Home court disadvantage: Vanderbilt students banned from Kentucky game
When Kentucky plays Vanderbilt on Tuesday night in Nashville, you may notice one thing missing at Memorial Gym.
Vanderbilt students.
As part of its COVID-19 protocols, even when school resumes, Vanderbilt is not allowing students to attend home athletic events until at least Jan. 24.
The university pushed the start of its spring semester back to Jan. 17. Classes begin Jan. 18. Residence halls and Greek housing will not open until Jan. 15.
According to the Tennessean, “Students are allowed to leave their residences only to attend class, get food or supplies, seek medical attention, exercise outdoors or perform essential work.”
Fans are allowed inside Memorial Gym with proof of vaccination or a negative test. But there will be no student seating for the Kentucky-Vanderbilt game.
“Vanderbilt has done an incredible job of keeping students, staff and teachers healthy throughout the pandemic, with positive case rates never rising above 0.6 percent last semester among the 96 percent of vaccinated Vanderbilt community members,” wrote Justin Hershey, sports editor of the Vanderbilt Hustler, the school’s student newspaper. “Every step of the way, I have been thankful for the university’s rigorous approach to COVID-19 prevention. It has allowed me to have the semblance of a healthy final two years at a place that has become a second home to me. But this decision makes me sad.”
Hershey also wrote, “Furthermore, this decision demonstrates palpable hypocrisy and reflects shortsightedness from leadership that continues to fuel fans’ long-broadcasted concerns regarding the possibility for athletic success at Vanderbilt.”
David Whitley, sports columnist for the Gainesville Sun, also questioned the school’s decision to ban students from games.
“School officials apparently believe COVID is less likely to be transmitted by regular Nashville citizens cramming into bleachers and cheering than by vaccinated students cramming into bleachers and cheering,” Whitley wrote. “Isn’t Vanderbilt supposed to be the smart SEC school?”
This story was originally published January 11, 2022 at 3:20 PM.
