Stanford officially suspends COVID restrictions for... basketball parade?

Stanford University suspended some COVID-19 guidelines so that students could celebrate the women’s basketball team.

Mask-clad Stanford administrators were pictured in close proximity to others.

Santa Clara County recommends that residents “avoid crowds.”

Stanford University suspended several COVID-19 restrictions to host a parade celebrating the recent championship victory of the women’s basketball team.

Over 100 people, including University President Marc Tessier-Lavigne and Provost Persis Drell, attended the event on April 5, according to a report by The Stanford Daily.

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Prior to the event, students were sent an email permitting them to “attend the parade, per special approval from the Office of Student Affairs.”

School officials did ask students to “observe existing campus COVID-19 protocols, including wearing a mask at all times and maintaining appropriate social distance,” but photos taken by The Stanford Daily show Tessier-Lavigne and Drell within close proximity to others.

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Under the university’s policies outlining “restricted activity” — to which all undergraduates on campus were bound at the time— students were barred from leaving their residences except for “twice weekly testing with Verily, for medical care, to pick-up meals if you have a Stanford Dining meal plan or if you have groceries or prepared food delivered and solo outdoor exercise.” 

Although Stanford University’s current reopening policies say the school “will not proceed ahead of the county or state relaxation of social distancing requirements,” throwing a parade ignored Santa Clara County ‘s directive to “avoid crowds.” There is, however, no specific limit on outdoor event capacity.

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Campus Reform reached out to Stanford University for comment; this article will be updated accordingly.

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