LA GRANDE — Daniel Fuchs was happy to see the change.

Eastern Oregon University lifted its mandate for wearing masks on campus indoors beginning Saturday, March 12, in accordance with the state’s plan. The lifting of the mask mandate came about two years after it was imposed.

“I’m excited. There is something really good about being able to see people’s faces,” Fuchs, a freshman at EOU, said last week. “It is important to be able to see people’s faces when interacting with them because it lets you see their emotions.”

Gov. Kate Brown last month announced the current mask requirements will expire at 11:59 p.m. March 11, citing decreasing cases, hospitalizations and a strategic alignment with the lifting of mask mandates in Washington and California.

Brown announced Oregon’s accelerated timeline Feb. 28 on the two-year anniversary of the state’s first known COVID-19 infection, saying residents must “learn to live with the virus” while maintaining vigilance going forward.

EOU freshman Eli Millington is also looking forward to being mask free because it will make interacting with others less difficult.

“I’ll enjoy not having to wear a mask in class. It will make it much easier to communicate,” Millington said.

EOU women’s soccer coach Jake Plocher said EOU’s students have been good about following the mask mandate rule, but he senses they are ready to start going mask free.

“I can tell they are ready to get back to normal,” he said.

Brian Avila, EOU’s head athletic equipment manager, is eagerly anticipating the lifting of the mask mandate because it will make it easier to communicate. He explained that when he is in an environment where it is hard to hear people talking he likes to read lips, something masks make impossible.

Avila noted that when he first started wearing masks the strings made the skin around his ears sore. Today, though, he feels no soreness because of calluses that have developed. While he has become accustomed to wearing masks indoors, he is happy the mandate is being lifted.

“It will be good to be back to normalcy,” he said.

Eastern will continue to monitor COVID-19 cases and will remain in contact with local and state health officials as it moves through changes in other safety and health protocols.

State and federal requirements for wearing masks in health care settings, within public transit and in other specialized settings will remain in place after March 12, according to a press release from the school. Masks will still have to be worn at EOU’s student health center, said Vicky Hart, EOU public information representative.

Ron Wheeler, EOU’s food services general manager, is particularly looking forward to not wearing a mask. He noted that he came to Eastern two years ago, which means he has never been on campus when masks were not required. He feels good about Eastern’s COVID-19 status because he said a high percentage of its students are vaccinated for COVID-19.

Wheeler said that masks and sanitizing supplies will still be available to students.

“We have raised sanitizing to a new level,” he said. “Sanitizing stations are now everywhere you go.”