November 21, 2015
Penn State University has cancelled student trips to New York City and Washington D.C. due to security concerns, the school announced Thursday.
Although academic trips or service trips will still be allowed to both cities if a university employee is overseeing, any other university-sanctioned student trips have been cancelled through the end of the semester.
On academic and service trips, the university says that "unstructured free time" will not be permitted.
"These are extraordinary times and we want to ensure the safety of our students,” Gary Langsdale of the university's Office of Risk Management said in a news release.
The Islamic State has threatened New York and D.C. in videos released since the deadly attacks in Paris.
The New York news site Gothamist mocked the decision, however, arguing that college students were adults and sarcastically claiming terrorism will be defeated by the end of the semester when trips may resume.
In addition to cancelling trips, Penn State is increasing security for their home football game against Michigan Saturday, Penn Live reports.
