Message from President Mary C. Finger

March 12, 2020

Dear Seton Hill Community,

All of us are concerned about what effect the coronavirus (COVID-19) may have on the members of the Seton Hill community - our faculty, staff, students and families. Concern with the spread of this virus is warranted, and the leadership at Seton Hill continues to monitor the situation closely by tracking information from and following guidelines provided by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the Pennsylvania Department of Health, the World Health Organization (WHO), the Allegheny County Department of Health, and the American College Health Association.  

Given the rapidly evolving environment relative to this illness, and with the health and safety of our community in mind, Seton Hill University will be suspending all face-to-face classes and moving to an online and alternative delivery format through March 31.  Beginning on Friday, March 13 through Tuesday, March 17 face-to-face classes are suspended in order to provide time for the Academic Affairs Office, Deans, Program Directors and Faculty to finalize plans relative to this transition.  All existing online courses will continue their normal class schedule.  

Classes will resume in the new virtual learning environment on Wednesday, March 18. At this time, we anticipate this revised schedule will continue through Tuesday, March 31.  If it becomes necessary to continue online instruction beyond March 31, appropriate advance notice will be provided. Faculty will reach out to their students via email or Canvas to communicate how individual classes will proceed. 

Students involved in clinical placements, internships, and student teaching will continue at this time and should follow the protocols of the facility and their Faculty Advisor or Program Director. The Seton Hill University Center for Orthodontics will remain open. 

At this time, Seton Hill University residence halls will remain open, and the regularly scheduled athletic events will continue following the guidelines of the NCAA and the PSAC. Resident students should watch their email for correspondence from Residence Life for additional information. Those students who decide to leave campus should take with them materials required for their coursework.

Seton Hill University offices will remain open during this time. Academic support services, Reeves Library and Learning Commons, the Counseling, Disability and Health Services Office, the Career and Professional Development Center, and the McKenna Fitness Center will be open. In addition, tutoring, academic support and career development and professional services will be made available in a virtual format for students who are off-campus. 

Students with work-study positions should be in contact with their immediate supervisors to review their schedules and prepare a plan through March 31. 

Effective immediately, Seton Hill University is also implementing the following actions:

Travel and Events

Beginning Monday, March 16, all campus events and meetings larger than 25 people, are canceled until at least March 31. Where possible, on-campus meetings of groups of this size may shift to a virtual format.

Community Arts classes are canceled until at least March 31.

All University-sponsored international travel for faculty, staff or students is suspended. Non-essential university domestic travel is also cancelled.

Essential domestic travel must be approved in advance by the supervising member of President’s Council/Vice President.

Personal travel is also discouraged and should be carefully considered. Individuals who must travel should follow all CDC, Pennsylvania Department of Health and University protocols for return to campus, including self-quarantine as necessary. 

Dining

Lowe Dining Hall will be used as a central location for all food service. Self-serve stations and items will be altered to help ensure the health and safety of diners. Aramark is implementing the following changes: 

• All cashiers will wear gloves;
• Full-serve food stations will be used instead of self-serve. Any self-serve items will be individually wrapped;
• Disposable food containers and utensils will be used;
• The use of personal reusable cups, mugs and bottles will not be allowed. 

Shuttle Service

Shuttle service will be reduced through March 31. An updated shuttle schedule will be available soon.

Child Development Center 

The Child Development Center will continue operations at this time and will follow any cancellation protocols implemented by the Greensburg Salem School District. 

Preventative Measures

Seton Hill encourages all students, faculty and staff to continue to practice preventative measures, including staying home if you are sick or have been around someone who is sick, practicing regular hand-washing and adopting social distancing protocols. 

We will continue to provide updates. Please check the coronavirus webpage for additional information and also ensure you are signed up for Seton Hill's Emergency Campus Alert System so that you receive relevant information via text or email.

The safety of our campus community remains our primary concern.  I ask for everyone’s patience, understanding, and flexibility as we work through this time together. 

Please continue to be safe and make healthy choices. Thank you for your resilience.

Sincerely,

President Finger