The novel coronavirus (COVID-19) is spreading at a rapid rate and although Orange County is at the moment at low-risk, it is just a matter of time before cases begin to appear in the area  (students from Chapman recently traveled to a conference in Washington DC where 4 confirmed cases of coronavirus were present). While shutting down campus may be too drastic at this time, the strict attendance policies that many professors at Chapman University employ discourage students from staying home while ill. We believe that Chapman University needs to work with its professors to temporarily provide more leniency in light of the circumstances. Furthermore, the university needs to make it clear to its students that coming to class while ill poses a health risk to fellow students and the Orange community as a whole.

We are asking Chapman University and Chapman University's dean of students, Jerry Price, to temporarily amend the attendance policy so students and faculty are able to stay home if necessary without suffering consequences or requiring a doctor’s note. This should include the ability to take examinations at a later date when ill, so as to not expose other test-takers to their illness. The university has an obligation to its students to act now, instead of waiting for the illness to spread.