The pandemic is not over. It’s a blessing to live in a country with the resources to acquire and distribute vaccines, and a privilege to work for an employer that respects science and cares for the public good.

The email arrived while I was at home relaxing with the family. Seton Hill is no longer requiring masks for vaccinated adults, and students will be asked to show proof of vaccination in order to be permitted on campus without restrictions in the fall. (Students who aren’t vaccinated “will be permitted to apply for appropriate exemptions,” according to the email from President Mary Finger.)

I left this familiar artifact in my car and walked around campus maskless.