The University will open up unoccupied residence halls as temporary housing for front-line personnel isolating from their families in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, according to an April 17 from Executive Vice President for Planning and Policy Russell Carey.聽
鈥淟ocal health care providers, members of the National Guard and other city and state emergency personnel and first responders鈥� will begin occupying the dorms as soon as the afternoon following the announcement, Carey wrote.聽
鈥淏eing an effective and productive neighbor with our city and state colleagues is really important to us,鈥� Carey told The Herald, noting that many of those healthcare workers on the front lines of the pandemic are University faculty members. He added that he hopes the decision will relieve front-line workers of concern about infecting their families. 鈥淚f they鈥檙e worried about their exposure affecting their families, then they鈥檙e less likely to do the work that they鈥檙e trying to do.鈥�
Medical personnel will initially be housed on Pembroke Campus in Andrews, Miller and Metcalf halls, Carey said. The University intends to minimize occupant density in the residence halls by limiting the number of people per bathroom and assigning only one person to each room, regardless of the room鈥檚 capacity.
Carey does not expect that there will be much interaction and potential for transmission of the virus between healthcare workers and students who remain on campus. 鈥淭heir ability to do anything other than just sleep in those facilities is going to be pretty limited, given the demands on their time,鈥� he said. 鈥淭hat鈥檚 part of this, to make what鈥檚 obviously incredibly hard work for them a little bit easier.鈥澛�
The Rhode Island National Guard will oversee the occupancies and 鈥減rovide all support required for managing these housing arrangements,鈥� according to the announcement. Per the terms of the arrangement, no individual who has tested positive for COVID-19 will be eligible for occupancy in the residence halls, given a shortage of private bathrooms and kitchens that would be needed to best accommodate complete isolation. All housing will adhere to social distancing and health guidelines.聽
Outside workers contracted by the state 鈥� rather than workers for the University鈥檚 Department of Facilities Management 鈥� will oversee the maintenance of the housing facilities, including trash removal and cleaning, Carey said. The temporary residents can opt in to the 鈥済rab and go鈥� dining option afforded to students remaining on campus, but Carey does not anticipate that many will choose to do so.聽
The decision comes as part of ongoing partnerships with the city of Providence and the state of Rhode Island to commit University resources to providing community support throughout the pandemic. In an April 3 community-wide email, President Christina Paxson P鈥�19 detailed commitments to Providence and Rhode Island through a community meal service, a COVID-19 research seed fund and demonstrated support for local businesses and non-profit organizations.聽
The University joins a number of neighboring peer institutions that have opened their residence halls to provide for housing in light of the pandemic. recently made housing available to medical personnel and patients, including those who have tested positive for COVID-19 but are recovering in isolation. Northeastern University and Emerson College have to opening up their residence facilities for the occupancy of first responders and medical personnel.聽
鈥淲e鈥檙e pleased to add the use of campus residence halls to the many ways in which we鈥檙e collectively supporting Providence and Rhode Island in this ongoing public health crisis,鈥� Carey concluded in the announcement.聽
The number of occupants and the length of their stay on campus remains uncertain for now as the pandemic develops in the coming weeks and months, Carey said.聽
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