Fordham University released updated safety expectations in a required Orientation module as members of the community return to campus for the fall semester. The guidelines go over the latest information and expectations regarding Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), physical distancing and other safety precautions to prevent the spread of COVID-19. 

Students arriving from a state on New York’s mandatory quarantine list are required to quarantine for 14 days before entering campus. Students will be tested twice in the first month of the fall semester, once upon arrival and again after two weeks. The university may randomly select students to get tested at least once during the semester. 

All students, staff, faculty and administrators must wear face coverings in all public places, both inside and outside, while on and off campus. The university also encourages students to wash their hands frequently throughout the day for a minimum of 20 seconds.

In addition to wearing masks, the guidelines require all in-person gatherings to be “limited” and held in open spaces. Individuals should maintain a distance of at least six feet.

Within residence halls, lounges and other common areas will have “strict occupancy limits” or may remain closed during the semester. Residential Life will update and enforce these rules under the guidance of the Department of Public Safety. 

After the move-in process, no guests or student visitors will be allowed inside any residence hall or housing area. However, students will be allowed to visit other rooms/suites/apartments within their residence hall. 

Socially, students are restricted from organizing, advertising or attending off-campus gatherings of more than 10 people. Any student who participates in a gathering of more than 10 people will be referred to the Student Conduct Process.

“As the City of New York and New York State transition to later phases on their reopening plans, the University will continue to prohibit gatherings of more than ten people in off-campus residences mindful of the special considerations required to safely maintain in-person classroom instruction and residential living,” reads the guidelines. “This requirement will be in effect until further notice and applies to all enrolled students.”

The university will work with the New York Police Department (NYPD) to identify any students who engage in high-risk activities. 

The policy said NYPD officers may intervene “at their discretion” when students are observed to be engaging in unlawful conduct. According to the university, the officers may confiscate a student’s identification card, make a report of their behavior and submit the card with a report to the Fordham Department of Public Safety. Students should be able to retrieve their IDs from Public Safety no more than a day later. 

The NYPD reports may be sent to the office of the Dean of Students, Christopher Rodgers, and the student may be referred to the Student Conduct Process. 

The university said they will also notify parents of any misconduct unless a student can “establish proof” that they are not a dependent. 

The module stated that any student participating in high-risk activities related to the COVID-19 pandemic may receive an interim dismissal from university housing, temporary suspension from the university pending the Student Conduct Process, suspension of campus access and other sanctions. 

This article will be updated as new information comes to light.