Students who arrived on campus in late September during phase two of the University's staggered move-in are now allowed to participate in limited activities outside of their residence halls as part of stage two of the Quiet Period, according to a Tuesday email from University administrators to these students.
Stage two of the Quiet Period involves greater freedoms for students who arrived on campus from Sept. 18 to 20, including exercising outdoors and gathering in small groups, The Herald previously reported. According to the email, gatherings should be no larger than five students, and mask wearing is required for all activities “unless you are able to easily, continuously and measurably maintain social distancing of at least 6 feet.”
Students are also now allowed to order contactless delivery services directly to their dorms.
The email from Executive Director of Health and Wellness and Associate Vice President for Campus Life Dr. Vanessa Britto MS’96 and Associate Vice President for Campus Life Koren Bakkegard specified that students living in residence halls are still not permitted to leave campus, and cannot interact with anyone outside of Brown’s campus. Restrictions on movement will be lifted when the Quiet Period for recently returning students ends on Oct. 5.
According to the Healthy Brown website, the decision to enter stage two was based on results from the second round of COVID-19 tests for returning students. The website’s COVID-19 dashboard indicates that only two cases have been discovered from asymptomatic testing of students since the second round of arrivals in late September. Since Aug. 24, 17 cases have been found.
Students will be permitted some additional liberties before the Quiet Period ends. Starting Oct. 1, students still in the Quiet Period will be allowed to retrieve mail and packages from Page-Robinson Hall, as well as enter the bookstore in person, according to the email.
For dining, students in stage two of the Quiet Period will continue to be limited to one assigned location for picking up bagged meals. This restriction will also be lifted Oct. 5, after which students on meal plan will be able to pick up food from any of the three designated eateries: Sharpe Refectory, Verney-Woolley and Andrews Commons. The email notes that during the Quiet Period students can pick up meals regardless of their meal plans, but that will end on Oct. 5.
Administrators recommended continued caution from students, and that they speak with peers about how to be a “good neighbor.”
“We want to emphasize that the safety and well-being of our community is everyone’s responsibility,” Britto and Bakkegard wrote.
Ben Glickman was the 132nd editor-in-chief and president of The Brown Daily Herald. He previously served as a metro editor and oversaw the College Hill and Fox Point beat, in addition to writing and editing about city politics, COVID-19 and the 2020 election. He is the co-creator of the Bruno Brief, The Herald's first news podcast. In his free time, he is passionate about birds (also tweeting) and eating way too spicy food.
