Berea College students who test positive for COVID-19 may face withdrawal

In an email to students, Berea College President Lyle Roelofs announced students who test positive could face withdrawal for the semester.

STUDENTS WHOTEST POSITIVE FORCOVID-19 MAY HAVETO WITHDRAW FROMSCHOOL AND GOHOME.

THAT WASTHE MESSAGE FROMTHE PRESIDENT INAN EMAILYESTERDAY.

ITEXPLAINED THATTESTING POSITIVEREQUIRES A 10 DAYQUARANTINE.WITHOUT THEABILITY TO GO TOCLASSES DURINGTHAT TIME... ASTUDENT COULDHAVE TROUBLECOMPLETINGCOURSES.... ANDTHEREFORE... MAYNEED TO WITHDRAW.LEX18'S KRISTENEDWARDS TELLS USHOW STUDENTS AREREACTING AND WHYTHE SCHOOLCREATED THISPOLICY.STANDUP: "THISMORNING A COUPLESTUDENTS ACHEREDOUT TO US ABOUTTHAT EMAIL.

ONECALD ILETRIDICULOUS.ANOTHER...SHOCKING.

SO WECAME HERE TOCAMPUS TO LEARNMORE ABOUT HOWSTUDENTS AREREACTING."BRAND: ON"I DON'TTHINK IT'S A FAIRPOLICY.

I DON'TTHINK THEYTHOUGHT ITTHROUGH VERYWELL."JUNIOR BRANDONNICHOLS BELIEVESEVEN WITHPRECAUTIONS INPLA..CE.CONTRACTING COVIDON CAMPUS SEEMSALMOST INEVITABLE.HE SAYS FACINGPOTENTIALWITHDRAWAL FORTHE SEMESTER FORTESTING POSITIVE ISTOO SEVERE.BRANDON: "THIS ISNOT THEAPPROPRIATEANSWER."FRESHMAN RASHANATEMPLE SAYS SHEISN'T WILLING TOPUT OFF SCHOOL.SO IF SHE HAD TOWITHDRAW FOR THESEMESTER... SHEMAY NEVER COMEBACK.RASHANA TEMPLE,FRESHMAN: "IMIGHT GOELSEWHEREBECAUSE IT'SIMPORTANT FOR METO BE ABLE TOBECOME AN ADULT,START MY CAREER."WE ASKED THECOLLEGE WHATWOULD DICTATE AWITHDRAWAL... ANDTHE PRESIDENTRESPONDED WITH ASTATEMENT.

IT SAIDIN PART... "WE WILLEVALUATE EACHINDIVIDUALSITUATION.

FACTORSTHAT NEED TO BECONSIDEREDINCLUDE THENATURE OF THECOURSES IN WHICHTHE STUDENT ISENROLLED, HOWMUCH FLEXIBILITYTHERISE IN MEETINGACADEMICREQUIREMENTS INTHE COURSE, ANDEVEN WHEN IN THESEMESTER THEQUARANTINEOCCURS."FOR STUDENTS LIKEOZEEGURE...ITS A REASONABLESOLUTION FORBATTLING THEPANDEMIC.OZE: "WE'RE IN ARED ZONE.

ANDBEING A NURSINGMAJOR IUNDERSTAND THESAFETY OTHF ESTUDENTS.

IT'SJUSTUNFORTUNATECIRCUMSTANCESTHAT I THINKNOBODY CANREALLYON CTROLBUT THE SCHOOL ISTRYING TO DOWHAT'S BEST ORWHAT'S BEST TOTHEIR ABILITY."IT'S T ARICKYBALANCE...BETWEEN ENSURINGHEALTH ANDSAFETY.... ANDACADEMICPROGRESS.

INMADISON COUNTYKRISTEN EDWARDSLEX 1NE8 WS.NANCY