA, Heritage Hall, and College Hall. 

– Owens is continuing its increased safety and cleaning measures throughout campuses.

– There is no testing on campus, but they will provide regular updates and information on their COVID-19 site regarding testing locations as well as vaccination options in the area.

– For more information, refer to https://www.owens.edu/covid19/.

University of Toledo

– Masks are required for all individuals, regardless of vaccination status, while indoors on campus. Individuals are not required to wear masks while alone in their office or while eating. Masks are not required outdoors.

– UT plans to significantly expand its COVID-19 surveillance testing program this fall. All students who live or attend class on campus will be required to participate in the University’s weekly asymptomatic testing program if selected unless they voluntarily provide the University proof of being fully vaccinated. Employees can automatically opt out of the weekly selection process if they voluntarily provide proof of vaccination.

– Students and employees can upload proof of vaccination against COVID-19 through the University’s vaccine registry portal.

– All residential students will be scheduled for a no-cost rapid antigen test on campus prior to moving into their assigned residence hall. This is required regardless of their vaccination status. https://www.utoledo.edu/coronavirus/keeping-campus-safe/

Private Colleges

Davis College

– Masks are required indoors on campus and will be provided by Davis College for all students and employees.

– Temperatures will be checked upon entrance to the campus and students with symptoms are asked to stay off campus and get tested.

– Classes will be operating at full capacity; however, several will be offered via live Zoom to limit the number of classes on campus.

Lourdes University

– All members of the Lourdes community and any campus guests must wear a face covering when inside University buildings, labs, studios, and classrooms, regardless of vaccination status.

– Lourdes is “wildly encouraging vaccination” with the hopes of transferring people to Flower Hospital so they have an opportunity to vaccinate. There most likely will not be another vaccination clinic on campus since vaccines are so widely available.

– They are operating at full capacity and will be maintaining a traditional academic calendar.

– They will continue to follow CDC guidelines, keeping students, faculty, and visitors updated on their current covid measures.

Mercy College of Ohio

– Students will be welcomed back on campus with precautions put in place.

– Face masks are required for all individuals while indoors on campus, as well as social distancing of at least three feet.

– All pandemic signage will be kept in place for the foreseeable future.

– A COVID Student Health Reporting Form will need to be completed by students that will be going to campus, clinical, lab, or practicum experiences. Students who will be seeing someone face-to-face need to complete the form once a week.

Professional Skills Institute

– Fully vaccinated individuals are not required to wear a mask in the hallways, common areas, or general classrooms; However, those who are not fully vaccinated should continue wearing face masks.

– Masks will still be required for all individuals, vaccinated or not, in labs and close-contact activities.

– Temperatures will no longer be taken at the front desk.

– We will continue to ask students to assist in wiping down the tables and equipment in the classrooms as a best practice moving forward.

– Students will have access to use hand sanitizer upon entry and throughout the building as needed.

Toledo Area Colleges Announce Preventative Covid Measures

Fall is fast approaching and with it comes the start of a new college semester. With a highly contagious variant of COVID rapidly spreading across the country and vaccination rates still too low for comfort, parents and students alike are probably unsure of what their college expects from them. Where and when should I wear a mask? Will classes resume on campus? Find answers to your important questions below for some of our local colleges.

Public Colleges

Bowling Green State University
– Face coverings are required for everyone, regardless of vaccination status, in indoor public settings on BGSU campuses. This includes classrooms, laboratories, libraries, gathering spaces and areas outside of individual, enclosed spaces like residence hall rooms, individual offices, cubicles, and private workspaces. Face coverings are not required when working alone in a laboratory or classroom, when eating or drinking in a dining facility, or when actively exercising indoors. Unvaccinated individuals should wear face coverings whenever they are around others on campus, both indoors and outdoors.

– There is no requirement for physical distancing on campus indoors or outside, but they encourage physical distancing as much as the location allows.

– BGSU will have at-home test kits widely available across both campuses that any faculty, staff, or student can take to keep with them at their place of residence.

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– All in-person classes, activities and events are currently offered at full capacity.

– BGSU is implementing a vaccine incentive program, with prizes that will be distributed in weekly drawings.

– For more information, visit https://www.bgsu.edu/covid19/faq.html or call their hotline at

419-372-3000.

Monroe County Community College

– Face masks or face coverings are no longer required on campus, but all students are required to wear facemasks in classrooms and labs.

– The college encourages those who are not fully vaccinated to wear face coverings in indoor spaces, especially when social distancing cannot be maintained.

– MCCC is not requiring proof of vaccinations for employees or students.

– “As of right now— that’s where we stand. It is always a fluid situation where we are evaluating each and every day.” – Joe Verkennes, Director of Marketing and Communications

Owens Community College

– “Owens Community College will require all faculty, staff, visitors and students to wear masks on its campuses indoors, regardless of vaccination status. This is based on our close work and collaboration with local health departments and CDC updated guidance.” -Amy Giordano, Vice President, Enrollment Management and Student Services

– Classes will be offered at full capacity with no social distancing requirements.

– Water fountains have progressively been replaced with water bottle fill stations on both campuses since the beginning of the pandemic. 

– Owens has a unique twist to their COVID measures: bipolar ionization air filtration. The project is complete and operational in Health Technologies, Bicentennial Hall, Student Health and Activities Center, AVCC, Library, Math/Science, CFPA, Heritage Hall, and College Hall. 

– Owens is continuing its increased safety and cleaning measures throughout campuses.

– There is no testing on campus, but they will provide regular updates and information on their COVID-19 site regarding testing locations as well as vaccination options in the area.

– For more information, refer to https://www.owens.edu/covid19/.

University of Toledo

– Masks are required for all individuals, regardless of vaccination status, while indoors on campus. Individuals are not required to wear masks while alone in their office or while eating. Masks are not required outdoors.

– UT plans to significantly expand its COVID-19 surveillance testing program this fall. All students who live or attend class on campus will be required to participate in the University’s weekly asymptomatic testing program if selected unless they voluntarily provide the University proof of being fully vaccinated. Employees can automatically opt out of the weekly selection process if they voluntarily provide proof of vaccination.

– Students and employees can upload proof of vaccination against COVID-19 through the University’s vaccine registry portal.

– All residential students will be scheduled for a no-cost rapid antigen test on campus prior to moving into their assigned residence hall. This is required regardless of their vaccination status. https://www.utoledo.edu/coronavirus/keeping-campus-safe/

Private Colleges

Davis College

– Masks are required indoors on campus and will be provided by Davis College for all students and employees.

– Temperatures will be checked upon entrance to the campus and students with symptoms are asked to stay off campus and get tested.

– Classes will be operating at full capacity; however, several will be offered via live Zoom to limit the number of classes on campus.

Lourdes University

– All members of the Lourdes community and any campus guests must wear a face covering when inside University buildings, labs, studios, and classrooms, regardless of vaccination status.

– Lourdes is “wildly encouraging vaccination” with the hopes of transferring people to Flower Hospital so they have an opportunity to vaccinate. There most likely will not be another vaccination clinic on campus since vaccines are so widely available.

– They are operating at full capacity and will be maintaining a traditional academic calendar.

– They will continue to follow CDC guidelines, keeping students, faculty, and visitors updated on their current covid measures.

Mercy College of Ohio

– Students will be welcomed back on campus with precautions put in place.

– Face masks are required for all individuals while indoors on campus, as well as social distancing of at least three feet.

– All pandemic signage will be kept in place for the foreseeable future.

– A COVID Student Health Reporting Form will need to be completed by students that will be going to campus, clinical, lab, or practicum experiences. Students who will be seeing someone face-to-face need to complete the form once a week.

Professional Skills Institute

– Fully vaccinated individuals are not required to wear a mask in the hallways, common areas, or general classrooms; However, those who are not fully vaccinated should continue wearing face masks.

– Masks will still be required for all individuals, vaccinated or not, in labs and close-contact activities.

– Temperatures will no longer be taken at the front desk.

– We will continue to ask students to assist in wiping down the tables and equipment in the classrooms as a best practice moving forward.

– Students will have access to use hand sanitizer upon entry and throughout the building as needed.

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