NOTRE DAME, Ind. — Against the requests of university officials last week to adhere to physical distancing guidelines during Clemson game weekend activities, Notre Dame students rushed the field in a crush of humanity following their team's 47-40 win over the top-ranked Tigers Saturday night.
Now, the 2nd-ranked and undefeated football team that has tried, sometimes unsuccessfully, to maintain tight COVID protocols this season, will await results of its next round of testing to see whether their season can continue without another interruption like the late September pause that forced a game against Wake Forest to be rescheduled for Dec. 12.
University President Fr. John Jenkins and Athletic Director Jack Swarbrick both sent messages to students before the game reminding them of COVID-19 protocols, asking them to maintain strong adherence to school protocols to finish the semester.
Notre Dame's student body was scheduled to begin exit testing Monday in preparation to head home for Thanksgiving break and finish the fall semester in distance learning.
According to information posted on Notre Dame's COVID-19 dashboard, students were given a deadline of Sunday night, Nov. 8 to schedule their exit testing appointment. Any student who did not schedule an appointment to be tested for the virus between Nov. 9 and Nov. 21 will be required to report for surveillance testing before the end of the semester. Student athletes regularly undergo separate testing and are exempt from the exit testing requirement.
Students who did not comply would not be allowed to register for spring semester classes until after all other students have registered during the first full week of December.
Sunday, Jenkins sent another letter to students threatening more stringent registration actions for spring if they did not report for new mandatory testing.
“The University will place a registration hold on the record of any student who fails to appear for testing when asked to do so. A registration hold would mean that you are unable to matriculate or register for classes next semester or receive a transcript,” wrote Jenkins.
He said students may not leave the South Bend area until they receive the results of their exit test and could have a registration hold if campus officials learn students have left the area.
Students should expect more information about mandatory testing and registration Monday.
Notre Dame shut down indoor dining for students at its two dining halls on Friday to reduce the risk of transmission. The school has encouraged eating in heated tents and dorm rooms, and discouraged students eating in local restaurants and bars.
