TOWN OF POUGHKEEPSIE – Fifteen Marist College students have been suspended after they attended an off-campus party for failing to adhere to the social-distancing guidelines. The college had previously encouraged students to remain on campus.
After the suspensions, President Dennis Murray emailed the student body with a warning about potential disciplinary actions. “I would like to emphasize how strictly we’ll be enforcing our policies and the serious disciplinary consequences students will face if they don’t abide by them, including suspension and dismissal from the College. We have already suspended 15 Marist students for not following our guidelines at an off-campus party, and if this trend continues, we’ll have no choice but to completely close the campus and require students to finish the semester online. None of us wants this outcome to occur, so please help us to ensure it doesn’t happen.
In the letter, Murray reminded students that they all received a Code of Conduct addendum outlining the new safety protocols and possible outcomes if they are violated. Murray closed the communication by saying “Ultimately, I hope that what motivates you to comply with our health and safety rules isn’t the threat of punishment, but rather your respect for others and concern for the common good. Please don’t be a knucklehead who disregards the safety of others and puts our ability to remain on campus at risk.”
