The University of Virginia is welcoming students back to campus, but as Sandy Hausman reports, administrators are warning of dire consequences if those students don’t follow public health guidelines.
UVA students will begin moving into the dorms Thursday, but some are already back in Charlottesville, and 117 have been diagnosed with COVID-19. In a video, Dean of Students Allen Groves said the university would strictly enforce a requirement that students wear masks, stay 6 feet apart and gather in groups no larger than 15.
“You can still gather in smaller groups with close friends," he said, "but know that we are very firm on this number. No more than 15 on grounds or off, inside or outside.”
He warned those who break the rules would be banished.
“Several peer institutions have not hesitated to immediately suspend students who decided to place others at risk by gathering in large numbers. This includes our ACC peers – Syracuse and Virginia Tech. A suspension for violating these public health norms will be immediateand for the full semester at a minimum.”
Groves expressed sympathy for those attending college during a potentially deadly pandemic but asked students to make short- term sacrifices so UVA could get us past this crisis faster and with fewer people harmed by the virus.
