Mask Compliance and Potential Closure of BizHub 4th Floor
Tippie and university staff routinely monitor compliance with the University mask requirement, and while slips have been noticed and documented all over campus, the 4th floor of Pappajohn Business Building is our biggest trouble spot. Non-compliance rates are hovering at 1 in 5, which is 2-3x higher than anywhere else in the building.
If the mask compliance rate in this space does not improve, we will close the space on March 1 for a week or longer.
We recognize that closure is not the perfect solution, and it reduces the amount of available study space. We will continue to monitor and remind students including asking students to leave if they are repeat offenders. But that particular space encourages falling back on old habits, and we have not been able to improve compliance, yet. To keep the Tippie community healthy, we need to do better or we will close the space to reduce the risk of community spread.
A few suggestions as we work together to keep our community safe:
If you are asked to get an approved face covering, or make sure it covers your mouth and nose, please do not be offended. We are following best available guidance from the Center for Disease Control for stopping the spread, and acting to enforce both University and Iowa City policy.
If you ask someone else to use an approved covering, please do so politely. We all forget and make mistakes; in that spirit, a gentle request is best.
