WPI latest to put restrictions in place as coronavirus cases rise

Photo | Grant Welker Worcester Polytechnic Institute

Write a Comment

By Grant Welker

Worcester Polytechnic Institute on Tuesday became the latest school to put new measures in place limiting campus activities as coronavirus case surge in Worcester and beyond.

WPI President Laurie Leshin told the campus community Tuesday afternoon students should leave their residence halls or off-campus homes only to attend classes, study, get food, seek medical care, get tested or for other relatively urgent actions.

WPI has reported 22 positive cases in the past week, with 10 taking place on Monday. The school has 38 students quarantined on campus and another 64 off campus.

"If we are not able to slow the spread, WPI is at risk of moving to an even more restrictive operating status; something none of us wants. The good news is that we all have the power to make a difference by adhering to the new heightened restrictions and guidance," Leshin said.

Those restrictions are effective immediately and through at least Nov. 30, she said. WPI's Sports and Recreation Center will be closed until further notice, and no visitors to campus are allowed. Among other restrictions, no in-person meetings are allowed except for classes and laboratories held on campus. Grab-and-go dining is encouraged, though dining halls will remain operational with spaces for students at least six feet apart.

WPI's decision came a day after Clark University said it would move classes online starting later this week in response to rising case numbers on and off campus. It had already planned to finish the semester online only after Thanksgiving break, which begins Saturday.

Fitchburg State University said last Friday it plans to switch to remote instruction no later than Friday, just before Thanksgiving break, except for a small number of classes already approved to stay in-person. Residents halls will close the next day, Sunday. Fitchburg State's decision came after the city saw an outbreak of more than 200 cases traced to a church that was holding in-person services.

Assumption University locked down its campus in late October, asking students to shelter in place amid an outbreak that already led to more than one in five residential students having to quarantine or isolate themselves out of precaution.