By Mike Rubino,
Cartoonist and Illustrator
Seton Hill University’s (SHU) �ark of morals� has certainly been rocked over the past few weeks. What started with some quite positive coverage of the opening of our new recreational center has now taken a turn for the worst. First, with the coverage of small business owners complaining about the school’s downtown expansion, followed closely by the national-news-making volunteer coach scandal.
SHU’s mighty, and highly touted, expansion might be going a bit too quickly for its own good. With the construction of new dorms, sports complexes, and the eventual downtown theater district, SHU is on its way to turning Greensburg into a new State College. It’s also growing quickly on campus too, with the addition of scores of new sports teams and employees; SHU is chomping at the bit to dive into the �big league� of liberal arts colleges. Or is it this carelessness in expansion that is leading to the magnetization of its moral compass?
I find it rather fitting, and wholly disturbing, that the play being presented by the SHU theater is How I Learned to Drive. The play, which was marvelously performed, focuses on the sexual abuse that an uncle bestows on his niece. This of course, debuts the very weekend the sexual abuse allegations came to light in the press. Not that the Theater Deptartment could have controlled this, but I certainly wouldn’tcall all of this �good timing.�
Some students have said they dream of this school becoming like the rest of the large universities in America. In a way, we are well on track… we can now be penciled in right up there with Colorado U. Of course, things don’thave to be this way; it’s not too late to turn back. As Matt Hampton, a student enrolled in the teacher program, commented on the New Media Journalism blog, �…it takes an event like this to power meaningful change sometimes.�
Let’s hope the Administration takes this chance to make changes not only to their volunteer policies, but also to the attitude and message they want this university to convey.
To view all articles by this writer Click here.
