BOURBONNAIS – Students at Olivet Nazarene University beginning Monday will be required to wear masks at all times while in athletic and recreational facilities.
The change comes as Olivet Nazarene approved events for indoor spaces limited to 50 people or less, days before the University begins the 2020 Men’s Basketball season.
“Our task is and has been, to carefully balance your health and safety with your campus experience and emotional well-being. In an attempt to accomplish this we are implementing a new mask requirement while also easing some earlier restrictions,” said Vice President David Pickering in a letter to students last Friday.
Olivet Nazarene is ranked #17 in the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) Men’s Basketball pre-season polls and is expected to begin hosting indoor events at the college beginning tomorrow when they take on #3 Indiana Wesleyan University at McHie Arena at 6 pm. The following weekend, November 6th to 9th, Olivet will host four games in three days from four different schools.
Due to the COVID-19 Pandemic, there will be no spectators allowed at any event.
“Physical distancing and mask-wearing will be strictly followed,” said Pickering. “Wearing masks will be required at all times, and distancing should be maintained as much as possible.”
The University announced Friday outdoor events may now also resume on campus.
On Monday, Olivet Nazarene University reported 14 cases of COVID-19 among students enrolled at the University. Of those, eight were in isolation on campus while six isolated off-campus.
Olivet will also begin to allow inter dorm guests on campus once again, limited to one per dorm room.
“The adjustments that you adapted to over the last few weeks have helped. However, continued vigilance and compliance are needed as our local community is seeing an increase in cases. It remains critical that we continue physical distancing and mask-wearing across campus.” Pickering told students Friday. “Our goal is to complete this semester strong and we need your continued cooperation. We do not want to go backwards.”
Last week, Kankakee County reported 252 cases of COVID-19 and saw county-wide rolling seven-day positivity levels increase to 8.0% for the first time in the pandemic.
