At University of North Carolina Wilmington, students are highly restricted as to who is able to come into their dorms. Students are only able to visit other residential dorms (that are not their own) in between certain hours of the day. We are completely prohibited from having off-campus guests in our dorms, including close family and friends. 

These housekeeping rules were put into place because of COVID. However, our case rates have been at the lowest they have been all year starting in about September. As of today (October 18, 2021), there are a total of 5 on-campus residents that currently have COVID. Comparing this to August, when there were over 120 positive cases in a day, this drastic decrease in COVID cases is what we have been working hard for. So why are students still so restricted?

As a student, I have visited multiple friends of mine on other campuses in North Carolina. At these campuses, I was able to stay in my friends' dorms, free of restrictions (following COVID precautions). Being at school far away from home and out of state, these trips are highly comforting. However, it is so disheartening that I am not able to return the favor of the pleasurable trip by allowing my friends, or even my sister, to visit me here on campus. 

College students are not high school students. We are 18 year old, paying students, who would like to be treated as adults. We were told that the restrictions would be taken away if we were to reach our COVID hopes and goals, which we did. 

Students understand the safety aspect of having off campus visitors. We do not oppose to having to sign someone in, as this is taking precautionary measures. We do just wish, however, that we at least had the freedom to do this. 

I am signing this petition as a supporter of 1) Allowing campus residents to visit other on-campus residents 24/7 and 2) The ability to sign in off-campus residents into dorms safely.