COVID-19: New restrictions for students on campus
March 18, 2020
Dear Students,
If you have received a waiver and are staying on campus, you should be aware of the following, including new restrictions that will be enforced on campus:
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As of today, the university is limiting gatherings to no more than 5 people. This will be strictly enforced.
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As of today, students remaining on campus MAY NOT:
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Host or attend parties
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Host overnight guests or meetings of more than five people
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Use drugs or drink alcohol, even if they are over 21.
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Students who violate these policies will be subject to conduct proceedings and discipline, including removal from campus
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As you know, students will have no access to the library or to any of the athletics facilities at Gosman. There will be no access to studios or performance spaces.
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No seating areas for dining are open, and food will continue to be provided on a takeout basis only.
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Shuttle services to Boston and Cambridge are suspended for the remainder of the semester, and service to Waltham will be limited.
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Research Labs will be restricted to no more than three people working at a time. You will need to check with your PI on whether or not you are permitted to enter the lab.
Drug use on campus is never allowed, however, we feel we must further restrict alcohol use at this time even for those 21 and older because we cannot allow students to put themselves, BEMCO, DCL, Public Safety staff, or our local hospitals at risk due to overuse of alcohol or drugs. Brandeis cannot unnecessarily contribute to the overburdening of our health system that all are anticipating in the coming weeks as more and more people require hospitalization for COVID-19.
For those who have received permission to stay in a residence hall; we urge you to leave should your circumstances change and permit you to do so. No student will be penalized for leaving campus, either financially or academically.
The Department of Community Living has given permission to select students with extenuating circumstances to remain on campus. Those remaining include Community Advisors, who are here to support students who cannot leave, and members of our BEMCO emergency services, who are also here to support health needs of those students. Anyone who has not received permission to stay is putting themselves, fellow students who have permission, and the staff who care for you at unnecessary risk. Any student living on or off campus who faces financial difficulty due to this crisis is urged to email emergencyfunds@brandeis.edu where there is funding available to help you leave campus and engage in online learning from home.
We realize this strongly-worded message is not our usual tone and may be upsetting to some. But these are times that require us to take unprecedented action to mitigate and slow the spread of COVID-19. We Brandeisians are known for our commitment to repairing the world. Right now, we call upon you to embrace that foundational value and protect yourselves and each other, so that when the time comes for recovery we can all be part of that moment.
Sincerely,
Lisa M. Lynch, Provost
Raymond Ou, Vice Provost of Student Affairs