Northeastern University Dismisses 11 Students For Violating Coronavirus Policy Without Refunding $36K Tuition

Northeastern University has dismissed 11 first-year students for violating the university’s public health protocols regarding gatherings amid the coronavirus pandemic.

The students were found together on Wednesday night in the Westin Hotel in Boston and were notified on Friday that they would need to vacate the hotel within 24 hours and submit to coronavirus testing at Northeastern. If anyone tests positive, they will be moved into wellness housing for quarantine before being sent home.

The students were also notified they would not be able to attend the fall semester as part of the N.U.in program, a program for international students. The student’s tuition is prepaid for participation in the program at $36,500 per the Boston Globe and is non-refundable according to the school’s policy.

The school outlined to students the restrictions on social gatherings several times prior to the 11 students being caught, according to the senior vice chancellor of student affairs for the school, Madeleine Estabrook.

“Students who host an unsafe (no masks and without healthy distancing) gathering, social or party, either on or off-campus can expect suspension,” Estabrook wrote to students on August 28. “Students who attend an unsafe gathering, social or party, either on or off-campus, can expect suspension.”

The school is taking extra measures during the fall semester to keep students, faculty, and staff safe during the pandemic. As everyone begins to return to campus to begin the fall semester in person, guidelines are in place, including wearing masks, social distancing, avoiding gatherings, and washing hands. Northeastern requires regular testing for everyone who lives and works on campus.