Students currently in isolation at Lancaster Commons received an email warning them that they could be referred to the Office of Student Conduct and Community Standards if they continued to violate quarantine policies.
The email, sent Friday night by the Pandemic Response Unit and obtained by The Chronicle, states that Lancaster Commons staff reported litter and loud, unmasked gatherings.
“Behaviors such as these are malicious, disrespectful, and unbecoming of anyone who has chosen to become a Duke student,” the email reads.
Students allegedly piled up trash bags outside of service apartments, tossed boxes at railings and threw their garbage out the front door. Staff also observed “groups of nearly half a dozen” people entering other students’ isolation apartments or other Lancaster buildings at “full volume” without masks. These actions were “in flagrant violation” of quarantine policies set at the beginning of each student’s isolation period, the email says.
Students were directed to bag up their trash and take it to a trash can in one of the hallway closets on each floor and request additional trash bags if needed.
“Please do not toss your food trash—labeled with your name and apartment number—out on the ground,” the email reads.
The Pandemic Response Unit also stated that they would have no choice but to notify the OSC if these behaviors do not cease.
As of Friday, there were about 200 students in isolation, according to Michael Schoenfeld, vice president for public affairs and government relations. When asked how many positive COVID-19 cases there have been since Aug. 23, the first day of classes, Schoenfeld told The Chronicle that the dashboard will be updated Monday afternoon.
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Nadia Bey, Trinity '23, was managing editor for The Chronicle's 117th volume and digital strategy director for Volume 118.