COLUMBIA, S.C. — University of South Carolina students are currently on Christmas break, but once they return, they could receive fines if they don't get tested for the coronavirus.
The University of South Carolina Board of Trustees passed a student COVID-19 testing program that could result in fees for students if they don't comply starting next semester.
Once a month, students will be notified to get a COVID-19 test and to encourage testing, fines could be given. This applies to anyone who lives on campus, including privately owned apartments.
If students don't get tested, the first offense would be a warning. The second offense would be a chance to comply within two days or a $100 fine. The third offense gives students another chance to comply within 48 hours or a $250 fine along with a suspension. The fourth offense will result in a recommendation of suspension.
The university last updated their campus case tracker on December 10. It shows there are 67 total active case, 56 are students and 11 are employees. According to the website, the university will resume updating their coronavirus dashboard on January 5, when classes return for the spring semester.
Test requirements can be exempt if a student has proof of positive COVID-19 results within 90 days.