Penn State students could face fines, university sanctions for large game day gatherings
Hundreds of Penn State students could face discipline from the university and State College police after partying Saturday while the Nittany Lions made their season debut.
Video from gatherings of more than 100 students in the courtyards of Here State College, The Rise at State College and Penn Tower were widely shared on social media. Borough police dispersed the gatherings, according to a Monday news release.
Masks were sparse, and distancing at the off-campus apartments was nonexistent. A borough ordinance prohibits gatherings of more than 10 people who are not from the same household.
The gatherings were a “clear violation” of the ordinance, put the welfare of the community at risk and placed “undue strain” on the county’s health care system, the borough said in a statement.
Borough and university police are conducting a joint investigation to identify those in the video footage, who could face a $300 fine and sanctions from the university’s student conduct office.
“The reckless and irresponsible gatherings that occurred this weekend fly in the face of our efforts as a community to mitigate the spread of the coronavirus,” Penn State President Eric Barron said in a statement. “We will be working closely with the borough this weekend and throughout the rest of the football season to stop negligent behavior. I’m proud of the efforts of the majority of our students, and I am determined to hold accountable those who would jeopardize not just their own safety, but the safety of other students and of our broader community.”
Students weren’t the only ones upbraided. Borough and university administrators reached out Monday to each of the three property owners, who agreed to restrict access to the buildings’ common areas.
None of the three companies responded to a request for comment.
The road game against Indiana may have served as a foreboding litmus test for Centre County. The Nittany Lions’ home opener is scheduled for prime time Saturday against the No. 3 Ohio State Buckeyes.
Fans and tailgating aren’t allowed, but interim borough Mayor Ron Filippelli was one of 12 Big Ten mayors that already expressed concern about people returning to Happy Valley to fill the void of losing decadeslong traditions.
The Big Ten made a “major mistake” and created a “dangerous situation” by scheduling Penn State’s biggest game of the year at 7:30 p.m. on Halloween, Filippelli said.
There were 235 active cases of COVID-19 among students at University Park as of Thursday, according to the university. More than 3,400 other students already recovered from the disease.
The amount of COVID-19 cases reported in Centre County skyrocketed after Penn State students returned.
The fallout prompted State College Area School District to switch to remote learning for about three weeks and Mount Nittany Medical Center to alter its operations.
This story was originally published October 26, 2020 at 5:30 PM.