ALLEGANY, N.Y. — St. Bonaventure University suspended 21 students on Saturday, citing a violation of COVID-19 health and safety protocols stemming from off-campus parties.
The school said those students violated the university’s Community Compact, which was signed upon arrival to campus for the fall semester and was included in the reopening plan.
"I’m extremely disappointed," university president Dr. Dennis R. DePerro said in a statement. "I know, because I see it with my eyes as I walk around campus every day, that the vast majority of our students are complying with the safety standards we need to abide by to allow us to finish the in-person portion of the semester on Nov. 24."
The school, in that statement, said the parties were held Friday night in the Village of Allegany, where students broke rules in the Community Compact outlining large gatherings and social distancing.
"After we had to suspend more than two dozen students in early September, I thought that would be enough of a cautionary tale for the entire student body to realize that we were taking this very seriously," DePerro said.
"Cattaraugus County has had its most significant uptick in positive COVID cases over the last couple weeks, and incidents like this only exacerbate the potential for further spread of the virus."
St. Bonaventure suspended 28 students on on September 6 for violating the college's COVID-19 health and safety protocols. Those suspensions stemmed from a large party held at the Garden Apartments on campus, which violated the college's visitor restriction as well as social distancing policies.
While suspended, students "are denied access to all campus facilities — including but not limited to academic buildings, residence halls, library, dining facilities, and sporting events — and any university-sponsored functions."
Judicial hearings will be held during the next week, according to the school. The suspended students were required to turn in their keys and ID cards by 7 p.m. Saturday, and they must test negative for COVID-19 before any return to campus.
St. Bonaventure said it has had eight positive COVID cases to date, with one of them being active. The other seven have recovered.