27 students have faced or are in the process of facing conduct charges for hosting mass gatherings as of Sept. 12, according to Vice President for Student Life Jon Dooley, representing an increase of 20 students since Aug. 25.
Students who are charged with hosting gatherings larger than what is allowed by the university and town of Elon are suspended from campus.
While Gov. Roy Cooper announced that mass gatherings indoors can increase to 25 and outdoors to 50, the town of Elon amended its state of emergency order declaring that mass gathering limitations will remain at 10 indoors and 25 outdoors. Capacity for on-campus residence halls and apartments vary from the state and town gathering limits.
Additionally, 74 students have faced or are facing conduct charges for attending mass gatherings, which is 42 more students since Aug. 25.
Disciplinary probation is a repercussion for students if they attend a large social gathering.
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 outlined in the Student Handbook.
Dooley wrote in a Sept. 3 email to students stressing the importance of adhering to gathering restrictions in order to remain in-person.
“The limits on mass gatherings have helped us control a common source of transmission among college students – parties and large social gatherings,” Dooley wrote. “Our continued commitment to mask-wearing, physical distancing and adherence with mass gathering limitations will be among the important steps we can take to ensure that in-person learning continues this semester.”