As of Oct. 15, the University of Central Missouri has 10 known active student COVID-19 cases and two faculty/staff cases. Student case numbers on campus have gone down in the last month, as there were 17 student cases reported on Sept. 17. 

  Junior marketing major Michael Cadwell works at the Elliott Student Union and said the biggest change he’s seen during COVID-19 is the smaller number of students at the Union, while noting it has increased this year. Cadwell said he has had COVID-19 and wouldn’t wear a mask while at the Union if UCM’s mask mandate is lifted. 

  “I think there’s a lot of students on campus that would be comfortable not wearing masks, and I think if you’re not comfortable, wear a mask,” Cadwell said. 

  Sophomore biology major Urja Doshi said that this school year has been better for her than her freshman year, as all of her classes are now in person. Doshi said she doesn’t care whether or not the university has a mask mandate. 

  “At this point, I think everything is normalizing, so it’s okay if we don’t have masks,” Doshi said. “I really don’t mind if people do have masks, and I don’t really mind if we don’t.”