ALBANY — The University at Albany has suspended four students after investigating off-campus parties where campus leaders fear coronavirus could get a toehold.
A fifth student has been thrown out of campus housing for an on-campus incident but can continue to attend classes, college officials said.
The moves come as fall classes resumed at the university and as some students spent evening hours at off-campus parties. Since last weekend, the university had a number of staff members touring off-campus student housing areas looking for violations of social distancing and mask-wearing rules.
College officials around the state fear a return of college students - and parties tied to student life - will trigger a burst of new coronavirus cases and force the closure of campus. State University of New York Chancellor James Malatras on Sunday said SUNY Oneonta's campus will be closed for two weeks while the state deals with an outbreak among more than 100 students and faculty members. Five students and three campus organizations were suspended at Oneonta for hosting parties
An UAlbany student tested positive for the coronavirus two weeks ago but it was unclear if anyone has gotten sick after attending an off-campus party or an illegal on-campus gathering.
"We have a collective moral obligation to protect the health of the community we call home, and there is no margin for carelessness," UAlbany President Havidán Rodríguez said in a written statement released Sunday. "The vast majority of UAlbany students are taking this obligation seriously because they understand the stakes and know that being on campus is a privilege. It is time for the rest to get on board, or go home."
Rodríguez said the dean of students office had staff "on the ground" in midtown this weekend. In addition to scrutinizing the midtown neighborhoods popular as off-campus housing, the office was "reviewing social media posts in an effort to identify any members of our community acting irresponsibly."
"Any UAlbany students found to have endangered those around them by disregarding common sense public health precautions will face serious penalties – up to and including suspension or dismissal," he said.
Albany has an off-campus community popular with students that is tucked in housing near the downtown UAlbany campus and the College of Saint Rose. Late Friday and early Saturday, a reporter and photographer from the Times Union visited the area around Hudson Avenue and Quail Street, spotting many students wearing face masks but others were not. Many gathered in clusters outside of homes.
New kind of weekend for returning college students in corona era
Albany Police Department cruisers drove around the neighborhood, patrolling and waiting to remind students of the ban on having more than 50 of their friends over to hang out.
Rodríguez was outraged by the scene UAlbany staff found.
"The large gatherings this weekend in midtown Albany should anger anyone concerned about the health of our community. And they should embarrass anyone who participated in them," he said.
UAlbany urged anyone who attended parties — whether or not they are UAlbany students – to monitor themselves for symptoms and get tested for COVID-19. UAlbany students can get tested through Student Health Services, the New York State COVID-19 hotline (1-888-364-3065) or by visiting https://covid19screening.health.ny.gov.
The results of testing and contact tracing will not be shared with the student conduct office, the university promised.
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Four UAlbany students suspended as school probes off-campus parties - Times Union
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