Pennsylvania State University has imposed 1,277 sanctions on students since August 17 for violating mandatory coronavirus restrictions.
The university had previously detailed possible sanctions and consequences for students not following COVID-19 rules. This applied to students living both in campus dorms as well as off-campus.
Damon Sims, vice president for Student Affairs, said that the community’s health and safety have been the university’s top priority during the pandemic. “We are grateful for the seriousness with which most of our students take the virus’ threat, but we will continue to hold accountable those students who threaten our community by violating our clearly stated expectations,” he added.
Of the sanctions, 1,046 students have received warnings that can involve a discussion about the situation and a warning that further violations may result in severe consequences. A further 204 students received probation or probation with a transcript notation for multiple or more serious offenses. Finally, 10 have been issued suspensions prohibiting them from attending courses for the remaining academic year.
An additional 17 students have lost their on-campus housing for violating no-guest policies and group size restrictions.
More Schools Crack Down on Students
Penn State is not the only institution to impose sanctions on students flouting pandemic-related policies.
Last week, State University of New York (SUNY) Chancellor Jim Malatras established a set of emergency sanctions for all 64 SUNY campuses. The sanctions range from loss of campus access, suspension for a year, and even permanent dismissal. Any student who violates COVID-19 restrictions and thereby receives any of the three sanctions will not be given a refund of tuition, board, or fees. Additionally, the student will be responsible for all amounts owed.
In addition, last month Middlebury College punished 22 students for violating campus COVID-19 guidelines. The college took action according to the sanctioning guidelines shared previously with the community. Derek Doucet, dean of students, wrote, “These sanctions included revoking on-campus housing privileges and disallowing the students from visiting, studying, or taking courses on campus.”
To check the spread of the virus, colleges and universities continue to emphasize the importance of following necessary pandemic-related guidelines.
Penn State alone has reported almost 2,700 positive cases so far. Talking about the implementation of health and safety measures at the university, Sims wrote the university “will continue to work closely with student leaders and local authorities to encourage the necessary behavior among all students.”