MADISON, Wis. — As restrictions are being lifted at UW-Madison, hundreds of students are being investigated for breaking the COVID-19 rules.

Spread of COVID-19 on campus, at one point, made up 74 percent of all new cases in Dane County.

Chancellor Rebecca Blank said their lockdown of sorts worked. “This is all good news,” Blank said.

The number of new cases on campus has dropped. Fewer than 100 students per day are now testing positive. At its peak in the first week of September, almost 300 students per day tested positive.

“They’ve curbed the number of positive cases, and substantially reduced the positivity rate in campus testing over the past two weeks,” Blank said.

Starting Wednesday, Sellery and Witte dorms will no longer be on mandatory isolation. Classes can begin in-person, with the previous restrictions requiring masks and smaller class sizes, but at the instructor’s discretion. Some on-campus activities can begin again Saturday.

Leaders are also working to reduce density in some dorms, moving students to other buildings or to single rooms.

Going forward, students in the dorms will be tested weekly. Blank said with UW having its own lab on campus up and running, they’ve expanded capacity and speed.

“We are turning [tests] around now in 24 hours or less,” Blank said. “The faster we can turn that around, the more effective our testing regime is.”

However, Blank had previously said in statements that a majority of students testing positive had attended gatherings. We asked how many students are facing disciplinary action for breaking the Badger Pledge, the coronavirus precautions they agreed to when they came back to campus.

“The university is currently investigating about 550 students, and 11 student organizations for public health violations,” said Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs Lori Reeser. “And we have about 20 students who are being investigated for emergency suspension.”

Blank is now asking students to adhere to those protocols, or risk having to leave.

“Let me be clear: if students do not feel they can comply with these critical public health behavioral requirements, they should cancel their contracts now,” Blank said. Those students would get a prorated refund.