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HANCOCK -- Finlandia University will require masks indoors for three weeks as it assesses the community risk level for COVID-19, President Philip Johnson said in a message to the university Friday.
The mask mandate runs from Aug. 9 to Aug. 29 and applies regardless of vaccination status.
Finlandia will "urge, but not mandate" vaccinations for students, faculty and staff.
Classes will continue to be held in-person.
The university is pushing to get 70% of the Finlandia community vaccinated. The effort includes awarding textbooks for a semester for 10 vaccinated students, and giving $100 to all students who document at least one dose of a vaccine by Sept. 3.
"Science informed, with awareness of internal and external constituencies, we take this action now to allow our students the opportunity to continue their in-person learning experience that is so valued here at our institution," Johnson said in a statement. "Although not required, Finlandia encourages its students to get vaccinated. For what we achieve as individuals, we may achieve as a community. One community, one goal, one number."
Finlandia follows other Upper Peninsula universities such as Michigan Technological University and Northern Michigan University that have required masks. Houghton County reported its first six cases of the more contagious Delta strain of COVID-19 Thursday.