Photo of off-campus college party raises questions about student safety

Click here for updates on this story

    YORK, Pa. (WPMT) — A photo posted online of an off-campus college party in York County is raising questions about student safety, as some college students begin arriving back on campus.

Some students of York College were seen holding a large gathering Tuesday night, at which few were wearing masks or practicing social distancing.

York resident Artemus Walls snapped a photo of the party happening just a few doors down the street from him on W. Jackson St. He posted the photo online with the caption, “This is how York College regulates for Covid19. Let’s see how fast it spreads. Of course they do what they want. There are 4 or 5 more going on also. Smh.”

“I walked down on my porch and I saw something that concerned me,” Walls said. “If it wasn’t COVID, it would just be a good time.”

However, as the COVID-19 pandemic continues into the school semester, Walls said students should take more responsibility for reducing the spread of the virus.

“They’re grownups,” Walls said. “They should be worrying about themselves. But eventually someone is going to get it.”

As the beginning of the school year approaches, universities across the country are struggling with how to handle COVID-19 spread on campus. Several that planned to teach in-person classes—including the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Columbia University and Michigan State University—have already moved to a format of all-virtual classes.

The Tuesday night party in York was hosted by students at York College, according to one student who said he attended the party.

York College administration released a video in response to the off-campus parties, urging students to follow social distancing measures at all times, both on and off campus.

“It’s also important that you follow these same guidelines when you are off campus, that you avoid coming together in large crowds or large groups,” said York College President Pamela Gunter-Smith in the video. “And in particular to our students that you avoid your normal ways in which you socialize on campus during the semester, especially on Jackson Street.”

Some students, however, said asking them to not socialize was not a realistic request.

“College kids, they like to party, obviously,” said Matthew Brewer, a York College student who is taking a semester off. “You’re not going to stop a bunch of college kids from going out.”

Brewer, who said he attended the party Tuesday night, said it was informal and held outdoors.

If there were an outbreak, Brewer said he would still go to parties, but wear a mask.

“You can make it fun. You can make it a theme. Mask party, you know what I mean,” Brewer said. “Put the little straw holes through there or something.”

There’s no way to separate college and social gatherings, Brewer said, especially for students living on or nearby the campus.

Whether those gatherings will affect the status of in-person classes remains to be seen.

Please note: This content carries a strict local market embargo. If you share the same market as the contributor of this article, you may not use it on any platform.