For Elise Serzyn, junior in LAS, most of her days end with going to the Ikenberry Dining Hall for dinner at around 7 p.m. However, 7 p.m. is when the lines at the Ike are long and students are crammed into tables with no room for personal space.

Serzyn said the Ike’s packed dining room is already pretty stressful. But when she thinks about how after Feb. 28, when masks will no longer be required in non-instructional spaces like the Ike, stressful is no longer a descriptive enough word.

“I understand that we take them off in there to eat,” Serzyn said. “But the idea of it being packed and someone is inches away from my face without a mask on while we’re crammed in line would make me nervous and uncomfortable.”

Following Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s Feb. 9 announcement that Illinois schools will no longer require masks, the University announced in a Massmail statement that after Feb. 28, “face coverings will no longer be required in non-instructional University facilities.” While some University professors and students embrace the update, others express concern.

Serzyn said she is worried about a spike in COVID-19 cases.

“I think we’re gonna see a huge spike, like, two weeks after the 28th,” Serzyn said.

Chelsea Birchmeyer, graduate student in LAS, shares Serzyn’s concern. Birchmeyer is also part a member of the Graduate Employees’ Organization union. The GEO has been vocal about the labor rights of graduate workers during the pandemic.

“We’re (GEO) very worried about a major spike in cases happening,” Birchmeyer said. “We already saw one of the biggest spikes we’ve seen in the pandemic with Omicron, and this was while the mask mandate was in place.”

Serzyn is also concerned with testing. She explained that although many living spaces have recently had significant infection rates, the University still decided to ease masking rules.

“Recently, a bunch of dorms were told they had to test every other day,” Serzyn said. “And then shortly after, they’re like, ‘Oh well we can take off masks in places.’ I just don’t think it makes sense.”

Birchmeyer pointed out contradictions in the University’s statement. She explained that CRCE, the Illini Union and the ARC are three testing sites considered to be medical facilities where, according to the University, masks must still be worn. But those areas are also considered non-instructional and thus mask-wearing is not required.

“Even within their own message, there are these contradictions,” Birchmeyer said. “Having contradictions like that during a public health emergency is disastrous.”

According to the University’s Massmail, testing requirements remain the same despite the masking update. Serzyn said she is grateful for this, but she also sees a problem with unmasked asymptomatic individuals. She said that without masks, asymptomatic people who don’t test will spread the virus-like wildfire.

“If I take mine off and I happen to be asymptomatic and someone I was near that I didn’t know was high risk, that would make me feel so bad,” Serzyn said.

Chris Evans, professor in Media, thought about how eventually, the University would remove masks in classrooms. He said this is concerning.

“I appreciate that they are still requiring us to mask in class,” Evans said. “I would be concerned if they were to completely remove them from classrooms, and I would hope that teachers would have the option of requiring them in classrooms.”

Evans also said he is confident in the University’s decision. He believes the updated mandates will not cause a significant rise in the number of cases.

“I’m not concerned about it too much,” Evans said. “I have my eyes pretty wide open, though, to the fact that students thoroughly don’t always mask when they’re together anyway.”

Similarly, Joshua Heuman, professor in Media, also said he feels safe removing masks. He also acknowledged that his circumstances make mask removal easier.

“I feel safe myself just with my circumstances where I don’t have unvaccinated children or, you know, elderly people who I’m in regular contact with,” Heuman said.

Unlike Evans, Heuman would be happy to remove masks in classrooms.

“Just for the practical questions of recognizing students and seeing when the mouth moves in a way that suggests I have something important to say and not have to deal with people not wearing their masks right,” Heuman said.

According to Evans, what matters to him is being safe while still moving forward.

“If there’s anything I can do to stop the spread, not just for me and my students, but like, in general, I’m going to do that,” Evans said. “No one likes wearing masks in class; I certainly don’t. But it’s, in my mind, still a good safety measure, and the best thing to do. I look forward to the day when we don’t have to do it. And I think we might be moving that direction.”

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