Dear students,
I am sure you are looking forward to the brief “mini-break” next week as days to recharge and relax. We want you to get a break and have some downtime. And we want you, if at all possible, to do it right here.
Remember, if you travel overnight for any reason, a travel request form must be completed and your request approved before you depart. Also, note that testing negative for COVID-19 before returning to campus is a requirement.
Recent national news outlets have shown typical spring break destinations for college students filled with crowds showing little regard for physical distancing. This is exactly the type of activity that will create a new wave of COVID-19 cases on campuses and in communities when students return from these destinations.
Some students have requested permission to travel home to be with family, given the alignment of our break and several significant religious holidays. Traveling home, while still not recommended by the CDC, is permissible. Air travel, especially to areas that are not your home, sharing spaces with a large number of students, including those not from Lafayette, and engaging in other activities that increase the risk are not acceptable.
There are things to do on campus next week aside from sleeping, spending time with friends, and exploring Easton. The major activities can be found on OurCampus.
Students purporting to travel home should not make alternate travel arrangements to a different destination as that would be in violation of our approval process, which takes into account the risk profile of the destination. Violators will be subject to sanctions.
We want you to stay safe and healthy, so think of your peers and limit your travel as much as possible.
Be well and stay safe,
Annette Diorio
Vice President for Campus Life