Three social sins in need of conciliation at SHU

Seton Hill University has undergone unsettling changes since my first year: the controversial move for men’s athletics, the increasing fear on campus about safety, the rapidly inflating student body, and a disconnected feeling between the university and the students.
I feel Seton Hill has separated from its mission of educating students to think and act critically and ethically. Concern for an individual student’s education is the sole responsibility of the student and less of a community fostering of critical and ethical knowledge. Not only is this the fault of the administration, but also a perpetuating result of student behavior. If a small community cannot promote just behavior and address issues, there will be even less participation in justice as a nation.


By Stephan Puff,
Senior Staff Writer
Seton Hill University has undergone unsettling changes since my first year: the controversial move for men’s athletics, the increasing fear on campus about safety, the rapidly inflating student body, and a disconnected feeling between the university and the students.
I feel Seton Hill has separated from its mission of educating students to think and act critically and ethically. Concern for an individual student’s education is the sole responsibility of the student and less of a community fostering of critical and ethical knowledge. Not only is this the fault of the administration, but also a perpetuating result of student behavior. If a small community cannot promote just behavior and address issues, there will be even less participation in justice as a nation.
I highlight these not for condemnation, but as a call to reconciliation. Social sins are acts that devalue the respect and dignity of the community. They are an action, or lack thereof, that ignores the various impacts it has on the community. They are not only the responsibility of the administration, but behaviors each student should try to confront. Seton Hill, as administration, staff, and student body, need to engage transgressions before they are accepted norms.
I want to detail three social sins that have been and/or still are a problem for Seton Hill. I admit students don’toften confront the administration with detailed grievances and if this is the reason these have not been addressed then I hope this will be a constructive discourse.
Neglecting to listen and respond to the community. The health of a community is weakened when a population does not participate or is incapable of participating. The uninvolved people can become alienated or unconcerned for the community. Seton Hill has to make sure students are heard and recognized and therefore become active members of the community.
I understand Seton Hill has to always look to the future as a cyclical community, but not if that means unjust actions for those already in the community: new scholarship not first offered to those on campus, waves of teams with little acknowledgment of how this would challenge campus life, and displacing students for new residents.
Is Seton Hill’s first priority as a community or as a business? If in a response that they are both, are its fervent business choices contradicting its community responses? How does Seton Hill teach students to prioritize and listen to others?
Defiling a community. Aforementioned, when people are not connected to the community, they maintain no responsibility for the community. An increase in vandalism, gun shells, sexual harassment and beer cans on the grass outside of Farrell Hall are not just signs of a growing campus, but a growing disassociation and disrespect for the campus.
Seton Hill needs to develop stronger programs for promoting community, other than ropes courses and giving away free iPods. Seton Hill has to work with individuals to take responsibility and set examples.
Disrespect is a learned trait. Garbage piles up, because we throw garbage on what we consider garbage. Community should provide ethical and critical examples of why this disrespecting shared space and individuals affects the life of the whole community. Defiling a community is defiling the members of a community, including ourselves. The new Green Club has left trash on the campus lawn for nearly a week now � was that a productive example? Can Seton Hill do more to promote the sanctuary of shared space?
Neglecting to recognize people are the community. A community consists of every member. The rituals and celebrations should be considered for the sake of the people not for the ritual. Communities are not a set of rules, but people gathering to share life and relationships. These relationships are why we celebrate, only if all these relationships are no longer healthy should we consider abandoning them. Recently students have been discontent with how activities and faith services have been organized and arranged.
Though this can cause disagreement and tensions, it should not discourage students from participation. The activity is not why we should participate, but the recognition that gathering is important for a community. Can residents and members of Seton Hill acknowledge that the people are the community? How can we express and deepen this?
It is my hope that Seton Hill, as a community, will be able to heal these before they become accepted social norms. Seton Hill seems resolute on becoming a major university, but what is it compromising and what can it fight to retain in the process?
Holding a book for a student who was picking up sidewalk trash with her bare hands compelled me to write this as my last article. I hope everyone will have an experience in which someone shows you the compassionate works of a just community.
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