WASHINGTON ― Following days of swirling rumors, the office of President Stephen Knapp has released a statement confirming the University’s most senior official has been quarantined in his office since early last weekend after coming down with what doctors and John Travolta are calling “a case of the Saturday Night Fever.”

The news came as a surprise to dance instructors and medical experts as it was believed that “the Fever” had been eradicated in 1983, following the release of Staying Alive, Sylvester Stallone’s wildly unsuccessful sequel to John Badham’s 1977 classic dance film.

Truly it came as no less of a surprise to those who were in the office that. Ax reporters had a chance to speak with Lucinda Keller, Knapp’s personal secretary, about the incident.

“It was getting near quitting time on Friday, I was putting my coat on when Dr. Knapp jumped up onto his desk and just started doing the hustle,” Keller mused. “The other secretaries and I laughed and clapped, we thought it was a joke.”

The situation turned serious, however, when President Knapp gravely turned towards the onlookers and told them to get a doctor.

The university stated that President Knapp was “Stayin’ Alive” and that doctors have “More Than a Feeling” that it will be safe for the quarantine on his office to be lifted by “Tuesday Afternoon.” Until that time however, he will not be able to leave the building, lest the dance craze be given a chance to spread across the entire city’s dancefloors.

Ben Vinson III, dean of the Columbian College of Arts and Sciences, voiced support for his colleague early this morning, telling reporters that, “We are family. I know he’ll be able to shake that thing off.”

Knapp reassured, “I will survive.”

On a seemingly unrelated note, several area roller-discos are being investigated for potential health code violations.