Students Lose $16,000 Tuition After Maskless Photo Surfaces Online

Three University of Massachusetts Amherst students have lost their tuition after a photo showing them maskless at an off-campus party hit the internet.

Another student forwarded the picture to school officials following the March 6th event. The three female students were immediately removed from campus housing. They attended virtual classes while the case was being reviewed. The school ultimately decided that the girls could not participate in school virtually, forfeiting their academic semester and $16,000 tuition.

Now, their families are fighting the school’s decision to kick them out.

“These beautiful young ladies who are honors students have had a full academic year stripped away and their paths broken of their higher education for alleged COVID violations,” said one of the parents of the students. The parent also pointed out that school officials acted hypocritically because they hosted a parade to celebrate the school’s hockey team championship, which violated “every single one of violations they accuse these girls of.”

Brandi Hephner LaBanc, who serves as vice chancellor for Student Affairs and Campus Life, sent a letter to students on March 8th about the “egregious violations of policy” in regards to students partying, which violates their COVID-19 restrictions.

“All students involved will have their appropriate due process, but under no circumstances will they continue as a university student in the interim,” Lablanc stated.

Several universities across the country have banned partying in an effort to slow the spread of coronavirus amongst students.