BOSTON — Boston University has announced a series of COVID-19 related rules for members of its student body returning to campus for the 2020-21 school year. Those new regulations were released on Wednesday afternoon in a letter to students from Kenneth Elmore, the university’s Dean of Students.
The university has said that students who host or attend a social gathering or party of more than 25 people will be suspended for the Fall 2020 semester. Those who are suspended will not be able to attend classes in-person or remotely and will not be eligible for a tuition or room-and-board refund.
“I’m not saying don’t get together with people don’t have an exciting time,” Elmore told Boston 25 News. “You just have to do it responsibly.”
Students who live on campus who are suspended for violating the new rules will be asked to move out immediately, the university said, and will not be able to live on campus for the remainder of the 2020-21 academic year.
Any student organization, including club and varsity sports teams, who host a gathering of more than 25 people will be suspended and have their university recognition withdrawn for the remainder of the Fall 2020 semester.
The letter to students did mention that these new rules do not apply to Boston University’s school-sanctioned events as outlined in a new policy.
Dean Elmore gave BU students a link to an online form as well as a phone number that they can use to report current or future large gatherings that violate the university’s new rules. Both of those can be found in the school’s letter to students.
“I stand with and am encouraged by so many of you who are and continue to make your personal health, safety and well-being as well as that of the campus and the surrounding communities a priority,” Elmore said in the letter. “I hope that I will not have to suspend anyone, and I know if we all work together, and remain committed to our goal of maintaining a healthy living and learning environment, we can and we will do this.”
Boston 25 News asked a spokesperson if any recent incidents lead to the letter to students, and were told there were none until after it was sent to students. Since then, there were two complaints of off-campus events scheduled for the upcoming weekend.
In addition to BU, Boston 25 News asked Emerson College, Boston College and Northeastern if they had or would be sending similar letters.
A spokesperson for Emerson College said they do not intend to send letters and will take violations of a student compact related to the return to campus on a case-by-case basis.
Emerson College president Lee Pelton told Boston 25 News he has confidence in his students but it will take a large effort from college students across Boston to keep COVID-19 infections to a minimum.
“A lot of this will work if students self-monitor and monitor their friends and make sure that all of them are engaged in all of the safety protocols,” said Pelton.
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