SCSU Offers Dorm Rooms for People in COVID-19 Isolation

ST. CLOUD -- A couple of residence halls at St. Cloud State University could be used to house people who need to be in quarantine due to COVID-19.

Jennifer Super is the Director of Emergency Preparedness and Transportation at SCSU. She says they've offered the use of North Benton Hall and Sherburne Hall to the Emergency Management Centers at Stearns, Sherburne and Benton Counties as well as possibly Wright County.

She says it would be up to the counties to decide how to use the space, but most likely the rooms would be for low-income families, youth, and homeless people who need a place to stay while they need to be in isolation.

It's my understanding that it's their intention to use the space for quarantine or isolation in the event that someone or a group begins to show signs or symptoms of COVID-19.

Super says North Benton Hall has 45 rooms and Sherburne Hall could have 200 to 250 rooms available.

North Benton was already offline and won't be used by students this fall, Sherburne Hall has the last of its students moving out this week and was scheduled to go offline this fall, however, Super its status for the fall semester is now up in the air.

SCSU President Robbyn Wacker and the counties have signed an agreement in principle, but they are still working on a final contract.

She says the university would bill the counties for the cost to house the students and then the counties would be eligible for federal dollars through the CARES Act.