On November 17, first-year students living in Castle Point Hall (CPH) this semester were notified via email that they will not be able to live in CPH for the upcoming spring semester. This change was made as an additional precaution taken by administrators to prepare for possible increases in the number of COVID-19 cases. As a result, students will be reassigned to another on-campus residence hall for Spring 2021.
Currently, the lower floors of CPH have been serving as a quarantine location for students on campus who test positive for COVID-19, whereas the upper floors house freshman students. Starting next semester, all of CPH will be a designated quarantine location for many of those who test positive.
When the news broke to freshman students, parents in the Stevens Parents Facebook group took issue with the sudden increase of quarantine space. Many expressed concern that their child would lose their residency. For example, one parent stated, “My son just called me upset because they evicted everyone in his building (Castle Point) as they need their dorms to house the COVID students, which were currently being kept in the basement. And, they will be housed, in February, wherever they can find a room for them.” This initial post sparked many similar responses from fellow parents.
Sara Klein, Assistant Vice President for Student Affairs, sent out an announcement in that same Facebook group the following day to answer the many frustrated parents. Klein stated, “I have noted that there are some concerns being shared on this group regarding the changes in Castle Point Hall for Spring 2021. To clarify what is happening, we are preparing for the Spring semester and we are taking extra precautions to prepare for possible increases in numbers of COVID-19 cases based on the local and national data by adding more isolation and quarantine spaces on campus. Additionally, we are expecting a good number of students to arrive for a quarantine in mid-January before the start of Spring semester due to NJ’s travel advisory.”
In direct response to the parents, Klein additionally mentioned that current residents of CPH have been informed that they will be reassigned to another on-campus residence hall for Spring 2021. The students leaving CPH will be able to indicate their preference for roommate and dorm hall for next semester.
Students will also be able to choose to either bring their belongings home over the winter break or arrange with Residential Services to move their belongings to the new residential hall they will move into for the spring.
Klein ended her response with this message to the parents, “We understand that there is a high level of anxiety and stress when a unexpected mid-year move takes place, and it is our intention to assist and support our students and families to ease this transition as much as we can. I ask for your understanding and support as we take any and all steps to create a safe campus environment during the pandemic for your children.”
Image courtesy of Stevens Institute of Technology Parents.
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