This year has presented universal challenges. While we are grateful to Washington & Jefferson College for trying to create an environment ideal for learning and success, the COVID-19 Safety protocols have become problematic.

Although the pandemic is an evolving crisis, the college has not adapted its response plan to correspond with current PA health guidelines. There are discrepancies with the daily symptom tracker, contradictions in the college’s social distancing guidelines, and an overall lack of consistency regarding the college’s safety policies. Athletic teams are allowed to participate maskless against visitors, out-of-state visitors can use our facilities, commuters can attend class, and Netflix series can be filmed on campus; yet students are allowed only one guest each and residents are not permitted to congregate in their commonrooms. It is unreasonable and unrealistic to expect young adults not to visit friends amidst a hectic academic semester and mentally strenuous year. Yet, few safe or CDC friendly alternatives have been explored. Mental health, home lives, and the varying severity of infractions are not adequately considered when the college makes the decision to end the in-person learning status of a student.

Anxiety rates amongst students are rising and we feel persecuted instead of protected by administrative powers like CPS. As the state and nation have adapted during this final phase of the Covid-19 crisis, Washington and Jefferson policies have come to seem unnecessarily rigid and punitive. 

We are calling on the Washington & Jefferson College Administration to change its protocols and re-evaluate its harsh punishments and procedures for evicting students from campus in the Spring semester. 

As Pennsylvania is loosening restrictions (https://www.governor.pa.gov/covid-19/business-guidance/#COVIDMitigationinPennsylvania W&J ought to follow suit. Specifically, we ask that minor or modest infractions of social distancing be met with proportional responses (such as community service, brief suspension of sports eligibility, and quarantine when required); and we ask that adjustments be made to permit safe, small social gatherings that would improve the campus life and mental well-being of the student body (25% capacity indoors; 50% capacity outdoors). 

This petition serves as a respectful way to convey the W&J student perspective on the current protocols.

How You Can Help:

In order to show your support, please: 

1. Sign this petition;
2. Share this petition with other students; and 
3. Wear a W&J article of clothing inside out this Thursday, April 8th 

Thank you for your support. Please stay safe and healthy, both physically and mentally.