Temple releases COVID-19 guidelines for student orgs

The university is imposing strict restrictions on how student organizations conduct meetings and events on campus.

Student organizations will not be allowed to have general body meetings, host performances and eat meals at events in the Student Center. | JEREMY ELVAS / THE TEMPLE NEWS

Hosting on-campus events during the fall semester will look very different, according to a memo released Monday Aug. 3 on TU Portal. The memo detailed restrictions on in-person student organization events, including new rules about cleanliness, food, attendees, and which kind of student club meetings will be allowed on campus. 

BANNED EVENTS

The memo states that executive board meetings and general body meetings are not allowed in the Student Center or any academic space on campus, and advises group members to hold these meetings virtually. 

Students are also not allowed to host performance events that include singing, dancing, or musical instruments that include brass, woodwind, or any “air-driven instruments”, according to the memo. However, the university may ease restrictions on events with dancing depending on guidance from health officials.

FOOD

No shared or communal food, such as pizza or potlucks, are allowed at student organization events. Catering options are limited to “individually packaged food and drink,” according to the memo.

Bake sales, which student organizations have used in the past for fundraising, are not allowed. Additional tabling for the organizations will be limited, with mandatory social distancing measures in place for those managing or approaching the table.

ATTENDEES

The University is also requiring student organizations to adhere to the current state mandate that permits a maximum 25 people for indoor events and a maximum of 50 people for outdoor events. This number should include fewer than three presenters and all students, faculty and staff who will be in attendance, according to the memo.

RESERVATIONS

Student organizations will be able to reserve space through a new submission system called 25Live, which will be made available soon, according to the memo. Organizations can submit a maximum of two reservation requests for the fall semester and must be flexible with their dates.  

The university will not allow any special setups for events Monday through Thursday due to classes being held in the Student Center. Events can start at 6 p.m. Monday through Friday, and must end by 11:30 p.m. so there’s time for cleaning before the Student Center closes. Weekend events may have more flexibility with set up, but Sunday events must end by 10 p.m. in order for rooms to be reset and cleaned in preparation for classes.

CLEANING AND PERSONAL HEALTH

Students will not be provided cleaning supplies for their events, according to the memo. The university recommends that students wash their hands in the nearest bathroom or at a hand-sanitizing station in a common area. Cleaning will be done by building managers and housekeeping workers only.

Students are responsible for monitoring their own health prior to attending an event, and those experiencing COVID-19 symptoms should not attend events, according to the memo.

CANCELLATIONS

The memo warns that any in-person events may be canceled with short notice in accordance with changing regulations from local and state government and public health experts.

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