August 27, 2020
Face covering policy enforcement for students
Submitted by Office of Student Life
The return to in-person classes and activities for the fall 2020 semester included a requirement to wear face coverings. While there has been very good compliance by students while indoors, there has been some confusion on when face coverings must be worn outdoors, particularly when people are in groups or close proximity. President Myers announced an update to the policy this week to clarify that everyone — faculty, staff, students, contractors, vendors and visitors — is required to wear face coverings over their mouths and noses in all indoor and outdoor spaces while on university property unless alone in a private office or workspace or alone outdoors.
Students who do not comply with the policy on the Manhattan, Polytechnic or Olathe campuses should be reported through the Code of Conduct violation form so proper disciplinary actions can take place.
The Office of Student Life follows a defined procedure in the event of a violation of the face covering policy.
First offense: Reminder letter sent to the student with information regarding the policy and potential next steps.
Second offense: Administrative hearing with OSL Dean to discuss the policy and any concerns being raised.
Third offense: Student Review Board hearing where the student could face sanctions up to removal from the classroom, university property, or temporary loss of student status.
Violations of the face covering policy in Housing and Dining Services facilities will follow a similar process with Housing staff. Violations occurring in the Housing and Dining Services living environments, on all campuses, will be included when considering violations in the university judicial process.
Elevated concerns could allow for skipping of steps or addressing the behavior through the Threat Management Policy.
Guidance for how to respond to students who are not complying with the face covering policy is outlined on the face covering section of the COVID-19 website. Faculty and staff on the Manhattan campus are also encouraged to call the Office of Student Life at 785-532-6432, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday to Friday to consult about any concerns. Polytechnic and Olathe faculty/staff should follow directions outlined on the face coverings palm cards for immediate concerns.