THE BEHREND BEACON
ril 29, 2005
Frida
Survey suggests
High scores in studying, fewest classes skipped
By Meghan Whitesel
from the Sept. 17 issue
According to the results from the Student
Satisfaction Survey, Penn State Erie was ranked
highest in most hours spent studying and for fewest
classes skipped. Among the 20 campuses and
University Park colleges, Behrend students were
most satisfied with their academic experience and
had the greatest sense of belonging.
What is the Student Satisfaction Survey? The
survey is used to gain feedback from students
attending Penn State. The results help the Division
of Student Affairs to understand the students’ expe
riences and satisfaction of the institutions. Using
the results, the DSA can make efforts to improve a
scholar’s encounters.
The survey took place between March 18 and
April 5, 2004. Overall, 3,770 students participated.
About 125 of those students were from Penn State
Erie.
According to the survey results from students at
UP and Behrend, 62% chose Behrend as having the
greatest sense of belonging to Penn State.
“The campus has grown over the course of the
years,” said Miller. “It’s a very good sign that the
students are recognizing that Behrend is a great
place to be.”
Contents
News 1-3
Editorial 4
Humor. 6
Student Life 7-8
Sports 9-10
Contact Us
Newsroom:
898-6488
Fax:
898-6019
E-mail:
Behrendßeac6n@aol.com
Our offices are located down
stairs in the Reed Union
Building.
satisfied students
Many projects have helped create the environment
that Behrend possesses. Many of the institutional
buildings have been renovated, and new ones are
being built. According to Miller, the honors pro
gram has continued growing over the past years.
“Our students feel that they are at the best cam
pus the university has to offer,” said Miller.
“Students demand high quality, and they are glad to
see it.”
All Penn State campuses emphasize faculty
research. At Behrend, the faculty’s main objective
is to educate and then research. This allows for bet
ter relationships with professors.
“The students here at Behrend are qualified and
very focused,” said Miller. “The curriculum runs
on strong academics.”
Survey results showed that 85% of the students
who knew one or more faculty members were from
Behrend. Of the participating campuses, 75% felt
that Behrend had the greatest quality of teaching.
“The faculty reacted positively to the survey
results,” said Miller. “They were very pleased.”
Efforts are continuing to increase the learning
experiences for students. With the completion of
the Research and Economic Development Building,
many of the programs will grow.
“There is a lot of momentum going here,” said
Miller. “We are already seeing the benefits of proj
ects past, and we will continue to see Behrend
strive for greater excellence.”
Student s vehicle meets untimely demise
By Bradley Stewart
from the Sept. 10 issue
“Grab life by the horns” is a well
known Dodge advertisement. But on
Sept. 3, that was the last thing on Rick
Haibach’s mind when he was called out
of class and told his Dodge truck had
rolled into the gorge.
“It must have popped out of gear,”
claimed Haibach, pointing to the spot
where his black, 95 Dodge Ram had
been before he went to class that Friday
morning. “It’s a standard, and I left it in
first gear.”
Somehow from the time that Haibach
parked his car and went to his morning
class the truck managed to roll halfway
across the Engineering parking lot, just
northwest of the Benson Building,
hopped the curb, and slid down the hill
thirty feet, coming to rest, after flip
ping, against a tree.
A Penn State Erie Student Publication
“I knew it was bad when I saw it,”
said Adam Miloser, Plastics
Engineering, 03, a friend of Haibach’s.
“It was upside down and you could see
the underneath.”
Patrick Ganje, who was unavailable
for comment, was the first to notice the
runaway truck and reported the incident
to the Prischak Building office, who
contacted Police and Safety. Police and
Safety arrived on the scene, identified
the vehicle and owner, tracked down a
copy of his schedule and went to his
classroom.
“I can only remember one other time
that a vehicle went rolling down a hill”
said Property Protection Guard Dan
Leshe., “That was years ago up by
Dobbins.”
It took two tow trucks to remove
Haibach’s vehicle from the gorge: One
to drag it out and another to take it
away. When asked about the possibili-
Senat Hall comes up short?
Freshmen residents of the newly built Senat Hall have been having quite the time since
moving in. The hall, which began its construction last year, was built with accommodating
new freshmen students in mind.
Senat Hall was specifically designed to meet the needs of freshman students in the First-
Year Interest Group program. Students will only be housed in Senat for their first year at
Behrend and must remain in the FIG program their first semester.
With operational elevators on each floor (for handicapped students), several lounges and
study rooms for residents to mosey around in and with an updated look from the Niagara
and Perry dorm halls, Senat Hall is aiming to please.
The hall, which opened in August, cost $11.9 million and is supposed to hold around ISO
students, all of whom will be grouped by academic major. The hall is named after Acting
Sailing Master George Senat, commander of the schooner Porcupine.
With three floors to fill the demand of incoming students, plenty of fun can be had at
every comer, but there’s also room for some errors.
Rob Covert, 810 OS, an RA on Senat’s second floor said Senat has “a great atmosphere
for students. It’s a lot more conducive to studying than the other dorms. Not everything is
perfect though.”
“They’ve had a few problems with plumbing and the sewer backing up the first day.. .All
the kinks are basically out now,” said Covert.
Melissa Damon, PSHBS 01, had emphasized the air conditioning. ”1 love having air con
ditioning,” said Damon. “Even though some nights, it is almost too cold, it is still great to
have in your dorm room.”
Staci Rowlands, ACCOU 01, and Lindsay Porter, DUS 01, second floor Senat residents,
seem to have already bonded into great friends along with other Senat students. “The floors
are bonding, we’re all pretty tight...there's still a little bit of rivalry though,” said
Rowlands. “The only bad thing is the construction outside when we’re trying to sleep in.
The floor of our shower wasn’t done...but we’ve been making the best of it.”
The incomplete bathrooms have been the only repetitive complaint from Senat residents,
also coming from Jason Dellosala, 810 01, who said, “It’s awesome compared to the other
dorms.. .they just had to come in an finish our bathroom.”
Rick Haibach, PLTBD 03, watches as his truck is prepared to be taken away.
Police Services Officers Dave Lesher and Trevor Pearson stand in the back
ground.
ty of guardrails, Police and Safety said for Haibach, but Police and Safety said
it was an operations issue. he could return his parking pass for a
The truck was totaled, unfortunately full refund.
By Aaron J. Amendola and Adam McLachlan
from the Oct. 24 issue
Vol. LII No. 30