Starting Nov. 8, campus community members may now gather in groups of up to 15 people without masks, the College announced Thursday morning. Students may also now eat together in any campus space, except for classrooms from 7 a.m. – 7 p.m. on weekdays.

Faculty, staff, and students are also permitted to dine together inside in groups of 15 or less. Dining with visitors is still largely limited, but may receive approval from the proposal review committee. Faculty and staff may now go into student common spaces in residence halls for meetings as well.

Food may now be provided at large student-only events. However, if the group is larger than 15 students, masks still have to be worn when not eating or drinking.

Masks are still required inside of classes, in the Bear when not actively competing in a sports event, in groups of larger than 15, and in any group that includes someone not from the campus community. Students remain the only members of the campus community to be allowed in the dining hall.

The college specifies that mandatory mask-less events or events that serve food are prohibited, in that an event organizer cannot require students, faculty, or staff to attend an event in which members of the group will be mask-less. There are also assurances that anyone is welcome to wear a mask under any circumstance. The college continues to recommend that students wear masks in indoor spaces off-campus.

These changes come in response to high vaccination rates, low case counts, and the availability of booster shots, according to the College.