Students at Western Connecticut State University will not be allowed to return to university residence halls for at least two weeks, President Dr. John B. Clark said in a statement.
The decision comes after the Connecticut Department of Public Health declared a COVID-19 alert following a recent spike in cases.
Clark said the only exception will be for students who have already moved into the residence halls. Those students must now stay on campus for two weeks.
All classes will start in an online-only format beginning Aug. 26 as planned, Clark said.
"We understand that delaying the campus experience is inconvenient and disappointing to students and their families, but it is our responsibility to follow state recommendations to keep our students, faculty and staff as safe as possible while doing our part to prevent community spread," Clark said in a statement.
The ban becomes effective Saturday, Aug. 22., according to the university.
"We hope to return to the original schedule as soon as it is safe to do so," Clark said.
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For more information, visit the university's reopening page.
