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Here’s how you can report UVA students for breaking COVID-safety rules

written by Newspack Team | September 24, 2020

The University of Virginia has an online reporting portal that Charlottesville-area community members can use to report students who do not comply with the university’s COVID-19 safety regulations.

UVA students signed a contract before returning to in-person class promising to follow all COVID-related rules and guidelines. The university this week imposed stricter rules that will be in place for at least the next two weeks. 

Those rules include:

  • Gatherings, either on or off Grounds, are limited to five students.
  • Students are required to wear masks at all times — including around roommates or housemates — unless in their rooms, eating, exercising outdoors, or exercising in accordance with the guidelines at one of the university’s on-Grounds IM-Rec facilities.
  • Students should not travel outside of Charlottesville or have out-of-town guests, “unless truly necessary.”
  • Students should maintain a minimum of 6 feet of separation from any non-family/non-roommate/non-pod contact lasting longer than 10 minutes.
  • Students who test positive for COVID-19, or who have been informed by the Thomas Jefferson Health District that they have had “close contact” with someone who has, should isolate and quarantine themselves from others.

“Intentional or reckless” violations of these and other COVID-related rules lead to a student’s suspension.

The university announced this week it has suspended more than one student for intentionally disregarding such policies. Officials would not say how many students were suspended or what policies they broke.

Community members who report student violations must identify which policy a student is breaking from the following options:

  • Face coverings
  • Social (physical) distancing
  • Gathering size
  • Isolation/Quarantine
  • Other

There is also a place to describe the incident, and a place to upload a photo if one exists.

The university asks that only “significant or repetitive noncompliance” be reported. It also warns that there may be little officials can do if the infraction took place off-Grounds, and that it is unlikely reporters will receive any follow up regarding their report.

“Please note that due to federal privacy regulations, the University very often will not be able to share any information with Charlottesville community members about any follow-up actions that may occur,” according to the university.

Click here to make a report.