Quinnipiac University has announced that 12 students have been suspended and another 11 students were sent home for four weeks for violating the university’s COVID policies, according to an email that was sent out to students, faculty and staff late Thursday afternoon.
“Regrettably, this week, 11 undergraduate students were sent home for four weeks, and 12 off-campus students have been suspended pending their conduct meetings, after violating our no-visitor policy for residence halls, having non-QU guests on campus, and/or exceeding our indoor gatherings policy both on and off campus,” Chief Experience Officer Tom Ellett wrote in the email.
“Should there be further violations, we will continue to follow the clear policy guidelines we’ve issued and respond quickly to any such cases so that we can remain in person, in good health, throughout the academic year. Otherwise, we will lose the battle against the virus,” the email also read.
(Updated at 9:42 p.m.) Ellett said in a Zoom press conference Thursday night several different cases occurred last weekend.
The 11 on-campus violations occurred on Mount Carmel. According to Ellett, all the incidents were separate and there were three unrelated incidents where a student allowed the visitation of an off-campus guest. It is unknown if there were multiple off-campus violations leading to the 12 suspensions.
The students violating the university’s COVID-19 guidelines were reported by staff and students, which led Quinnipiac to this information.
“As it relates to the knowledge of how we got this information there is a combination of ways — some from staff and some from students,” Ellett said.
Ellett said he does not know if any of the students have been tested since they were disciplined. While the 11 on-campus students are in the process of leaving, it is unknown if the 12 off-campus violators are still in Hamden.
“In terms of [the 12 off-campus students] staying in their lease, the outcome here is that if you look again at what we wrote in the policy and the expectations as it pertains to the outcomes, it would be that [the students] would be prohibited from on-ground classes and co-curricular activities,” Ellet said.
All 23 students can continue classes via Zoom, according to Ellett.
The university has not identified any of the students who have been disciplined.
Ellett said the 12 off-campus students are serving interim suspensions pending appeal and a hearing to determine whether to uphold the suspensions.
Ellett did not say whether there are more investigations underway.
With additional reporting by Max Schreiber