Fall 2021: Everything You Need to Know About Facial Coverings at SDSU

Editor's note: The following article was updated on Sept. 5 following additional policy guidance.

San Diego State University students, faculty, staff and campus visitors will need to keep facial coverings on hand – even if they have been fully vaccinated – as the university works to keep all members of the campus community healthy and safe.  

Here is a guide to SDSU’s current facial covering policy, developed following guidance from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the California Department of Public Health and the County of San Diego Health and Human Services Agency.   

The policies remain in effect through at least Sept. 30, when they will be reevaluated based on current conditions.  

For everyone on campus, including fully vaccinated individuals, facial coverings are required in:

• All indoor and outdoor instructional settings.
• The University Library
• All other indoor settings, including research spaces, when visitors or students are present.

Facial coverings are otherwise still highly recommended in all remaining indoor spaces, regardless of the presence of visitors or students. Faculty, teaching assistants and interpreters who are fully vaccinated (those who have completed both doses of a two-dose vaccine series or a one-dose vaccine) may remove facial coverings when teaching as long as students are masked in the classroom.  

For those without a completed COVID-19 vaccination, but have an approved medical or religious exemption on file with the university, facial coverings are required at all times while indoors, and outdoors when unable to maintain six feet of distance from others.   Limited exceptions to this requirement include:

• When alone in a private office or an assigned residence hall room, suite or apartment
• Eating inside the workplace as long as six feet of distancing is maintained
• When removal is required as part of an instructional music, dance or fitness course, but only as directed by the instructor
• When removal is required as part of approved athletic participation, as directed by Athletics personnel

For all, facial coverings are recommended indoors in non-public settings when gathering for events, meetings and other functions with others, even if no members of the public or students are present.  

In addition, any individuals experiencing COVID-like symptoms must wear a facial covering if they are on campus to seek testing, or as they exit campus to return home.  

And remember, vaccinated and non-vaccinated individuals may still voluntarily mask even when it is not mandated.