The Montana University System’s Board of Regents finalized COVID-19 guidelines for public higher education across the state Tuesday. Figuring out how to apply those rules in-person is still being worked out.
The guidelines for the 16 universities and colleges within the state’s higher-ed system cover everything – from campuses’ ability to mandate face coverings to how schools will isolate students who test positive. The Board unanimously voted in favor of the guidelines, and gave University System Commissioner Clayton Christian the ability to adapt those guidelines as conditions in the state change.
With just three weeks to go until classes start, Deputy Commissioner Brock Tessman said officials are still working on strategies for testing and educating students on new protocols and rules.
“This is probably going to be the biggest student-based communication campaign we’ve ever engaged in,” he said. “And I think that highlights how important it is to our campuses to make sure students understand what it’s going to take.”
Most of the state’s campuses across will begin classes the third week of August.
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