Princeton Will Allow Students Back on Campus in Spring Under Stricter Guidelines

Princeton University will allow undergraduate students back on or near campus for the spring semester, granted they follow the school’s safety guidelines, CNN reported. The announcement is facing criticism from students.

Students will still be required to abide by standard mask and social distancing policies. But they will also have to live on their own in dorm rooms without any visitors and will be barred from most social gatherings, parties and traveling.

Princeton President Dr. Christopher L. Eisgruber said returning students will be required to be tested by the school and quarantined on arrival.

Most classes will continue to be taught online. In-person classes will have an online component.

“We have concluded that, if we test the campus population regularly, and if everyone on campus rigorously adheres to public health guidance about masking, social distancing and other practices, we can welcome a far greater number of students back to Princeton,” Eisgruber wrote in a Nov. 24 letter.

This announcement comes amid a surge of COVID-19 cases and record high hospitalizations in the nation, with three million new cases reported in the first three weeks of November.