Inconsistency with COVID-19 policy

Last week Friday, September 18, when we got the emails about the restrictions being enforced on campus, I was not happy about them but understood why administration made some of the decisions they did. But what irritated me the most is that the Saint John’s Administration did not follow the same rules and guidelines they have implemented for us. While working as a cashier at the Refectory on Saturday morning, the 19th, I saw at least 3-4 families come into the Reef on a campus tour. Then those same families came to eat at the Reef after the tours. I am not upset at the families for being there. I am upset because if the Administration really had the students’ health as their number one priority, they would not have admission guest visiting campus. To drive this point even further, students that are living off campus are not even allowed to come to campus to be in class even if they have been following all the guidelines that are in place. If there had been guests on campus before this past week, they might have brought COVID-19 onto campus and not the students, as we are led to believe. We as the students have sacrificed many things for the safety of this campus, like not having visitors in our apartments that are Bennies or even other Johnnies. We have sacrificed the ability to attend Mass in person and other sacraments that Catholics hold very near and dear to our hearts for the safety of the community. Yet, the day after imposing more restrictions on students the Saint John’s Administration not only allowed admission visitors but welcomed them.

I understand that we want to live out the Benedictine value of hospitality to visitors, but should we not be the most hospitable to the guests that are on campus 9 months of the year? Are we not called to receive each guest as we would Christ? I am not saying throw away the rules and regulations, some are keeping us safe and that is ultimately what I want. It is important that the Administration does not think they are above the same rules they enforce on the students.