Penn State students leave campus on Friday; some decline free coronavirus tests

Penn State University will close all of its schools to in-person instruction after Friday, and students at its Upper Burrell campus are rolling with those changes.

Penn State has been offering in-person and virtual classes since the beginning of the fall semester. However, the rising number of coronavirus cases caused university administrators last month to announce details on moving to full remote learning for the remainder of the semester.

In an effort to prevent students from spreading the virus to other areas when they leave campuses, Penn State is urging students and staff to get a free departure coronavirus test before they leave.

“The University understands that those leaving its campus communities and traveling to other locations may be returning to families with vulnerable individuals,” according to a university statement.

But not everyone sees the same urgency, especially at a small Penn State campus such as New Kensington.

The New Kensington campus, attended primarily by commuter students, had only three positive student cases with only 1 case currently active, according to the university’s dashboard. There has been only one positive case by a staff member, and that one no longer is active.

That’s a far cry from the university’s main campus, where virus cases are rising.

The university’s main campus at State College reported 172 new cases from Nov. 6 to Nov. 12, bringing the university’s total case count among students there to 4,238, according to data from the university’s dashboard. Of those cases, 47 students remain in quarantine and 62 are in isolation.

Also at University Park, a total of 24 employees have tested positive with 10 current cases.

Other university’s are offering students departure test kits as the fall semester draws to a close for in-person classes.

At Duquesne University in Pittsburgh, all students can get self-administered test kits with results available in as little as two days. According to an email sent to students and their families, the test, “helps prepare (students) for a safe return to your homes, families and friends.”

But, at tiny Penn State New Kensington on Monday, some students didn’t see the need to be tested.

One student who declined to identify himself said he took a random test during the semester, came up negative, and wasn’t really concerned about the virus. Although he and other students were seen wearing masks Monday.

Natalie George, 21, of Springdale, a senior at the New Kensington campus, said she didn’t see a need to test as she has no symptoms. She took a test at the beginning of the semester. She is a commuter student.

George has only one of her four classes being taught in-person.

“I’m traveling back and forth to school for just one class,” she said. “I’ll be glad to not to have to be here.”