Seven Elon University students have been removed from campus for violating North Carolina’s mass gathering limits.
Vice President for Student Life Jon Dooley told Elon News Network that the individuals were removed from campus for “allegedly” hosting mass gatherings. While the students are no longer on campus, the final outcome for these students will be determined following standard student conduct procedure.
An additional 32 students are also facing student conduct charges for participating in mass gatherings.
Dooley said that these violations occurred between move-in and this past weekend.
Under Gov. Roy Cooper’s executive order extending Phase 2 of reopening until at least Sept. 11, indoor gatherings have a limit of 10 individuals and outdoor gatherings are limited to 25 people.
The gathering limits do not apply to several business sectors, including restaurants and retail stores.
As outlined in previous communication with students, Dooley has said that violations of student conduct policies can result in suspension.
“There can be no warnings or second chances,” Dooley said in a Aug. 21 email.
Disciplinary probation is another potential repercussion for students if they attend parties.
If a student is placed on disciplinary probation, they could lose study abroad privileges or student leadership positions until they show a “positive change in behavior” as written in the Student Handbook.
“Everybody should look at the student code of conduct and say this is what will happen to me because it will happen,” Elon University President Connie Book told Elon News Network in a recent interview. “Because we are going to be watching.”
While Elon University has only reported 15 confirmed coronavirus cases on-campus, other residential colleges in North Carolina, including University of North Carolina Chapel Hill, North Carolina State University and East Carolina University, have already had to shift to remote instruction following several on-campus coronavirus clusters.