AMHERST — Students at the University of Massachusetts returned to in-person classes and workplaces Monday as the campus lifted its order that all students self-quarantine where they live and shifted to an “elevated operational posture.”
In announcing the lifting of restrictions on student movements, UMass Amherst Chancellor Kumble Subbaswamy noted that the school has been in a “high risk operational posture” due to a surge in COVID-19 cases.
Case counts at the university ballooned in early February, with 292 new cases reported from Feb. 2 to Feb. 4.
This resulted in the university crackdown Feb. 7, in which it ordered all students to self-sequester. All in-person classes were suspended and, with a few exceptions, students were not able to work in person either on campus or off, and were told not to leave their residences except to get meals, undergo COVID testing, or go to medical appointments.
“These restrictions have moderated the initial surge,” Subbaswamy said in his announcement. “This improved public health outlook provides us the opportunity —anchored in a commitment to continue to strictly follow public health protocols — to lower our operational posture from High to Elevated.”
Students in compliance with the university’s twice-weekly testing regime will now be able to attend classes and work on campus. And although the school has no authority over off-campus employers, the release suggests that students could use their in-compliance credentials to show employers their health status and commitment to public health.
Du Bois Library will also resume on-site services.
“We are making progress on this,” said UMass spokesperson Ed Blaguszewski, who noted that the decision to relax restrictions was made in consultation with the state Department of Public Health.
Blaguszewski noted that the trend for daily cases in the UMass community is a downward one, although it still needs to go down further. While the seven-day average for new cases was 73 on Feb. 8, as of Feb. 17 it was 35.
However, a number of restrictions will still remain. Seated dining is not resuming yet, and the Student Union is also not reopening at this time, although both were listed in the release as possibilities with continued health improvement indicators.
Visitors and guests remain barred from campus, and unauthorized student gatherings of any kind remain prohibited.
“Our analysis has shown that small gatherings where masking and social distancing were not strictly followed were a significant cause of the recent COVID surge,” the chancellor’s announcement said. “It is imperative that you restrict your contacts and socialization to your own social bubble.”
Blaguszewski said the school is plagued by some students not following COVID-19 protocols.
“The great majority of the students are doing the right thing,” he said. “But some have not.”
He emphasized that students will be denied access to classes, including remote classes, if they’re not in compliance with twice-weekly testing.
Student Government Association President Sonya Epstein welcomed the relaxation of restrictions on students amid the decrease in case numbers, but expressed concern with the emphasis being placed on the university’s testing compliance system.
“Students fall out of compliance for a variety of reasons,” Epstein said, citing emergency situations and the testing site being closed for bad weather.
Epstein also said the system can be a glitchy one, and that the SGA will continue to push for more understanding around the compliance issue.
Amherst Town Manager Paul Bockleman emphasized that a relaxing of restrictions by the university doesn’t mean that “we’re out of the woods yet.”
“There are still multiple cases going through every day,” he said.
And Bockelman said that he hopes student and non-student residents of Amherst will abide by good public health recommendations.
“This loosening isn’t an open door to life as normal,” he said.
Bera Dunau can be reached at bdunau@gazettenet.com.
