The Big Ten is leaving it up to its member schools to determine how to handle COVID-19 this fall.
Commissioner Kevin Warren said the conference is taking a “decentralized” approach on how to handle the virus, and that school officials agreed last month that universities would determine their own COVID policies.
When asked Thursday during the Big Ten Media Days how the conference would handle COVID-related cancellations, Warren said a decision would come soon.
“Our schools are finalizing their proposed policies and procedures for the fall,” he said. “We'll get that information in early August, we'll combine it, and then we'll get together with our chancellors and presidents and other key constituents to make the determination as far as how we handle the fall.”
Southeastern Conference commissioner Greg Sankey announced Monday schools that are unable to field a football team on a particular week because of COVID will be forced to forfeit that game.
So far, five Big Ten schools are requiring COVID-19 vaccinations: Illinois, Indiana, Maryland, Northwestern and Rutgers.
