LIST: Mask & COVID-19 vaccine mandates for colleges in the Charlotte-area

Appalachian State University

Location: Boone, North Carolina

Updated: Jan. 5, 2022

When spring semester starts

On Jan. 10 in-person.

Mask Mandate

• Students must wear masks in all indoor locations on campus
• Members of the Appalachian State community can be maskless indoors when they are alone in a "private, enclosed residence hall room, apartment or office," actively eating or drinking, or when only members of their household are present. 

Vaccine Mandate

• Students, faculty and staff should also submit their vaccination status by Aug. 16. Those who don't are required to participate in randomized COVID-19 testing throughout the year. 
• Residents of university housing who do not provide proof of vaccination will also be required to participate in weekly surveillance testing. 
• Students and employees who are not fully vaccinated are required to submit weekly COVID-19 test results if they are on campus at any time.

Belmont Abbey College

Location: Belmont, North Carolina

Updated: Feb. 2, 2022

Mask Mandate

• There is no longer an indoor mask mandate for activities. Instead, Belmont Abbey will move to optional masks unless prescribed by an "external authority." 
• Any person who tests positive is encouraged to wear a mask around others in days 6-10 following isolation, per CDC guidance
• Belmont Abbey will honor the request of others to wear masks if requested. This includes classes, office spaces, meetings and other on-campus gatherings. 
• Belmont Abbey will no longer conduct detailed contact tracing for exposures to a positive case. The school will continue to honor voluntary exposure disclosure as before but will now limit contact tracing to roommates or other living environment exposures. 
• Belmont Abbey will move to full capacity for on-campus events.

Vaccine Mandate

• Belmont Abbey College will NOT require vaccinations for faculty, staff or students. 
• Belmont Abbey will request vaccination status prior to the beginning of the academic year of all students
• No courses will be conducted over Zoom and the college will not allow exemptions from in-person learning.

Clinton College

Location: Rock Hill, South Carolina

Updated: Jan. 5, 2022

Mask Mandate

• None

Vaccine Mandate

• Students in the residence halls, attending classes both in-person and virtually, must be fully vaccinated before arriving on campus. 
• Commuter students will continue virtual learning this fall. 

Catawba College

Location: Salisbury, North Carolina

Updated: Jan. 5, 2022

Mask Mandate

• Face masks and social distancing will be required

Vaccine Mandate

• All students, faculty, and staff who will be on the Catawba College campus beginning January 1, 2022, are required to complete the required dosage of a COVID-19 vaccine at least two (2) weeks prior to returning to campus (being December 17, 2021), unless Catawba approves a request for exemption.

  For more information, visit our Mandated Vaccination Policy page.

Catawba Valley Community College

Location: Hickory, North Carolina 

Updated: Jan. 5, 2022

Mask Mandate

• Regardless of vaccination status, facemasks or face coverings must be worn by all individuals inside campus buildings when in the presence of others and in public settings where other social distancing measures are challenging to maintain (e.g., shared workspaces, meeting rooms, classrooms, etc.). We will relieve this requirement as soon as trends change trajectory.

Vaccination Mandate

• People that are exposed to COVID who are unvaccinated or are more than six months out from their second dose (or more than two months out after the J&J vaccine AND NOT yet boosted) should quarantine for five days, followed by strict mask use for another five days.  
• Individuals who have received the booster shot do not need to quarantine following an exposure but should wear a mask 10 days after an exposure.
• The best practice is to get a COVID test five days after the exposure.
• If an individual tests positive for COVID regardless of vaccination status, they should stay home five days, then if they are symptom free, they may leave quarantine and continue to wear a mask for the next five days.

Central Piedmont Community College

Location: Charlotte, North Carolina

Updated: Feb. 21, 2022

Mask Mandate

• Central Piedmont Community College announced on Monday, Feb. 21, that it will shift to a masks optional policy on Feb. 26. The move falls in line with the Mecklenburg Board of County Commissioners rescinding the mask mandate.

Vaccine Mandate

• If you have not yet been vaccinated against COVID-19, it is strongly encouraged that you so, if you are so inclined, at your earliest opportunity. The college will not ask you to provide your vaccination status, nor should anyone connected to the college inquire about your status.  

Davidson College

Location: Davidson, North Carolina

Updated: Jan. 5, 2022

When the spring semester starts

We will delay arrival on campus until January 28 – 30 for all students who are not already authorized to return early.

The first day of in person instruction will be January 31st.  At that time all classes will meet in person.

The semester will begin one week earlier, on January 24th. That first week will be a form of reading week, with asynchronous work assigned by your professors. Faculty members already are developing a variety of options for those days, from reading assignments to introductory videos to preparing materials for the first in person day. 

The add/drop deadline will be pushed back to February 4.

The dates of spring break and Commencement remain unchanged and will happen as originally scheduled.  

An updated academic calendar will be posted shortly.

Mask Mandate

• Masks are required in indoor public spaces.

Vaccine Mandate

• Davidson College is requiring students to receive a COVID-19 booster shot. This is for people who had their primary shot more than six months ago in order to return for the upcoming semester. You can read more on the college's website.

Johnson & Wales University

Location: Charlotte, North Carolina

Updated: Jan. 5, 2022

Mask Mandate

• Masks must be worn inside public places on JWU’s campuses until further notice, regardless of vaccination status.

Vaccine Mandate

• Students, faculty and staff are required to get their COVID-19 booster shot six months following the final dose of their initial COVID-19 vaccine series. Any unvaccinated member of the JWU community will be required to continue participation in sentinel testing.

Johnson C. Smith University

Location: Charlotte, North Carolina

Updated: Jan. 5, 2022

Mask Mandate

• Face masks are required inside, except in private spaces
• Face masks are not required outdoors, however, masks are encouraged

Vaccine Mandate

• All vaccinated and exempted students must return to campus with a negative, COVID-19 test.
• JCSU mandated vaccinations for all students, faculty and staff at the beginning of the fall 2021 semester. With the rise of the Omicron variant over the past month, the University will mandate the COVID-19 booster shot for all students, faculty and staff by February 18, 2022. 
• The University will continue to recognize vaccination exemptions for medical and religious reasons. The mandatory weekly testing for exempted students, faculty and staff will begin on Thursday, January 13, 2022.  

Livingstone College

Location: Salisbury, North Carolina

Updated: Jan. 5, 2022

Vaccine Mandate

• Livingstone College requires COVID-19 vaccinations for its faculty, staff and students.

Lenoir-Rhyne University

Location: Hickory, North Carolina

Updated: Jan. 5, 2022

When the spring semester begins

Lenoir-Rhyne University has delayed the start of classes until January 18, 2022. Learn more about how students, faculty and staff should submit a negative COVID-19 rapid or PCR test two to three days before arriving on campus.

Mask Mandate

The following information was provided by the L-R website:

• Wearing masks indoors will be optional effective Friday, March 18, in all areas of campus except the classrooms. Revised classroom protocols for wearing masks will be effective Monday, March 21 (see next bullet).  Masks will no longer be required in the chapels, gyms, auditoriums, libraries, student centers, dining halls, classroom building corridors and lounges, or in our residential housing facilities.
• For the remainder of the semester and effective Monday, March 21, instructors in each course will determine whether masks will be required in their classroom. This is consistent with current practice of providing faculty the flexibility to manage their own classroom protocols.

• These policy revisions are effective on all three campuses with the following exceptions:

  • Individuals who are not vaccinated and fully boosted (if eligible) are required to wear masks when indoors. This includes those individuals who have an approved vaccine exemption, as well as UCHS students who have not been fully vaccinated and boosted.
  • Students visiting Cornerstone for health services may be required to wear masks and, if needed, masks will be provided when entering the facility.                                  

• Students will respect and adhere to the classroom mask protocols set by the instructor for their classroom space. There may be circumstances that merit wearing masks in classrooms and other instructional areas. LR trusts and provides the faculty/course instructor with the flexibility to manage their individual classroom. Anyone can continue to wear masks and should feel free to do so.

Vaccine Mandate

• The administrative team has recommended that LR require the COVID-19 booster shot for all eligible faculty, staff and students for the spring semester on the Hickory, Asheville and Columbia campuses.  

Isolation policy

Anyone who tests positive for COVID-19, regardless of vaccination status, must adhere to the following:

• Isolate at home for a minimum of 5 days and wear your mask if around anyone at home.
• You may end your isolation after 5 days if you have no symptoms, or your symptoms have resolved and you are without fever.
• Continue to wear a mask indoors and outdoors when around others for five additional days.
• Your health care provider must approve your return to classes and activities.  You may also be approved to return if seen by Cornerstone Health on campus.

Quarantine policy

Anyone who has been exposed to someone who has tested positive for COVID-19 must adhere to the following, depending on your vaccine status:

• No quarantine if fully boosted or fully vaccinated and are not yet eligible for the booster vaccine, you simply wear a mask for 10 days and rapid test on day five. If you develop symptoms, get a COVID-19 test and remain at home until you know the results.
• If unvaccinated or fully vaccinated and eligible for the booster, but not yet boosted, you are required to quarantine at home for five days and wear a mask for an additional 5 days. You may exit quarantine when testing negative on day 5 and continue to be without symptoms. If you test positive, then you follow the isolation protocols above.

Queens University

Location: Charlotte, North Carolina

Updated: March 22, 2022

Mask Mandate

• Starting Tuesday, March 22, face masks must be worn only during indoor in-person class activities and in health care facilities. They're also required on university transportation (e.g. buses). 
• Individual office occupants, at their discretion, may request visitors wear a mask while in their office. 
• Masks are optional in dining halls, residence halls, the library and other general use venues, including Levine Center. 

COVID-19 Protocols 

Beginning 3/14/22  

The university will stop surveillance testing random individuals (note – athletic programs will continue to follow NCAA and/or conference testing rules.)  In place of surveillance testing – the school will begin symptomatic testing.  Anyone who has symptoms should get tested.  For students we will continue to publish group testing times available through student health and individual students may schedule appointments at the student health center.   For faculty and staff, the school asks that you test through your primary care physician or through the numerous locations (pharmacies, testing centers etc.) that are convenient for you.

Vaccine Mandate

• In preparation for a successful 2022, the Senior Leadership Team has moved to require COVID-19 booster shots for all students, faculty and staff by Feb. 15, 2022, or as soon as you are eligible for your booster.
• Queens University still requires booster shots for all those who are eligible. 

Rowan Cabarrus College

Location: Salisbury, North Carolina

Update: Jan. 5, 2022

Mask Mandate

• Rowan-Cabarrus requires properly worn, approved face masks in all buildings, regardless of vaccination status

Vaccine Mandate

• Rowan-Cabarrus Community College faculty, staff and students are encouraged to receive the COVID-19 vaccine.

UNC Charlotte

Location: Charlotte, North Carolina

Update: April 4, 2022

Mask Mandate

UNC Charlotte updated its COVID-19 protocols on Monday, April 4. 

All indoor room capacities return to normal levels with cases becoming more manageable. Indoor events will be allowed to take place at full capacity. 

Students who have not been vaccinated will no longer be required to complete the Niner Health check on a daily basis. 

UNC Charlotte will continue to offer masks, tests and booster shots, but the school will stop the process of requiring residential wastewater testing and will instead just monitor. Students will be notified if there's a positive result in their building. 

• Face masks will be optional on UNC Charlotte’s campus. This includes classrooms and other academic spaces. This follows the UNC System issued guidance that makes face masks optional in all indoor settings on all campuses of the System, sent on Feb. 25.
• If you are unvaccinated or at high risk for complications, you are still strongly encouraged to wear a mask after March 7.
• Please note: Federal and state regulations still require a face mask on NinerTransit and in the Student Health Center.

Even with this guidance, you are encouraged to wear a mask to further reduce the risk of infection to yourself and others, especially when you are in close proximity to others in confined spaces. For example, this may include in hallways, in elevators, when waiting in line in buildings or in residential community spaces. Employees may make their own choices about asking visitors in their personal office space to wear a mask. The University has N95 masks available for any faculty member who wants one. Just complete this form with Environmental Health and Safety to receive yours. N95 masks may be available for free pick up in pharmacies and health centers nationwide. The Student Health Center does not have N95 respirators available.

Vaccine Mandate

• Beginning Jan. 4, anyone who is vaccinated and eligible for the booster but has not received one yet must participate in re-entry testing and ongoing mitigation testing until a booster shot is received. If you have received a booster, you're encouraged to submit documentation as soon as possible so you can be removed from the testing pool. You can visit the Niner Cares website for more information.
• UNC Charlotte does not currently require the COVID-19 vaccine.

Wingate University

Location: Wingate, North Carolina

Last updated: 2021

Mask Mandate

• Students, faculty, staff and visitors will need to wear a face-covering in all Wingate buildings until further notice.

Vaccine Mandate

• We strongly encourage all campus members to complete COVID-19 vaccination in order to support the ability to resume normal campus operations,
• Students may opt to test as an alternative to vaccination.

Winthrop University

Location: Rock Hill, South Carolina

Update: Jan. 5, 2022

Mask Mandate

• Effective Aug. 18, face coverings will be required for all members of the community, regardless of vaccination status, while around others indoors and in all campus facilities, including classrooms and labs. 
• The mask requirement does NOT apply to a student's own residence hall room, a staff member's private office (if alone) or while eating or drinking indoors on campus. 
• Masks are not required outdoors unless gathering in close proximity to others. 

Vaccine Mandate

• The university strongly recommends all students, faculty and staff to get fully vaccinated in order to protect themselves and the community.
• Students residing on campus, working on campus, or attending face-to-face classes must provide proof of a negative COVID-19 PCR or antigen test conducted no more than 5 days prior to arrival on campus ORopt out of testing by providing one of the following:
  • proof of prior positive COVID-19 infection within the last 90 days
  • a completed COVID-19 vaccination record that was recorded two weeks prior to arrival

York Technical College

Location: Rock Hill, South Carolina

Update: Jan. 5, 2022

When the spring semester starts

• York Technical College in South Carolina announced on Thursday, Jan. 6, that most Spring 2022 classes that begin on Monday, Jan. 10, will move to an online format for the first two weeks of the semester.

Mask Mandate

• Requires everyone to wear a face mask when accessing campus facilities;

Vaccine Mandate

• Urges everyone to get vaccinated. To find a vaccine location near you, visit DHEC’s Vaccine Locator

Quarantine Policy

If you are experiencing symptoms of COVID-19, have tested positive for COVID-19, been in close contact with someone who recently tested positive for COVID-19, or have been asked to quarantine, do not report to campus.