Notre Dame is requiring coronavirus tests for its students, even prohibiting their departure from the area pending test results, after thousands of fans stormed the football field Saturday night to celebrate their victory over Clemson.
University President John Jenkins sent out a letter Sunday to students condemning their actions and detailing the testing requirements.
“As exciting as last night’s victory over Clemson was, it was very disappointing to see evidence of widespread disregard of our health protocols at many gatherings over the weekend,” the letter read. (RELATED: Notre Dame Has 39 Football Players Out Because Of Coronavirus)
Letter Sunday night to @NotreDame students. pic.twitter.com/Do29pW1mEN
— Terry McFadden (@TMcFaddenWNDU) November 9, 2020
“Because we are now even more concerned about the potential for contagion in your home communities as you prepare to travel home at the end of the semester, the University will place a registration hold on the record of any student who fails to appear for testing when asked to do so,” Jenkins continued.
Students who fail to appear for testing or who leave the South Bend, Indiana, area before getting their test results would have a registration hold put on their account, meaning they could not register for spring semester classes.
“There will be zero tolerance for any gatherings that do not comport with our health and safety guidelines, on or off campus” the letter said. “Those found responsible for hosting such gatherings will face severe sanctions.”
Before the campus-wide letter was sent out, a video showed Jenkins standing on the sidelines wearing a mask and clapping while students rushed the field Saturday night.
#WATCH: After @NotreDame students stormed the field Saturday, University President Rev. John Jenkins can be seen clapping.
Sunday, Jenkins sent a campus-wide email expressing disappointment in “widespread disregard of our health protocols.”
pic.twitter.com/nO4h7xhood— Tolly Taylor WSBT (@TollyTaylor) November 9, 2020
Jenkins faced criticism for attending the announcement of Amy Coney Barrett’s nomination at the White House Sept. 26, where he was photographed not wearing a mask and shaking hands with multiple people. He tested positive for coronavirus days after attending the event.
Jenkins later issued an apology.
“I regret my error of judgment in not wearing a mask during the ceremony and by shaking hands with a number of people in the Rose Garden,” he wrote. “I failed to lead by example, at a time when I’ve asked everyone else in the Notre Dame community to do so.”