Page 2
The Behrend Beacon
WEEKEND WEATHER
SATURDAY SUNDAY MONDAY
' l2
Mostly Cloudy
High: 62°
Low: 48°
BEHREND BRIEFS
PNC to provide campus financial services
Penn State and PNC Bank have entered into an agreement allowing PNC to be
the exclusive provider of financial services to students, faculty, and staff in con
junction with the Penn State id+ Card program.
Customers of PNC Bank can link their id+ Cards to their PNC Bank checking,
savings, or money market account to use their cards at ATMs and to make pur
chases anywhere MAC / STAR and.PLUS are accepted.
PNC will be on campus every Monday and Tuesday from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. in
the Reed Union Building just outside of the id+ Office to link id+ Cards and to
provde information about starting accounts with PNC.
Lilley expresses gratitude
In a letter to Interim Provost and Dean Dr. Jack Burke, Dr. John Lilley wrote
"Please convey to my many colleagues at Penn State Erie how much my family
and I appreciated your many kindnesses when we were together at the Glenhill
Appreciation Dinner.
"Having the Library named for me was much appreciated, but to receive the
Behrend medallion on top of it was a great and joyful surprise. Judy Glembocki
and her colleagues produced an extraordinarily beautiful setting.
"I hope my comments were sufficiently forward looking. I have great affection
for what has happened at Behrend, but I am genuinely excited about what lies
ahead. All good wishes and thanks again."
Academic calendar available
Penn State officials have finalized the academic year calendar for the next six
years. Changes to the fall semester that result in a more compact and efficient
teaching and learning term for faculty and students alike beginning in 2003. The
new academic year will consist of 145 class days and 10 assessment/examination
days.
While the new calendar does not affect the current schedule for spring and
summer semesters, students will see a noticeable change in the fall semester for
mat. The new fall term will span 16 weeks, including 14 weeks of classes and one
five-day week of finals and assessment activities. In addition, class start dates in
the fall will he later. Through 2(X18, classes will begin no earlier than Aug. 30 and
as late as Sept. 5.
Five days without classes are also built into the schedule: Labor Day; the
Wednesday, Thursday and Friday of Thanksgiving week; and the Friday at the
end of the sixth week, creating a three-day study break at the midpoint of the fall
calendar.
For the full story by Tysen Kendig, visit http://www.psu.edu/ur/2002/
calendarchangeso2.html
NYC firefighter speaks at University Park
Chief Richard Picciotto. the highest-ranking New York City firefighter to sur
vive the World Trade Center collapse and the last fireman to escape the devasta
tion, is the next speaker in Penn State's Distinguished Speakers Series on Mon
day at 8 p.m. in Eisenhower Auditorium on the University Park campus.
The event is free and open to the public, but tickets are required. Tickets are
now available to students attending the University Park campus and to faculty,
staff and students from other Penn State campuses. The general public may pick
up any remaining tickets on a first-come, first-served basis. The Eisenhower ticket
office is open from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Limited tickets might also be available
the night of the speech.
For more information, call (814) 863-3786 or visit http://www.psu.edu/ur/2002/
picciotto.html
Tesh to perform at University Park
John Tesh, with special guest Nicole C. Mullen, will perform Dec. 9 at 8 p.m.
at the Bryce Jordan Center on Penn State's University Park. Tesh's many talents
have garnered him three gold albums, six Emmys, a Grammy nomination, an
Associated Press Award for investigative journalism, a Keyboard Magazine
Award, several No. I radio hits, three hit PBS specials and two tours as an Olym
pic announcer/composer. In 1996, after 10 years as co-host of Entertainment
Tonight, he left the highly visible position to pursue his career as a musician
fulltime. Tesh's recent CD release, "A Deeper Faith," continues to chart the Bill
board Top 200. "Christmas Worship," hopes to make as strong an impact.
Joining the tour is Mullen, the first woman in 14 years to receive the Gospel
Music Association's Songwriter of the Year award.
Tickets are now on sale at the Bryce Jordan Ticket Center, Eisenhower Audito
rium. select Uni-Marts and Altoona campus; or charge by phone at (814) 865-
5555 or (800) 863-3336; or online at http://www.bjc.psu.edu
WQLN fund drive a success
Many members of the Behrend community called and participated in the Aca
demic Challenge on Oct. 24 on WQLN radio. Not only did they support an
important public service in this region, but they also impressed a large audience
with their Penn State pride.
WQLN officials said more than $5,600 was raised for the station during
Behrend's segment of the Academic Challenge, and they observed this was among
the strongest responses in recent memory by an organization.
POLICE AND SAFETY
10/30/0209:30 A complainant reported the theft of aCD player.
11/5/02 12:15 A complainant reported that several video games were
taken from his room last weekend
"The responsibilities of courtesy involve sensitizing our
selves to the ways we can honor other people."
- McCullough
Janet Neff Sample Center
for Manners 6' Civility
Showers
High: 62°
Low: 51°
CLASSIFIED
Showers
High: 55°
Low: 45°
NEWS
Fnday, November 8, 2002
Behold th
M .
, „...,,,
na ie ov* tr- 01 .. p 1
Lip R 6 te ii tp 1 11„. ......, ., ~
• , _ -.4, ,, A 0;:...,,,.,, 0 iiP v:.. • • ,
--,,,,,,, ~•. .*. .4 , . 4 ..er w 0
, 0., 4 K '4.. , -. A k ok
• .... ,
Thoms' stay in Sweden valuable experience
by Erinn Hansen
calendar page editor
Dr. Peg Thorns, Associate Professor
of Management, Business, and Human
Relations, just recently returned from a
teaching trip to Umea University in
Umea, Sweden.
"I needed international experience,
and I wanted to work with foreign
students," said Thorns.
Lima Sweden is located 300 miles
south of the Artic Circle, in the
northeastern part of Europe, and is one
of fastest growing cities.
At Umea University, which enrolls
more than 18,000 students in six
colleges, Thorns taught a five-week class
in the human resources portion of a
project management course in the School
of Business and Economics.
"This was the only course the students
were taking at the time," said Thorns.
"Classes are taught in five-week
segments, in which courses are taken one
at a time. Students are expected to spend
at least 40 hours on the class that they
are taking." This curriculum is also used
in the high schools.
The students' grades are primarily
dependent on the final exam. It does not
matter how the students do on class
assignments, for the final exam
determines whether or not you pass the
course
"Students can literally not come to class,
and just basically take the final," said
Thorns.
The students at Umea were from all
over Europe, with only about 1/3 of them
actually from Sweden. Tuition is free,
even for foreigners.
Thorns also helped two students who
were majoring in project management,
and one of those students will visit her
and Penn State Behrend sometime in
January.
Language in Sweden was not a
problem, for English is their second
language, as well as being the language
of business.
"If people want to work in business
companies in America, you have to
speak English," said Thorns.
Swedish students are taught English
their entire life, starting when they are
children, and limed has two English
speaking high schools. Thorns' 17-year
old son, whom she brought with her,
went to high school in limed and made
Behrend gets into the spirit of giving
by Jenna Dominick
staff writer
In the frozen food section of Wal-Mart
last Sunday, in huge, black text the
number 55 stood boldly. No, this was
not the aisle number, but the number of
days remaining until Christmas.
What? Many people just put away
their Halloween costumes, and already
department stores are decorating, count
downs have started, and wish-lists have
been written. Many will enjoy a warm
and fuzzy holiday season with their
families and friends with a plethora of
gifts under the tree.
But what about the people who aren't
as fortunate? Reality Check, a student
service group at Behrend, is helping to
I . I • • f I . .
.
FOCAL POINT
many friends with no trouble at all.
Thorns also taught a seminar for 20
faculty members, who represented
different majors in the business program
at Umea University. This seminar is
based on the theory of her upcoming
book entitled "Driven by Time: A Guide
to Time Orientation and Leadership," to
be published by Greenwood/Praeger in
2003.
"The Umea faculty found America to
be overly future-oriented," said Thorns.
"They see greater value i❑ taking care
of the world's immediate needs for food,
health care, and education. They asked
me to include advantages of leaders with
past and present time orientations in my
book."
The faculty maintained a high level of
commitment to education and a strong
multidisciplinary approach, and Thorns
had a great deal of open discussion and
dialog with them.
Thorns also found that people have a
different approach toward research. In
the United States, scholars in her fields
do more quantitative research, using
surveys and gathering numerical data. In
Sweden, scholars do more qualitative
research, where they look for patterns or
trends resulting from personal
experience.
The atmosphere in Sweden was also
different from here in the United States.
People dress very casual, informal, and
Associate management professor Dr. Peg Thorns sees her recent trip to
Sweden as a valuable experience.
running the Angel Gift program.
The Angel Gift program, run by junior
Jen Town, works in cooperation with St.
Martin's Center in downtown Erie to
provide more than 120 kids with gifts
for the holidays. Each November, Angel
Gifts receives names of underprivileged
children from the Erie area. While many
ask for toys, some ask for very basic
items, such as winter coats and boots.
Faculty, staff, and student
organizations submit their names and
wishes to participate to Reality Check.
The deadline to sign up is Nov. 11. A
week later, the children's names are sent
to the Angel Gift-givers. By Dec. 4, the
presents are due back to Reality Check,
wrapped and ready to be taken to St.
Martin's Center.
"We encourage student organizations
Erin McCarty, News Editor
behrcolls@aol.com
liberal. Students call their teachers by
their first name. Children have great
power in their families, for they have
very few limitations and very little
discipline. There are laws against drugs,
but children in Sweden can basically do
what they want.
Along with that, Thorns found out that
a lot of people are not married in Sweden.
Couples would live together for 20 years,
and have children, but never get married.
Thorns and her son spent three weeks
in Sweden (March 31- April 20) and
enjoyed it very much.
"It is like being in a new world," said
Thorns. "In April, the days are already
getting longer, but there would be piles
of snow left over from winter. Also, the
cars had heaters that people would plug
into the outlets in the parking lots, and
have running. Sometimes, if you did not
have the heater running, the car would
not start."
Even Thorns' son agreed that this was
the greatest experience of his life, and
encourages students at Behrend to study
abroad sometime during their college
career.
"It is very worthwhile to go study and
live in other countries," she said. "There
are people here at Behrend who can give
information, and help students who are
interested. It is one of the greatest
experiences of anyone's life."
to participate in the Angel Gift program,"
said Town. "Most gifts are between $2O
- but sometimes a student group will
buy a bigger gift for a family, such as a
Nintendo system."
Reality Check promotes service
projects such as Habitat for Humanity
and Alternative Fall and Spring Break.
Students travel to soup kitchens to help
serve and they have also made trips to
the March of Dimes in the past. Reality
Check's advisor is Kelly Shrout.
"It's great to be a part of Reality Check
and to have the chance to help out," said
Town. "Especially around the holiday
season, there are so many
underprivileged people who are so
grateful."
PHOTO BY
PAIGE MILES /
BEHREND
BEACON
The lucky
discovery of
a chair afloat
in the gorge
spawned this
attraction in
Bruno's last
week. For a
mere fee of a
quarter (to
benefit the
finder's
college fund)
students
could sit in
the chair and
embrace a
higher state
of being.