President Turner sent an email this morning announcing SMU will ease all pandemic procedures by the end of the semester.

As the spring semester ends, all classrooms will be mask-optional, except for the health center and campus shuttle that follow specific federal health guidelines.

Campus practices that will be discontinued after May 15 include COVID-19 case management, voluntary vaccination reporting, case reporting, and updating the daily dashboard. Isolation housing will be available for those who need it until the end of the semester.

COVID testing and vaccinations will continue to be provided “through various options” such as the health center and different medical providers.

The announcement provided a grid of the different COVID operations that will be continued throughout the subsequent May, Summer, and Fall terms. Among these operations, the most notable is that masks will no longer be required in indoor common spaces on campus. But faculty may require masks for May term classes in both Taos and Dallas.

On-campus testing for employees through MyLabs Direct at Expressway Towers will only be available through May 15. Afterwards, employees will have to seek testing at the health center or through various medical providers.

Despite the rollback of these restrictions, Turner says SMU “will remain nimble” in responding to changes and developments as they continue to occur.