A group of 70 Columbia Business School students have been banned from campus until December 1st. This discipline was administered after it was discovered that they violated the school’s travel restrictions by taking a trip to Turks & Caicos in the fall, Poets&Quants reports.
After receiving a tip about the vacation, school officials traced the student’s locations by looking up their IP addresses.
A school official told the publication that this temporary ban, during which time the students will need to attend classes virtually, will serve as a warning, and that a second violation would lead to full suspensions.
A student told the publication that “Most honor the Columbia community compact yet large factions continue to organize and travel in large groups,” adding that “Students are outraged and disgusted and angry.”
The getaway was planned after the Dean of Students, Zelon Crawford, sent an email (obtained by Poets&Quants) to students about the consequences of breaking the school’s travel restrictions.
“It has come to our attention that some students are planning both small and large trips for the upcoming fall break. Let me start by saying this: I get it; we get it; travel with your peers is a typical part of the MBA experience. But this is not a typical year, and I’m writing tonight to remind you of your responsibilities as part of the Columbia community, and to warn you of potential consequences of irresponsible voluntary travel.”
[/perfectpullquote]Apparently, another insanely large group of Columbia students (60) took an August trip to the Poconos and stayed in a 30,000 square foot mansion with 18 bedrooms, three outdoor pools, an indoor basketball court and a 72-seat movie theater. However, by the time school officials found out, it was too late to administer any kind of discipline.
Columbia’s realtime COVID stats can be found at covid19.columbia.edu. As of writing, the cumulative results (since June 22) show 66 positive cases out of 55,518 tests – a relatively low positivity rate of .12%. However, 27 of those positive results came from tests taken since November 9.
Control freaks.
Let see how many get sick or pass it on.
Please note: these were Business School students. You can infer what I mean.
I am very concerned since I live in a building that houses many law students. I would hope they are mature enough to take Covid seriously and not put the community at risk but have my doubts!
Are these not the elite of the elite…..
Not the elite of the elite. This is Columbia not Harvard, Stanford or Wharton….
Entitlement and total disregard for the needs of others.
So irresponsible to go on vacation and then get tested
Joe Dumbalum would be a better moniker. How many have to die before you get it?
OK Boomer
It must be great to pay an obscene amount of money for business instruction only to have the instruction curtailed because those to whom you paid the money don’t approve of your personal and lawful behavior.
The instruction was not curtailed, they simply violated the rules for safety imposed during a pandemic. I guess this is personal freedom without responsibility.
This is not personal and lawful, it is dangerous and threatens the safety of others. Many are making huge sacrifices during this pandemic!
The “discipline” consists of their being academically disadvantaged regardless of their covid status, so they are irrationally having their instruction curtailed. To extend the threadbare legitimacy of an imposition of rules by a university beyond the campus is ridiculous at best and insidious at worst. In this case no laws were broken by the students own choice of personal behavior. A simple policy of regular and prerequisite testing to minimize risk so that no in-person class attendees or dormitory residents are unduly threatened seems much more appropriate than this invasive overreach into students’ personal lives and personal time.
With a pandemic raging through the world, I am more concerned about all people, not just their classmates! There is a community beyond the campus.