Masks will no longer be required on the UNCW campus in most situations and no matter vaccination status, per an OUR email on Wednesday morning. 

Masks will still be required in the following settings: The Student Health Center, the Counseling Center, the General Psychology & Assessment Clinic, all Athletic Training Facilities, D.C. Virgo and Isaac Bear Early College High School, youth camps, and any multi-passenger vehicles such as WAVE buses, shuttles, vans and UNCW vehicles. Open-air vehicles, like golf carts, and personal vehicles are not included.  

The email urges unvaccinated individuals to still wear a mask indoors, but they are not required to do so. 

“We hope the easing of these restrictions will go a long way toward helping the campus community prepare for a more typical fall semester,” read the statement. 

UNCW is also preparing to reopen spaces and return them to normal capacity. The university will start taking space reservations for the fall semester on June 1. They plan to take several weeks to move furniture back to classrooms and meeting spaces, however, the Summer I and Full Summer sessions will see no change to class capacities or mode of learning. Changes could be made to the Summer II session’s class capacities, but not to the course modes. 

The university will continue to offer the Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine in DePaolo Hall during the week.  

The university will also continue to require a weekly surveillance test for on-campus residents that have not been vaccinated.  

These new guidelines come after Gov. Roy Cooper’s executive order ending many social distancing and face mask requirements starting May 14. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) announced on May 13 that vaccinated people may skip the mask in most situations and return to many pre-pandemic activities.  

More information on the university’s guidelines can be found on the Best for the Nest website and questions can be directed to [email protected].