At the time of writing, UMKC has reported 11 new coronavirus cases on campus in the month of September. 

Infected individuals were reported to be in high-traffic areas such as Swinney Recreation Center (with four), Miller-Nichols Learning Center (with two) and the Student Union (with two). 

There have been 18 cases on campus among UMKC employees and students since Aug. 17, when students began to return to campus.

As of Sept. 4, UMKC has recorded 30 off-campus cases among students, faculty and staff.

UMKC’s sister school, the University of Missouri (MU) has recorded 551 cases among students alone since the start of school, about 2% of the student body. Student behavior has been a large cause for the amount of cases. As of last week, over 300 students have been reported for coronavirus safety violations to MU’s student accountability office. 

In an effort to combat these problems at UMKC, the administration has announced new policies regarding students’ off-campus behavior. 

“To protect the safety of students, faculty, and staff of the University in the circumstances of the COVID-19 pandemic, students must follow federal, state, and local public health orders that are applicable to them while they are off campus,” said a statement from the Office of Student Affairs. “Failure to follow this requirement may be sanctioned as a violation of the Standard of Conduct.”

This means that violations of public health orders and safety codes by students that take place off campus can be treated as violations of UMKC rules. This could result in disciplinary actions ranging from verbal reprimands to expulsion, at the most severe.