As of October 26, Stevens has faced a steep spike in COVID-19 cases as winter approaches.
Marybeth Murphy, Vice President for Enrollment Management and Student Affairs, announced on October 26 that 16 Stevens students had tested positive for COVID-19. The majority of these students had COVID-19 symptoms: eight of the 14 undergraduates are living on campus, six are living off-campus, and one of the two graduate students attended one on-campus biweekly class. Athletic facilities were supposed to open on October 26, but due to this significant increase, the limited reopening of indoor athletic facilities was pushed back 14 days.
Unfortunately, two days later, members of the Stevens community were sent another email stating that six additional Stevens students and one faculty member tested positive for COVID. The email noted that this sudden spike was mainly due to gatherings off-campus. The faculty member who tested positive has not been on campus since March 2020 and is isolating at home. Five of the six students are living off-campus in Hoboken and have not been on campus since Spring 2020. The other student is living on-campus.
By the time another email was sent on November 3, a noticeable trend was being recognized in the Stevens community: a steady increase in cases. 15 students and three staff members had tested positive since October 28. Two of the staff members had been working on campus, while the other was working remotely. 12 of the 15 undergraduate students were living on campus, one was a commuter, and the others were living off-campus attending Stevens virtually.
Lastly, the latest update on health came just this past Tuesday. 13 more students, four more staff members, and one UG2 employee tested positive for COVID-19. One of the staff members was working on campus and the other three were working remotely. Four undergraduates were living on campus and one student was a graduate coming to campus. Three of the students were commuters, while the last five were taking classes remotely.
All of these students and faculty who tested positive are isolating, and their close contacts are in quarantine.
With this sudden increases in cases, updates on violations of the Stevens Health Honor Code have come to light. Students have been found attending off-campus parties and placing themselves in highly populated settings where safety rules have been neglected. As mentioned by the Stevens administration numerous times, hosting or attending parties or large gatherings is in direct violation of the Health Honor Code. Investigations are being carried out regarding these incidents, and those who are found in violation will be subjected to disciplinary action, which can include suspension or expulsion.
Phi Sigma Kappa was found to have held a party at their off-campus house, violating the Health Honor Code. As a result of an investigation conducted by the Office of Student Affairs, the fraternity was suspended.
However, according to an article on NJ.com, the President of Phi Sigma Kappa, Gary Fernicola, said that the party was a baseless rumor. His goal since the beginning of the semester has been to make sure that all his brothers are safe. It was said that police received an anonymous tip saying that there was a freshman party going on in the house; however, Fernicola said that was not the case at all: “We had maybe six or seven of our brothers downstairs in the basement. They were playing some music and I guess someone must have heard that and reported it.”
It was said that the officers never entered the house and left shortly after arrival.
Some Stevens parents are outraged with the decision to suspend the fraternity for a year. One parent in the Stevens Parents Facebook Group commented: “was this a super-spreader event? Did it lead to even one COVID positive case? If the answer is no, then a 1-year suspension is a way over the top punishment…in my opinion.”
Others are questioning the university’s failure to listen to the story coming from the fraternity. “Is there some sort of legal representation the fraternity can offer these young men?” asked another parent expressing concern about the situation.
As of now, the plans for Thanksgiving break remain unchanged as the cases continue to grow. Plans to travel outside of New Jersey will most likely require quarantining for 14 days upon return to campus unless the state you are visiting is not on the list of COVID-19 hotspots (see New Jersey’s travel advisory). Stevens also strongly recommends that travel within the tri-state area be restricted as well. Students, faculty, and staff traveling to hotspot states will be contacted by Undergraduate Student Affairs or Graduate Student Life to make plans for their return to New Jersey, 14 day quarantine, and COVID testing.
Featured image courtesy of The Jersey Journal.
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