Universities that require masks on campus are in the minority as the fall semester and the prospect of another wave of COVID-19 infections loom. Despite the lifting of provincial and territorial mask requirements, some post-secondary institutions have decided to keep them for the safety of staff and students. The University of Manitoba is one of the few implementing a mask mandate on campus. “It’s going to be safer to be back to work in person,” said research assistant Julie Lajoie. “U of M is really following the science, so explaining masks is important, quality masks are also important so they are providing N95, so that’s really great. ” Fourteen out of 83 universities surveyed by The Canadian Press through email, interviews and online notices say they will require students and employees to mask up in different settings on campus. The University of Alberta said in a statement that “high quality masks remain encouraged on U of A campuses in indoor high-traffic or high-capacity areas or when accessing public or shared transportation. In some specific instances masks will be required, such as clinical settings with Alberta Health Services masking requirements. ” The president of the University of Alberta Student Union Abner Monteiro wants to ensure stability for students. “The more predictably we can give them, the better and one of the greatest challenges we saw last year was that with all the changes that were happening on campus and decisions to move online or in person, students had very little time to plan for the semesters,” said Monteiro. “It’s a big concern for us and we want to ensure that for this semester, that doesn’t happen again. Related links: Vaccine-hesitant parents urged to ask questions, get school-aged kids COVID shots Latest COVID wave appears to have peaked in B. C. , say independent researchers Ryan Simmons, a music student at MacEwan University in Edmonton, said he would prefer a mandate for vaccines over one for masks. “It is a higher place of education, so I’d hope most people at school are smart enough to get their booster shots,” said Simmons, whose COVID-19 vaccinations are up to date. Simmons said universities should have notifications sent to students encouraging them to get their boosters. When it comes to mask requirements, Simmons said: “I’m totally fine with whatever. As long as I get to be at school, I’m a happy guy. ” MacEwan University has announced it will continue to encourage vaccination and masks, but will not make either mandatory for the fall semester. Some students will still be wearing masks when the new semester starts, mandate or not. Cleome Wilkinson, a student at the University of Victoria, will be opting to wear hers come September. “The disability community has been really vocal about mask wearing in close contact spaces and indoor spaces being something that makes their life easier and more comfortable,” said Wilkinson. “That’s something that’s important to me, though I will be wearing a mask. I don’t know if a mandate is something that the school needs to do or if there just needs to be more awareness about why being considerate is important. ” Related video Western University in London, Ont. , and an affiliated school, Huron University College, were the only ones surveyed that have vaccine mandates. “While we can’t predict when the next wave of COVID-19 might come, we believe these measures will help us protect the in-person experience that Western is known for,” Western provost Florentine Strzelczyk said in a statement posted to the university’s website. At Dalhousie University in Halifax, masks must be worn in classrooms and instructional spaces. They’re voluntary in all other indoor spaces such as hallways, libraries and learning commons. Dalhousie does not have a vaccine requirement. Dalhousie Student Union was not part of the decision-making, but it fully supports the mandate, said spokesperson Janet Bryson. The Student Union Building is not an instructional space, so masking is not mandatory there. “Masks have always been recommended, and we will continue to recommend that masks be worn in our spaces,” Bryson wrote in an email. Universities that offer medical training still have mask policies in clinical settings, as recommended by public health officials. .