Eleven first-year students have been expelled from Boston's Northeastern University for breaching COVID-19 safety protocols.
Staff on-call discovered eleven people crowding together in a two-person dorm on Wednesday night (local time), violating the university and public health protocols that prohibit crowded gatherings.
The students and their parents were notified on Friday they were no longer part of the fall semester and that they must vacate their accommodation within 24 hours.
Northeastern University has declined to refund their US$36,500 (NZ$54,420) tuition.
"Payments by the student will not be refundable, per guidelines of the NU in programme," said a university news release.
The students are among the 800 in a study-abroad programme who are staying in two-person rooms at the Westin hotel - near Northeastern's Boston campus.
"Northeastern and its community of students, faculty, and staff take violations of health and safety protocols very seriously," said Madeleine Estabrook, senior vice chancellor for student affairs.
"Those people who do not follow the guidelines - including wearing masks, avoiding parties, and other gatherings, practicing healthy distancing, washing your hands, and getting teste - are putting everyone at risk."
On August 28, Estabrook sent a letter to all students to inform them about the COVID-19 protocols.
"Students who host an unsafe (no masks and without healthy distancing) gathering, social or party, either on or off-campus can expect suspension, Students who attend an unsafe gathering, social or party, either on or off-campus, can expect suspension," the letter said.
The students have the right to contest their dismissal at an expedited hearing.
