Mickelle Bisbee
Assistant Editor
The Service, Leadership and Community Engagement (SLCE) offices announced yesterday the cancellation of this year’s alternative spring breaks.
“After much consideration, the decision has been made to cancel all Alternative Spring Break trips,” said the email sent by SCLE Program Coordinator Richard Raridon. “This was an extremely challenging decision to make and comes only after following news for the past several weeks, reviewing the decisions of and consulting with other institutions, considering numerous potential challenges that could arise during the trips, and reflecting on the mission and values of the Alternative Breaks program.”
Raridon said the main concern is for students’ health and welfare, along with their community partners. The risk of coronavirus was too grand to disregard.
“Our intent with this decision is not to incite fear. While the risk of one of our participants contracting or transmitting COVID-19 may be minimal, the potential for these trips to cause more harm than good means we have a duty to act in the best interests of the communities in which we serve,” Raridon said.
Alternative spring breaks, or breaks in general, allow students to go abroad or somewhere among the states to create positive change through service. This year’s spring break trips included New Mexico, Utah, California and Jamaica.
Due to how these trips require students to spend money, SLCE plans to refund students as soon as they are able. They ask students to be patient, as this may take some time.
For those who have been affected by this change, Raridon will be meeting with students’ team leaders to find alternative ways for students to continue supporting that work, given the circumstances.
“I understand that this news may be difficult to hear. I encourage you to take some time to reflect and process this information,” he said.
