The increase in cases is “driven mainly by students attending recruitment parties for selective living groups,” the letter said. This is the highest one-week total of positive cases and quarantines since the pandemic began, officials said.
All courses will be transferred to remote education and students who live on campus must stay in their rooms or apartments at all times, outside of essential activities, such as obtaining food or for health or safety reasons. Off-campus students are not allowed on campus except to participate in surveillance tests, seek medical attention or take food orders.
“If this sounds serious, it is because it is,” says the letter. “The restriction of the student movement – coupled with a renewed dedication to follow social detachment, masking, symptom monitoring and other public health guidelines – gives us the best way to contain further dissemination. Violations of these requirements will be considered a violation of Duke. Compact and will be treated as such; blatant and repeated violations will be grounds for suspension or withdrawal from Duke. “
The letter was signed by associate vice president for student affairs and student dean John Blackshear, vice president for undergraduate education Gary Bennett and vice president for student affairs Mary Pat McMahon.
The letter says that the possibility of finishing the semester and having a graduation for the trainees is “in the balance”. Duke officials will provide an update of the order on March 18, the document says.