UW Milwaukee Lifts their Indoor Mask Mandate 

The University of Wisconsin Milwaukee sent a notice out to their students on Feb.23 that after spring break, they will no longer be requiring masks indoors. The mandate officially lifts on Mar.19 and was a decision made based on a decrease in covid cases following the Omicron outbreak. 

The notice from the Dean of Students Office stated, “We are making this change in response to a directive from UW System that reflects declining infection rates on UW campuses, and a high vaccination rate among faculty, staff and students.” 

The UW Milwaukee COVID database supports this statement, showing that 96% of students and 85% of staff are vaccinated as of Mar.14. The school is currently averaging 20 positive cases a week, compared to the highest recorded cases per week which was 290 during the peak of Omicron. 

While no longer a requirement, UWM says they, “will continue to strongly recommend, in accordance with CDC guidance, that students, employees and visitors wear masks when inside public spaces on campuses.” 

There are some exceptions to the repeal of the mask mandate, including the Norris Health Center, the Children’s Learning Center, health care professional training programs as well as UWM campus shuttles. Each of these places will continue to require the use of masks after Mar.19. 

Instructors may also post requests that their students wear masks in their classroom. While it is still not required, the school is encouraging students and guests to wear masks when asked. 

Makayla Brame, Dreamers Assistant and Office Manager at the UWM Inclusive Excellence Center, said “On one hand I’m excited about it and happy to have some normalcy back, but I’m also scared about it. I want things to be normal, but not at the expense of other people’s safety, health, or education.” She also mentioned her choice to continue to wear a mask, “I still wear my mask a large majority of the time on campus. I don’t want to go back to how things were just to see school shut down again because of this.” 

One UWM student, Catherine Melotik, said that lifting the mandate may relieve some pressure for students who forget to bring masks to campus. She stated, “I don’t really care but I’ve just gotten comfortable with my mask so I might just still wear it. I might be that weird little duckling with my mask on still.” 

Another student, Sami Lecloux, expressed her concern about the change taking place directly after break, “People go to Florida and get sick and then come back and they don’t have to wear a mask.” she said, “It doesn’t hurt me to wear my mask, but it can hurt others not to wear my mask, so I’d rather just wear it.” 

UW Milwaukee will still require weekly testing for all unvaccinated students and staff until Apr.1, as well as continue to provide free N95 and surgical masks on campus.