No COVID-19 protocols have been enforced regarding the social club process this semester, but some clubs and individual members have decided to take precautions. Student Life is also making the process more fair for those looking at clubs who are in quarantine or isolation during mixers.
Assistant dean of students Logan Light said there are no formal COVID-19 requirements for clubs during the recruitment process, but he is encouraging students to be smart and to social distance when possible. He also said he has encouraged club officers to offer masks at mixers for those who may want them and for any snacks or refreshments that are served to be individually packaged.
“Our number of cases on campus has gone down recently, but [Student Life] is still actively encouraging people to do what they need to do to feel safe around campus, whether that’s [wearing] a mask or social [distancing],” Light said.
Going into this school year, Light said he made it clear that COVID-19 was not going to get in the way of anyone interested in going through the club process. Students who were in quarantine during second round mixers will be invited to the third round mixers of the clubs they are interested in.
Junior Jayne Gilbert, a recruitment officer for women’s social club Ko Jo Kai, said Student Life has been transparent regarding expectations for the club process. Gilbert and the other Ko Jo Kai officers made the decision to hold their club’s first and second rounds outside to allow for more social distancing.
“We don’t want any girls to be afraid to come to our mixers because of COVID-19 concerns, and, on the flip side of that, there are people who wouldn’t want to wear masks if we were inside and asked people to do that,” Gilbert said. “We thought if we were outside then both sides would be a little bit accounted for.”
For women who were looking at Ko Jo Kai but were in quarantine or isolation during second round, Gilbert said members have been trying to get to know them over text or Zoom.
“It makes sense for them to automatically get to come to third rounds because it’s not like they had a shot to get to know us better,” Gilbert said.
Senior Sam Chester, president of men’s social club Knights, said he thinks requiring masks and other measures for COVID-19 prevention during mixers would be ideal, but not realistic because he realizes it is difficult to enforce such a requirement.
“Personally though, I believe that in large indoor group settings where social distancing isn’t an option, it is always best to wear a mask to protect myself and those around me,” Chester said.
