PENDLETON â No mask, no vaccine, no problem. In light of the state lifting its mask mandate July 1, Blue Mountain Community College elected to make masks optional for students and staff ahead of the return to in-person classes in the fall term. David Shellberg is BMCCâs chief operating officer and the chair of the collegeâs emergency response team, which has been providing the college with recommendations on its reopening policy. He said the group decided to lift its own mask rules because it wanted to align its policy with the state and local governments, where masks are no longer required.