University offers students $75 to avoid spring break travel

DAVIS, Calif. (AP) — The University of California, Davis is offering students $75 to be used for “staycations” to encourage them to avoid nonessential travel during spring break.

Students who choose to stay home during the March 22-26 break will get the money in gift cards. Student response has been “superior,” the university mentioned in statement.

“The idea behind this was to provide a positive incentive for students to follow public health guidance,” Sheri Atkinson, affiliate vice chancellor for student affairs.

About 50% of the student body resides both on campus or within the Davis space, she mentioned.

To obtain a gift card, college students should apply by giving a basic description of their spring break plans. They must pledge to stay on the town for their weeklong break and complete a COVID-19 test.

The university initially planned to give 750 such grants, however because of student interest, it upped the cap to 2,000. The anticipated $150,000 program will be paid via philanthropy and other university funds — not student fees or tuition, Atkinson mentioned.

Colleges around the nation are scaling back spring break or canceling it entirely to discourage partying that could spread the virus and raise infection charges back on campus.

Texas A&M University opted for a three-day weekend instead of a whole week off. The University of Alabama and the University of Wisconsin-Madison also did away with spring break but are giving students a day off later in the semester. The University of Mississippi also canceled spring break but will end the semester a week early.