Washington & Jefferson College has sent more than two dozen students home for violating covid-19 guidelines since the fall semester began, the institution said Wednesday.

The semester began Aug. 24. In the past two weeks, 26 students have been asked to return home to continue their studies remotely, according to a statement from the college. The students were not suspended.

“At Washington & Jefferson College, the safety of our campus and of our faculty, staff and students is our top priority and we are committed to protecting those who live, learn and work here,” the statement reads.

Resident students — who make up about half the total student population — were required to sign a Pledge to Promote Safety. The pledge includes mask requirements, refraining from social gatherings and prohibiting guests from residence halls. The pledge also asks students to mirror on-campus requirements while off-campus.

The college declined to provide details about the exact violations, or when any of the students in question might be eligible to return to campus. The college also did not answer questions about its refund policy, if the affected students had already paid room and board costs.

The virus has uprooted traditional campus life amid a pandemic that has killed nearly 200,000 people in the U.S. and proven to be especially problematic for universities since the start of the school year. Many colleges quickly scrapped in-person learning in favor of online after cases began to spike, bars have been shut down in college towns, and students, fraternities and sororities have been repeatedly disciplined for parties and large gatherings.

Health officials such as White House coronavirus task force member Dr. Deborah Birx have urged colleges to keep students on campus to avoid them infecting members of their family and community.

The Associated Press contributed to this story.

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