The University of Alabama has issued 639 sanctions against students for violating its restrictions intended to limit the spread of the novel coronavirus, including 33 suspensions, AL.com reported.
The number of sanctions were as of Tuesday since the Tuscaloosa school issued new regulations Aug. 13, spokeswoman Monica Watts told the publication.
The 33 students were issued interim measures "effectively suspending them from campus while their conduct cases proceed through due process," the university said in a statement. NBC News reported three campus organizations also have been sanctioned and a fourth is facing suspension.
The report did not specify what the violations were that resulted in the suspensions.
Alabama is not the first school to suspend or throw students off campus.
The Chicago Tribune reported Purdue issued 36 "summary suspensions" to students who attended an off-campus party without face masks, and Ohio State temporarily suspended 225 students. Penn State suspended a fraternity after hosting a party with 70 people.
Northeastern University in Boston expelled 11 freshman for attending a hotel party, according to the Boston Globe.
Alabama's regulations specify no more than 50 people can attend indoor events and no more than 100 for an outdoor gathering. All on-campus gatherings organized by students must be registered with the Office of Student Involvement.
Penalties for violations include a written warning and required additional health and safety training for a first violation; a formal charge on the student's written record for a second violation; and probation for up to two semesters and required completion of the Capstone Character Workshop for a third.
A fourth could result in a suspension of up to a year, but the process could be accelerated on a case-by-case basis.
"Repeat offenders will face increasingly greater sanctions," the guidelines read. "Egregious offenders will be met with significant sanctions up to and including suspension after as little as one offense. Given the expectations for compliance and the need to mitigate risks, leniency in the implementation of sanctions will be limited."
Alabama says 1,899 students have tested positive for the SARS-CoV-2 virus that causes respiratory afflication coronavirus disease-19, or COVID-19, since classes began Aug. 19.
© 2024 Newsmax. All rights reserved.