MESSAGE FROM PRESIDENT MARY FINGER

March 18, 2020

Dear Members of the Seton Hill Community,

I am writing to provide the latest decisions for the Seton Hill community in response to the COVID-19 global pandemic. In light of the many new realities in our world at this time, we continue to work together in the best interests of our students, faculty and staff.  

Commencement

Seton Hill continues to take measures to protect the health of the university community, our families and our neighbors. As a result, we are postponing Commencement on May 9.  We plan to come together for the Grad Bash, Honors Convocation, Baccalaureate Mass, and the formal Commencement ceremony during a time when we may all gather safely together—as a community and with family and friends—to recognize and celebrate our graduates and their incredible accomplishments.  At this time, we are tentatively considering a weekend in early August for festivities. We know this is a time of great disruption for all members of the Seton Hill community, but most especially for our senior students.  I assure all of our seniors that we will work with them to ensure they are able to experience their 2020 Commencement. We will keep you informed once the timing is confirmed. The Office of Student Life will provide updates regarding Commencement via email. 

For those seniors who have already ordered academic regalia through the Bookstore, please watch your email for additional information about next steps.

Residence Halls

As I announced earlier this week, the Residence Halls will be closed for the remainder of the semester as of Friday, March 20.  As a reminder, any student in need of alternative housing arrangements to remain on campus past March 20 should complete the Spring 2020 Resident Exemption Form through the Office of Student Affairs by the end of today, Wednesday, March 18 to receive assistance and make appropriate arrangements.  

For those students who need additional time to vacate the Residence Halls or for those who already vacated the Residence Halls and need additional time to collect their belongings or to place them into storage please be in touch with Rosalie Carpenter, Vice President for Student Affairs, at rcarpenter@setonhill.edu or by phone (724) 838-4242; or, Cory Campbell, Director of Residence Life, at ccampbell@setonhill.edu or 724-838-4260. Please also refer to the Residence Hall FAQs located on the university’s coronavirus webpage for additional information.

Room and Board

As Seton Hill decided to move entirely to online instruction and to close the Residence Halls for the remainder of the semester, students will receive a prorated credit of 40 percent of room and board charges for the Spring 2020 semester. The credit will be used toward an existing balance and/or toward a future semester’s room and board charges in the 2020-21 academic year.  If the student is a graduating senior, they will receive a refund. 

Please accept my thanks for your continuing patience and flexibility as we all work through this rapidly changing situation that has created uncertainty and concern. 

We will continue to communicate with you. We are grateful that we can still be present to one another virtually and by phone.  

As a community of faith, we remain committed to working together and helping each other during these times of extraordinary challenge.  

For everything, thank you.

President Finger