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Quinnipiac will be packing up students’ belongings that remain in university housing beginning on Tuesday, April 14. The university is doing this based on Connecticut Gov. Ned Lamont’s “medical surge plan.” The plan includes the need for alternative living spaces for first responders and health care workers who need to self-isolate away from their families due to potential exposure to the coronavirus. 

Vice President and Dean of Students Monique Drucker sent an email to all students who live in university owned housing and their parents on Monday, April 13 notifying them of this.

“Beyond our responsibility to our communities, taking this action now will accelerate the move-out process when students are permitted to return and retrieve their belongings, thus reducing significantly the concentration of people and amount of time spent together,” Drucker said. “And it will enable our employees to begin cleaning and preparing university housing for the new school year. We recognize that many would prefer to pack their own belongings. Unfortunately, given the current health crisis and community needs, it is not possible – nor would it be compliant or responsible – to bring back that many individuals into the community at this time.” 

Lamont has issued travel restrictions and is not allowing any social gatherings of more than five people in the state of Connecticut. In compliance with this, the university is not allowing students to pack their own belongings, as it would go against the governor’s orders by having too many people in one place at one time.

University staff members will pack each student’s belongings into boxes that will be sealed and protected. Common items that could be owned by any of the students who lived in the space, such as microwaves, lamps, etc., will need to be claimed by the owner when students are allowed to get their belongings. All packed items will be stored in the students’ living spaces until they are needed by first responders or health care workers. If the spaces are needed, the boxes will be labeled with the appropriate students’ names and stored in the People’s United Center on the York Hill campus.

Many students understand the importance of these guidelines but are feeling uneasy about having their belongings packed up by someone else.

“As a first responder myself, I totally understand and think it’s great that Quinnipiac is opening up the housing,” first-year student Jackie Callinan said. “It’s very scary to be in contact with so many people right now, health care workers don’t have a choice to quarantine. However, as a student, it’s just really difficult not having control over how I pack up my stuff and valuables when I thought there was a chance we’d be coming back to campus.”

Students will be allowed back to campus to get the packed items once it is safe to do so.

“We will invite students to return to campus to retrieve their belongings as soon as the health crisis is mitigated and the governor has relaxed his guidelines,” Drucker said. “We are hoping the move-out period will be around May 22 – June 5, but that may change depending on evolution of the COVID-19 health guidelines.” 

Students will sign up for time slots to get their belongings during this period. Students who have items in lockers on the North Haven campus will also be permitted to retrieve those during that time.

“An online schedule will be created and sent to you in the coming weeks to efficiently manage and space out the retrieval of belongings to maintain appropriate social distancing,” Drucker said. “We want to emphasize that this date is subject to change, depending upon whether and when various restrictions are lifted in Connecticut.”

If students cannot get their belongings at all during that time frame, they need to submit a special exception request. This will allow them to have their belongings stored in the People’s United Center until the beginning of the fall semester. The email said that more information will be released on that in the coming weeks and there will be an update on May 11 in regards to expected move-out dates.

Conduct violations are a concern to some students as staff members pack up their items.

“Only in the event that an item poses a threat to the health and safety of others will it be shared with the Dean of Students Office for review,” the Frequently Asked Questions page on Quinnipiac’s COVID-19 website says.

However, students are worried about their belongings being lost.

“I’m pretty annoyed that Res Life is going through our stuff,” first-year student Oveen Joseph said. “I’m really worried about my things getting misplaced.”

Students that live in Quinnipiac owned houses off campus see the situation differently than the residence halls on campus; however, their stuff is also being boxed up.

“Quinnipiac is doing everything they can with what’s going on, but it’s definitely stressful being on the other end of this and receiving these emails out of the blue,” senior Natalie Henry said. “As a senior that lives in an off-campus house, I feel like this could have been handled a bit differently than the on-campus residence halls.”

According to the FAQs page, Quinnipiac has received requests from the towns of Hamden and North Haven to house first responders and from Yale New Haven Health to house health care workers. The spaces will also be used for Quinnipiac nursing and medical students who are volunteering in the fight against the disease.

The situation hits home for one student who believes this should have been done sooner.

“I’m surprised we didn’t initiate this sooner honestly,” first-year student Molly Sawyer said. “My best friend’s mom is a nurse at Yale New Haven, and she’s absolutely terrified to contract it because her husband had bronchitis last year, so he’s high risk, so she might be one of the responders that would have to self-isolate.”

Students who have further questions are encouraged to consult the FAQs page. If their questions are not answered there, they can email the online Support Center at [email protected].

“No doubt, this is not the way you would choose to move out at the end of the school year,” Drucker said. “These decisions are being made in very difficult and unprecedented times. We ask for your understanding, cooperation and flexibility in enabling us to manage the various needs to which we are responding. We will continue to communicate frequently and transparently about any actions we take in hopes we can lessen the uncertainty or anxiety you may be experiencing.”

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