Campus requirements to wear facial coverings
Employees and students on campus this summer term are required to wear facial coverings
Out of care and concern for all members of our campus community and in accordance with a recent directive from the Ohio Department of Health, the University of Cincinnati will require all essential employees currently working on campus and during the summer term that begins May 11 to wear facial coverings in the workplace setting.
This requirement begins upon any essential employee or worker’s next return to the campus workplace and is in place for at least the summer term and may be extended further.
In addition, any students living on campus or coming to campus for any reason are also required to wear a facial covering.
Facial coverings must be worn at all times except while eating or alone in a private room or office.
Employees or workers may seek an exemption from the requirement to wear a facial covering. Requests for exemptions may be emailed to Tamie Grunow, chief HR officer, at tamie.grunow@uc.edu
Students may seek an exemption from the requirement to wear a facial covering by emailing University Health Services at COVIDWatch@uc.edu
Exemptions will be based on those listed in the current State of Ohio directive:
- Facial coverings in the work setting are prohibited by law or regulation;
- Facial coverings are a violation of documented industry standards;
- Facial coverings are not advisable for health reasons;
- Facial coverings are in violation of the business’ documented safety policies;
- Facial coverings are not required when the employee works alone in an assigned work area; or
- There is a functional (practical) reason for an employee not to wear a facial covering in the workplace.
The facial covering mandate may be found in the May 1 “Stay Safe Ohio” order: https://coronavirus.ohio.gov/static/publicorders/Directors-Stay-Safe-Ohio-Order.pdf
At minimum, a facial covering should be cloth / fabric and cover the nose, mouth and chin. Facial coverings can also be made with a bandana.
See more advice from the CDC on how to wear and position a mask: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/downloads/DIY-cloth-face-covering-instructions.pdf
Tags
Related Stories
Driven by curiosity, guided by care
May 14, 2026
Max Wilson, a University of Cincinnati College of Allied Health Sciences health sciences major on the pre-physician assistant track, found his path expanding beyond the classroom and into hands-on research focused on human performance and patient care.
Is a colonoscopy painful?
May 13, 2026
The University of Cincinnati's Susan Kais, MD, assistant professor of clinical medicine in the Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology in the College of Medicine and UC Health gastroenterologist, recently appeared on the ARC Cincinnati morning program on Local 12/WKRC-TV to answer common questions from viewers about colonoscopies and to dispel myths.
UC achieves first-in-world remission of aggressive pituitary tumor with novel immunotherapy
May 13, 2026
Researchers at the University of Cincinnati Gardner Neuroscience Institute’s Brain Tumor Center have been confirmed as the first in the world to achieve complete remission of a rare pituitary cancer using a novel immunotherapy treatment. The findings were published in Surgical Neurology International and recently featured in The Cancer Letter.