Pennsylvania college forbids on-campus students from leaving campus, president attends off-campus soccer game
The president of Allegheny College is under fire after attending a soccer game off-campus, despite at the time requiring all students remain on campus grounds.
One student even reported the president to the college's coronavirus reporting form.
The president of Allegheny College Hilary Link attended and posted a picture of herself at a soccer game that was off-campus while students were ordered to remain on campus, per the school’s strict COVID-19 guidelines.
On September 10, Link and Gabrielle Morrow from the health agency at the college posted online and sent emails out to students living on campus, notifying them of the mandate. The “on-campus quarantine” required all students to “not leave campus for any reason.” It went on to say that those reasons may include, “trips to area businesses, jobs, or any off-campus locations.”
Parents and students were concerned about the quarantine due to the inability to buy daily necessities. “…my young adult student is not allowed off-campus for any reason. Not for groceries, not for allergy medicine, not for toilet paper.” Stated Kimberly Cahill, parent of a student.
The email also stated, “There is simply no room for non-compliance” and “no room for leniency.” It also asked families to tell their kids to obey the mandate and “if not, they risk jeopardizing the on-campus experience for every single Allegheny student and our faculty and staff.”
Two days later, Link posted a picture of herself on Instagram at an off-campus soccer game.
Students and parents were in shock and reached out to the Meadville Tribune to express their outrage.
“Who is to say her being out and about won’t bring the virus back to campus?” Cahill asked.
With the picture now taken off Instagram, Link stated, “Posting the picture without the whole context was not my best choice.” She went on to explain that her 14-year-old son was having his first soccer game, that she was wearing a mask, and the game was outside.
Link also said that she was, “very, very physically distanced from every other person except my husband.”
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One student at the college even decided to file a report on Link for “violating the gator pledge.”
So we reported Hilary Link @alleghenycol for violating the gator pledge pic.twitter.com/hjgY65jI6T
— Amir Abdullah (@bananamicpro) September 12, 2020
Allegheny College lifted the mandate on September 14, when a report showed that less than 1 percent of the school tested positive for COVID-19. However, students are still faced with other restrictions such as being required to fill out a form is they are leaving the county.
“Off-campus work is restricted to only those who rely on the income to pay for their livelihood,” the school stated. It also requires, “All vehicles must be at one-half capacity, masks must be worn, and students should spread out to maximize physical distance.”
Campus Reform has reached out to Allegheny College for comment and hasn’t received a response.
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