Residence Life has closed dorm lobbies for the second time this year after campus cases spiked.

Reslife opened lobbies back up to students in September but after a recent surge in cases, they made the decision to go back to keeping dorms locked down. 

“We originally started with the lobbies closed because we were concerned about spread and everything,” assistant director of Residence Life Ryan Randolph said.

Residence Life has put in place multiple different precautions to keep the students living on campus safe; Students are required to wear masks in the hallways and hall events are very minimal and socially distanced.

“We’re forever trying to work the balance out of providing an excellent student experience, which is what ResLife is all about, with public health,” Randolph said. “And you would think they would go side by side but there often you know in opposition to each other so that was our mindset with making that policy.”

Community is one of the most emphasized aspects on campus and students are finding it difficult to build relationships with strict living space restrictions. 

“I do think the decision to close the lobbies was important from a safety aspect,” Dillard RA and sophomore kinesiology major from Edmond, Oklahoma Megan Hooper said. “It is sad that we can’t build that community but the most important thing is taking the steps to limit exposure and trying to do as much as we can to keep the residents as safe as possible.”

Students are still encouraged to keep doing their part on campus by wearing masks and social distancing. 

“We ask the residents to wear their masks everywhere in the building but your room,” Hooper said. “It is so important that the students do their part and continue to wear their mask if we want to stay on campus.”