Nova Southeastern University’s housing department has recently adjusted their visitation policy for students. As of fall 2021 students are now allowed to host anyone who resides on campus regardless of their assigned residential hall.
Last year students who resided on campus were prohibited from hosting students outside of their residential hall in their dorms. This rule also applied to commuter students and any individual who did not attend the university. This was done in order to ensure the safety of students and staff at NSU by attempting to control the contraction rate on campus.
Tom Vitucci, assistant dean of student services in the division of student affairs, said, “The university is evaluating things week by week and month by month. When it is safe to consider expanding the policy, they will do that. There is no timeline or date when things will or will not change. It will be fluid.”
Vitucci also discussed that NSU is taking both COVID-19 cases and vaccination rates into consideration when creating their policies.
Prior to the pandemic NSU allowed both students who lived on and off campus into residential halls. Currently, commuter students who attend NSU are doing face-to-face classes along with residential students.
Despite both groups of students being in close contact, Vitucci stated that, “as of right now, the university’s comfort lies with only building to building visitation.”
Several other universities have opened completely without many COVID-19 regulations in place. NSU is in communication with neighboring private universities.
Vitucci said, “We are very much in line with what’s going on at all of the private institutions in the state.”
Last year the Office of Residential Life and Housing received emails and feedback from students regarding their concern with a lack of engagement with others.
Vitucci said, “We understood that people wanted to feel connected.”
Vitucci also mentioned that the feedback they are receiving this year seems to be more in line with what students want compared to last year.
If the housing visitation policies are violated, there is a standard disciplinary chain. Depending on a variety of factors, there are warnings that are issued and repeat offenders are subject to larger sanctions such as being removed from housing. Vitucci also wanted to remind students that as a university, health and safety is the number one priority and they will continue to make decisions with those best interests in mind.
