Media Credit: File Photo by Olivia Anderson
The security downsizing has left many residence halls without a presence at the front desk often during the day, students say.
News By Chow Paueksakon Mar 1, 2021 12:06 AM
Administrators are reducing security levels in residence halls after monitoring lobby activity 24/7 through the first week after move-in.
GW Police Department Chief James Tate said officials contracted Allied Universal Security to assign officers to monitor building access while the student access monitor positions remain inactive during the pandemic. He said officials tightened security around the move-in period, when citywide security concerns near the presidential inauguration also shut down campus, but the officers will now rotate between halls and assist others as needed.
Media Credit: Grace Hromin | Assistant Photo Editor
Basement dining capacity in District House is limited to 25 percent capacity, in accordance with D.C. s guidelines for indoor dining.
News By Jarrod Wardwell Feb 22, 2021 12:09 AM
Three GWorld vendors have reopened in District House over the past month, providing a few more options for students struggling to find open vendors this semester.
Chick-fil-A, Kin’s Sushi and GRK Fresh Greek reopened in District House for the first time since the outbreak of COVID-19 in D.C., expanding options with 1,500 students returning to campus this semester. Residential students said the openings expand their dining options, but limited hours and a lack of affordable options have intensified food insecurity while more than 30 GWorld vendors remain closed.
News By Sejal Govindarao Feb 17, 2021 11:20 PM
GW is now offering self-administered COVID-19 tests for asymptomatic students.
Officials said in a release earlier this month that the new testing method will use “pooling” to test multiple samples at once and is intended to provide more support for students as the University seeks to reopen as much as possible in the fall. Students and experts in COVID-19 testing and higher education said self-testing could be slightly less accurate than health care provider tests, but the option could help more students get tested frequently.
“As our understanding of best practices around COVID-19 has evolved, we’ve been slowly but surely adding to our on-campus cohort – this semester we added approximately another 1,000 residential students, and at the same time we’ve added additional in-person classes and increased our on-campus research,” Scott Burnotes, the vice president for safety and facilities, said in the release earlier
Media Credit: Danielle Towers | Staff Photographer
On-campus students whose roommates test positive for COVID-19 have the option to move into empty rooms on campus, but no student used the option last semester, a University spokesperson said.
With residence halls filling up with doubles and some quads last month, students said they’ve had to either quarantine with roommates positive for COVID-19 or move into empty units to avoid catching and spreading the disease.
Since the fall semester, students who test positive for COVID-19 have been required to self-isolate for at least 10 days without leaving their assigned unit, while they receive mental health services and essentials like meals and groceries from nearby staff members. But with more students living together this spring, officials and students said some roommates who might be exposed to the virus are quarantining in separate rooms to cut down on transmission across campus.
Media Credit: File Photo by Eric Lee
At 450 residents, freshmen are the largest cohort on campus, while seniors are the smallest on-campus group of residents.
News By Vita Fellig Feb 1, 2021 12:43 AM
Residence halls tripled in occupancy this semester as GW works to bring more students back to campus under strict COVID-19 guidelines.
About 1,500 students flocked to campus for the spring, with 500 returning from the fall and 1,000 arriving for the first time this academic year, said Seth Weinshel, the assistant dean for campus living and residential education. Weinshel said students must follow several COVID-19 guidelines on campus, including weekly COVID-19 tests, daily symptom checks, social distancing, mask-wearing and closing rooms from guests.