Notre Dame mask rules taking different route from other Indiana colleges, universities

Notre Dame is bucking the trend of many other Indiana colleges when it comes to mandating masks.

Schools like Indiana University, Purdue University, Ball State University, and Indiana State University are all requiring masks to be worn indoors on campus regardless of whether you have been vaccinated or not.

The University of Notre Dame, on the other hand, is taking a more targeted approach and has made masks optional indoors for students, staff, and faculty who are vaccinated. Unvaccinated students and staff must wear a mask at all times indoors, except in private residence hall rooms or while eating or drinking.

However, the rules vary based on where you are on campus.

“There are some exceptions to this, primarily involving spaces and times where visitors are commonly present,” the school says on its website. “Due to our inability to verify the vaccination status of those outside our highly vaccinated campus community and our inability to easily differentiate between those who are immediate members of the Notre Dame community versus visitors, masks will be required (except when eating and drinking) of both vaccinated and unvaccinated faculty, staff, and students in some campus spaces during times when those spaces are generally open to the public.”

Public areas where masks are being required are places like The Main Building, The Hesburgh Library, Snite Museum of Art, and Duncan Student Center between 10 a.m. and 5 p.m to name a few.

Buildings that are not on the list do not have mask requirements for vaccinated students and staff. Visitors to campus must wear a mask at all times while indoors regardless of vaccinated status.