Rules For Spring Break Block Many Students From Being On Campus For Most of St. Patrick’s Day

January 15, 2019January 22, 2019 Sean Newhouse

The university announced rules for this year’s week-long spring break, which prevent many students from being on campus for most of St. Patrick’s Day, in an email sent to students this afternoon:

Spring break begins on March 8 at 6 p.m. and lasts until March 17 (St. Patrick’s Day). With exceptions, students are not allowed to be on campus during this time.
Students are not permitted back on campus until 3 p.m. on March 17. To compare, students returning from winter break were allowed back into university housing at 8 a.m. this past Sunday.
The email states, “The University will be securing all residential spaces during this period [spring break].” Because of this, students will not be able to return to campus.
Certain students will be able to apply to stay on campus during spring break. This includes those who live more than 400 miles from campus. (Students from New York City, as an example, could apply. St. Louis is about 50 miles short.)
Students participating in a co-op, internship or who are student teaching, student employees with a minimum work commitment of 20 hours and student athletes also can apply to stay during spring break.
Students who stay, however, may need to relocate, as not all campus housing will remain open. This is not uncommon. Students who stayed on campus during any part of this past winter break also may have had to temporarily relocate.
Last year, four UD students were arrested, projectiles were thrown at public safety officers and riot police had to break up large crowds on Lowes Street on St. Patrick’s Day.