The University of Alabama has issued more than 400 conduct referrals for COVID-related violations since classes began on Aug. 19. 

UA President Stuart Bell said in a campus-wide email on Aug. 31 that the past week’s increase in COVID-positive cases no campus is of “grave concern to me and to everyone who loves and cares for The University of Alabama.”

“Those who fail to abide by the Health and Safety protocols face serious consequences,” Bell said. “Interim measures removing individuals from campus have been imposed in several of these cases. Those who blatantly disregard the rules will not be given the option of jeopardizing the semester for everyone else.”

According to the latest data from Aug. 28, there have been 1,043 UA students with COVID-19 since Aug. 19. Sentinel testing will begin next week, according to Dr. Richard Friend, dean of the University of Alabama College of Community Health Sciences.

Associate vice president for communications Monica Watts said in an email that there is no evidence of COVID transmission in classrooms and that the University is focusing compliance efforts on student behavior outside of the classroom. 

“We are confident all our measures, in addition to the actions taken by Tuscaloosa Mayor Walt Maddox and Governor Ivey’s Safer at Home order, will help bend the curve,” Watts said. “We appreciate the many students who are acting responsibly and taking necessary steps to protect their classmates, the university and the Tuscaloosa community.”

A moratorium on campus events at The University may be extended beyond the originally planned 14 days. 

Myron Pope, vice president for student life, said traveling during Labor Day weekend is discouraged but that if students must travel, he encourage them to wear masks, social distance and engage in good hygiene practices to keep from bringing the virus back to campus. 

“The flattening of the curve is working but we must all remain steadfast to open safely,” Pope said.

The original moratorium was issued on Aug. 24 at the same time Tuscaloosa Mayor Walt Maddox announced that bars would be closed and bar services would be suspended for two weeks.