Dear MSU Community,

As an effort to slow the spread of COVID-19, starting today, face masks or coverings will be required for students, faculty, staff and visitors to our campus. Face masks are to be worn indoors and wherever social distancing cannot be maintained. A ready-to-print, "Masks Required," sign is available for download by clicking on this link.

This announcement follows guidelines issued last week by the Office of the Commissioner of Higher Education after a recommendation from the Montana University System Healthy Fall 2020 Task Force.

Wearing a face mask is one of several things we can do to combat the virus, including social distancing, frequent handwashing, and staying home when experiencing symptoms of COVID-19.

By wearing face masks, we further demonstrate what I have always known, that MSU's students, staff and faculty care deeply for each other and for our community's health and safety.

MSU has taken many steps to minimize the risks from the coronavirus, from socially distancing our classrooms to providing personal Clean 'Cat Kits for sanitizing the spaces you use every day.

Despite all these efforts, the risk of virus transmission remains. Now, more than ever, we will all have to work together to slow the spread of COVID-19. We need to do that every day -- and every single hour of the day.

It will take all of us to be committed to a true spirit of collaboration while we are on campus, in classrooms and after-hours in our homes, apartments and residence halls. I know that you are up to the challenge, and I thank you for your collaboration.

Please read more about our fall plans at montana.edu/coronavirus. The full details about MSU's mask requirement are on that site as well.

Sincerely,

Waded Cruzado
President, Montana State University