HELENA — The start of the school year is just around the corner for Carroll College. Starting Sunday the campus will look like a campus should look, filled with close to 1,100 students. But, like with everything in 2021, there will be one noticeable difference than in years past.
“To begin this fall we are requiring masks in our classrooms and in meetings with faculty and staff on campus," Carroll College president John Cech told MTN. "We will be checking, daily, the Lewis and Clark County Public Health infection rate in the county, and when the infection rate goes back to moderate, which is yellow, we will then go back to masks recommended in the classrooms.”
President Cech added that this isn’t set in stone for the year and could change. They are monitoring the Lewis and Clark County Public Health tracking of infection rates every day. And when the rate drops down to moderate, masks will only be recommended. As for the COVID vaccine, Carroll is not mandating it but is recommending that students get vaccinated, and above all be respectful of their fellow Saints.
“Outside of the classrooms and outside of meetings with faculty and staff we are asking students to mask up, do the right thing. It’s not mandated but we’re asking them to do the right thing until we get past this current transmission level of the virus,” said Cech.
Face coverings aside, Carroll is hoping to make move-in week and the school year as much a return to normal as possible, with students still having a chance to go on an orientation raft trip.
“Part of a residential college experience is being able to have that experience and being able to enjoy each other, our students are coming from about 40 different states and 15 different countries," added Cech. "They just what to come together and be together, but were doing so in a very safe way."
Another huge part of the college experience is football, and as of right now no masks are required, and no attendance limits have been put in place for Saints games at Nelson stadium. Games start September 4th when they host Montana Tech.
