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Students moving back to Seton Hill University for face-to-face classes | TribLIVE.com
Coronavirus

Students moving back to Seton Hill University for face-to-face classes

Deb Erdley
Deb Erdley
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Shane Dunlap | Tribune-Review
Parents Erica and Jeff Miller, of Jeannette, at right, help load boxes of dorm room supplies for their daughter, Fallon Miller, left, a freshman student at Seton Hill University, while helping move in with their other daughter, Zoe Miller, background, on Wednesday, Aug. 12, 2020 at Seton Hill University in Greensburg.
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Shane Dunlap | Tribune-Review
Kam’ron Simmons, of Silver Spring, Md., far background, carries supplies for his dorm room as other students move into student housing on Wednesday, Aug. 12, 2020 at Seton Hill University in Greensburg.
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Shane Dunlap | Tribune-Review
Sam Hartman, a junior at Seton Hill University, carries boxes of his belongings while moving in to student housing on Wednesday.
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Shane Dunlap | Tribune-Review
Ben Hartman, a freshman , carries baskets of his belongings while moving in with his brother, Sam , left, a junior , on Wednesday, Aug. 12, 2020 at Seton Hill University in Greensburg.

Slowly but surely students began moving in at Seton Hill University on Wednesday for what the school hopes will be a largely traditional semester — despite a global pandemic that has prompted many of the nation’s college campuses to remain largely shuttered.

Unlike some local universities that have transitioned to largely online classes for the fall semester, Seton Hill is still planning to offer face-to-face instruction for 92% of its undergraduate classes. Seton Hill spokeswoman Jennifer Reeger said the Greensburg school also is offering online options for students with medical issues.

The response to that offer suggests students are anxious to return to traditional classrooms.

“Approximately 60 of 1,546 traditional undergraduate students, or 3.8%, have requested (online) options,” Reeger said.

Despite that, hints that something different was afoot due to the coronavirus were everywhere Wednesday.

There were timed move-in slots to ensure there was no crush as families toted gear into campus dorms. There also was a new addition to welcome back bags: bright crimson-and-black face masks bearing Seton Hill’s Griffin mascot logo — this year’s must-have accessory on campus.

Although Seton Hill’s small class sizes made social distancing simple, officials had to make adaptations to dining and living areas, adopt deep cleaning protocols and add supply stations with masks, cleaning supplies and thermometers at a variety of locations across campus. Eliminating triple and quadruple rooms in the university’s residence halls trimmed capacity from 939 to 860.

Like many other colleges, Seton Hill bumped up the start of the semester to Monday, Aug. 17 and plans to finish the semester by Thanksgiving.

And at least one element of campus life will be missing this fall. Late last month the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference canceled all fall sports at member schools, including Seton Hill.

Deb Erdley is a Tribune-Review staff writer. You can contact Deb at derdley@triblive.com.

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Categories: Coronavirus | Local | Top Stories | Westmoreland
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