UMASS Amherst Suspending and Evicting Students for Parties and Mask Violations.

[Anonymous]

This email just came out.

Dear Student,

Sadly, it has happened again—a group of students flagrantly flouted the rules over the weekend. It has become clear that a relatively small but highly visible subsection of the student population in the Amherst area feels entitled to break the agreed-upon policies and rules so they can party, with no regard for the health and safety of their peers. This selfish and disrespectful attitude contributes to the spread of the virus and puts all of us at risk. To that end, I feel it is important to update you on actions being taken by the university.

What Occurred: On Saturday afternoon, the Amherst Police Department was called by local residents to disperse a crowd of about 200 students who had gathered in violation of university policy, town expectations, and state public health mandates. The crowd of mostly unmasked individuals was dispersed and citations were issued to the hosts.

What Happens Next: Those students identified as being involved—hosting or attending—will be issued an interim suspension. If a student also lives on campus, they will face the additional consequence of an interim housing restriction (which requires moving out of the halls) as they pose an immediate health risk to other residents.

Our Student Conduct & Community Standards staff has received nearly 1000 referrals since the beginning of the year; the vast majority of these are violations of the Interim Pandemic Policy. Due to the risks inherent in unregulated social gatherings and because students have been notified on numerous occasions of the expectations—this behavior is clearly an egregious violation of university policy and swift action is essential. We will continue to adjudicate future cases in this manner, and we will expedite the most blatant violations, such as those that occurred this weekend.

All students involved will have their appropriate due process, but under no circumstances will they continue as a university student in the interim. The actions of these haughty few are not representative of the larger student population who consistently demonstrate their commitment to public safety. This incident (and others like it) will be dealt with swiftly and effectively so those of you abiding by the rules can enjoy more university privileges.

I regret this is where we have arrived, but the university must act to support the needs and wants of the greater student body and the larger community. Thank you to those that have diligently followed the rules—I want you to feel seen and appreciated. I hope the good actors of the student body understand this approach as a supportive effort for a successful semester ahead.

Sincerely,

Brandi Hephner LaBanc

[Anonymous]

As a parent to a student at another one of the Five Colleges, I am in favor of this.

[Anonymous]

Utterly gross. If they think students in close proximity is a health risk, why are they having in-person classes?

30+ students in a tightly packed classroom with 1970s ventilation is far worse than outdoor parties.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Utterly gross. If they think students in close proximity is a health risk, why are they having in-person classes?

30+ students in a tightly packed classroom with 1970s ventilation is far worse than outdoor parties.

But which one is more important?

[Anonymous]

What “in person” classes...all my students classes are virtual!

Good decision on the part of UMass leadership!

[Anonymous]

They shouldn't be in person but good for them.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Utterly gross. If they think students in close proximity is a health risk, why are they having in-person classes?

30+ students in a tightly packed classroom with 1970s ventilation is far worse than outdoor parties.

I don't know any school doing in-person classes that doesn't have lots of restrictions, including spaced out seating, required mask wearing, etc. And keep in mind people can actually keep the mask on because they are eating and drinking.

Also, in most cases you can choose to attend the class online. In contrast, if you live on campus in a dorm, and follow all the rules, you can still get infected because jerks living in your hall went to parties and then lived in your communal space.

Good job UMASS Amherst for following through with consequences.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Utterly gross. If they think students in close proximity is a health risk, why are they having in-person classes?

30+ students in a tightly packed classroom with 1970s ventilation is far worse than outdoor parties.

But which one is more important?

I am a professor who teaches in person classes right now. My students are not packed in - they are spaced out. They all wear masks and are respectful of my space and of each others.

MUCH different than an unmasked party of 200.

Also, if it's SO IMPORTANT that your student gets in-person class experiences, they are going to have to give up parties where they're packed into someone's house. I have zero problems if they want to get together with friends and play beer pong (preferably outside, but if they MUST they can play in the living room with the windows open) in their social groups. Or have a masked get together.... there are tons of options that aren't a giant packed unmasked party.

[Anonymous]

Bravo! I wish our government would take as hard a line as this college administration.

[Anonymous]

Good.

Should have cracked down way sooner.

[Anonymous]

In person class is only select classes. My daughters art class is her only in person class. Spread out and small class.

It is the folks off campus with 100 percent virtual
Causing a lot of problems as harder on school.

For instance my daughter lived off campus in a nice complex which is all college students. She is closer to Amherst than Umass.

[Anonymous]

My daughter is at another MA college and has several friends there. The sheer panic on the part of both parents and students when students are actually held to the conduct policy they signed is just hilarious

This sort of thing is exactly what creates adults. Consequences for actions. No bail out. No buy out. Just plain old ramifications.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Utterly gross. If they think students in close proximity is a health risk, why are they having in-person classes?

30+ students in a tightly packed classroom with 1970s ventilation is far worse than outdoor parties.

But which one is more important?

Irrelevant. Virus doesn't spread by human's understanding of importance

[Anonymous]

Glad my kid won't have to deal with anything like that at Alabama this fall. I know he is, too. All year they've been packing the student section at Bryant-Denny, going to parties and restaurants, even flooding the streets of Tuscaloosa after the football team won its sixth national championship of the Saban era. No suspensions, no evictions from on-campus housing, no strongly worded letters from the Dean, and most importantly, NO MAJOR COVID OUTBREAKS resulting from anything I just named. If schools like UMass elect to keep ruling with an iron fist and denying 18-22 year olds a real college experience, expect to see more students from the Acela corridor fleeing for the greener pastures of the SEC. Roll Tide!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Utterly gross. If they think students in close proximity is a health risk, why are they having in-person classes?

30+ students in a tightly packed classroom with 1970s ventilation is far worse than outdoor parties.

But which one is more important?

I am a professor who teaches in person classes right now. My students are not packed in - they are spaced out. They all wear masks and are respectful of my space and of each others.

MUCH different than an unmasked party of 200.

Also, if it's SO IMPORTANT that your student gets in-person class experiences, they are going to have to give up parties where they're packed into someone's house. I have zero problems if they want to get together with friends and play beer pong (preferably outside, but if they MUST they can play in the living room with the windows open) in their social groups. Or have a masked get together.... there are tons of options that aren't a giant packed unmasked party.

Do you feel guilty that you teaching a class in-person where COVID will likely be spread?

There is no such thing as "spaced out". College classrooms are made to specifications for a given number of students. Unless the college has only 25% of the regular class size, there's absolutely no way to have 6 feet distancing.

Parties outside is much safer than indoor classrooms, by multiple magnitudes.

Seems rather obvious to me that Karens on this board are simply envious of college students enjoying life and desperately want everyone to live their dour lives.