"I tend not to vote."
Amy Laird, 05
Psychology
DEBATES, continued from page 1
The SGA Presidential and Vice Presidential hopefuls went into the ring with their boxing gloves
Wednesday night. Current Vice President Deepti Soni and her running mate Zambanini stood their grou
and fought for the position of planning rather than waiting. Specifically talking about the potential cam
pus parking problem in the fall (due to the opening of the REDC), Zambanini stated, "I'd rather go in with
a plan for parking...and know the problem ahead of time."
Senators Meredith Straub and Ken Middlemiss stood up for the student body and expressed that they
truly wanted to hear from the students about what they want. Straub and Middlemiss addressed the poten-'
tial parking issue as well. Straub said, "In the first month of next semester we want to have a forum t
address the issue as soon as we know the exact issue that needs to be addressed."
"Communication" and "ownership" were the favored words of the evening. Vice Presidential candidate
Middlemiss repeatedly claimed that students involved in SGA as well as other organizations on campu
need to take ownership of the projects they work on and see them through from beginning to end.
Zambanini stressed that communication inside and outside of SGA needed to be improved in order fo
things to be run efficiently next year.
All candidates seemed to agree on quite a few issues, especially internal and external communication o
SGA. However, there were two other discrepancies between the campaigns besides the issue of the poten
tial REDC parking dilemma.
One major difference between the tickets was the continuation of the Rally at the Rotunda. Both tick
ets are strongly in favor of continuing the program that helps to lower tuition costs, but they want to g•
about it in different ways. All four candidates have attended at least one Rally in the past. However, Strau
and Middlemiss are proposing a new event next year involving five local legislators.
Straub suggested they hold a "...Rally at the Rotunda in Reed and try to get local legislators involved.
"If our five legislators could see all of Behrend come out I think they will really push for Dowering tuitii
in Harrisburg," Middlemiss added.
Soni countered Straub and Middlemiss' argument stating, "I've been very actively talking to local I
islators and Graham Spanier about getting more state appropriations for Penn State "
Another issue the candidates differed on concerned raising the Student Activity Fee (SAF) in the future.
Straub said she would be in favor of raising the SAF, however, she wants to see the clubs and organiza
tions use the allocated fee more responsibly. Zambanini countered her argument saying, "No, let's prove
we can use [the fee] well and use all of it, then let's talk about raising it."
Of course no political debate would be complete without a little bit of mudslinging. When the candi
dates had the opportunity to ask each other questions, Middlemiss was very curious about why Vic:
President Soni would choose to return for a full school year when she only needs 7.5 credits to graduate.
He wanted to know why Penn State students should pay her stipend, which amounts to half of each semes
ters tuition, if she didn't need to stay at Behrend for a full year.
1
Soni responded saying she intends to pick up another major and minor. She claimed, "If the senate vote.
on it, I would decline my stipend."
The candidates experience with budget training was a very important topic that was also debated. Straub
admitted, "I don't really have [experience] directly with an SGA budget." She also mentioned that sh•
attempted to be a part of the SGA Budget Committee, but at the time there were no seats available.
Soni was able to counter saying, "I've helped with several clubs' budget training."
The most controversial topic surrounding the election did not go overlooked during
the debate. Zambanini once again had to recount, as did all the candidates, what posi
tions he has held in SGA. The candidates also discussed the possibility of changing
or removing the one-year requirement listed in the constitution.
Straub said, "No I wouldn't be willing to remove it, but it does need to be looked at
because [a candidate does] need to have experience with SGA and the campus to know
how things run...."
Soni agreed that a candidate should be qualified to hold any position in SGA. She
said the constitution is unclear about the year timeline and needs to be amended for
clarity.
Soni backed up her choice for a running mate saying, "Picking [Zambanini] was a
very good choice of mine, I knew he had leadership skills."
Straub said the best quality found in any leader is trustworthiness. Straub continued,
"If you can't be trusted to care, then you're not going to get anywhere."
The debates were held a week before voting will take place. All students will be
able to vote for President, Vice President, Senators and Secretary of SGA online at
https://secure.bd.psu.edu/sgavoting/ on March 29 and 30.
*See page 4 for Presidential, Senatorial and Secretarial platforms
Police and Safety
3-16.06
Resident reported that his vehicle was vandalized while parked in the Ohio Hall
lot sometime between the weekend before spring break and March 15.
Officers were dispatched to the Reed Union Building after the complainant
reported chest pains and difficulty breathing. Brookside Volunteer Fire
Department personnel responded and transported the complainant to St. Vincent
Hospital.
3-17-06
Complainant reported that students in Ohio Hall had been threatened by a male
with a knife.
The duty RA reported seeing a male throwing a bottle at a window in the apart
ment quad. The student was identify and issued a citation for underage drinking
and criminal mischief.
3-20-06
Complainant reported that books were stolen from his room
"I don't care."
Coty Brandon, 02
Marketing
Have a suggestion for question of the week? E-mail ideas to editorinchief@psu.edu
"Parking."
Jessica Christmann, 02 •
Communications
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no later than 5 p.m. on
Friday, March 31 , • EACON
Vandalism decreases drastically
On-campus vandalism is at all time low, according to
Behrend Police and Safety Services Manager Jim Amann.
While it seems that vandalism is a quickly growing problem
on Behrend campus this year,
Police and Safety have had
only twelve unresolved cases
of "criminal mischief" so far
this year. In 2002, 2003, and
2004, there were 28, 26, and
27 counts respectively.
Amann stated that there was
"Seventeen cases of vandal
ism, but five of those were
resolved by and with the stu
dents," he added, "those five
were confronted, admitted
responsibility, and paid for
the damages themselves."
The majority of these counts
take place in the residence
halls, including both personal
property and campus proper
ty. The comparison to previ
ous years is astoundingly
low, a welcome change by
Police and Safety, including
the arrest and citation of only
two students for criminal
mischief this year.
According to Amann, "A large percentage of these vandal
ism cases are vehicle related." Whether it is a ripped off side
view mirror, shattered head or tail lights, broken windows, or
keyed paint, vehicular vandalism is very expensive and diffi
cult to fix. Luckily, only three of the criminal mischief counts
this year were vehicular. Those including snapped mirrors. a
•~ kSF
artmentsStateColle
B This Ad & Your Erie PSU Student ID for
By Greg Lanich
staff writer
gdl I 180 psti.eklu
Scratched railings in
the apartment com
plexes, a broken
bench down campus,
and the chipping of
stone structures are
all credited to the on
campus skateboard-
ing community.
'Funding for cluhs
Joshua Smolinski, 03
Business
Check Out!
,~ ~_;
busted tail light, and a broken head light. No citations or
arrests were made for these crimes.
When damages to property rise to the thousands, Behrend
Police and Safety will take firm action on the vandal, up to
and including heavy fines, citations, and arrests. Behrend
Police and Safety will file a complaint with the Erie District
Judge's office, at which point a vandal could face misde
meanor, or even felony charges.
Fortunately, Behrend's Police usu
ally deal with issues before they
get to that level.
Scratched railings in the apart
ment complexes, a broken campus
bench, and the chipping of stone
structures are all credited to the
on-campus skateboarding commu
nity. According to an interview
with one of these skateboarders
who wished to remain anony
mous, it is the drinking population
to blame for campus vandalism. In
contrast, St. Patrick's Day, a day
that many students spend under
the influence, brought only one
count of criminal mischief.
Amann reported this incident as "a
beer bottle thrown through a resi
dential window, whereas the stu
dent was cited." This report
occurred at a student's apartment
in Scorpion Hall.
Behrend's campus Police and
Safety is easily available, including contact numbers, campus
regulations, parking restrictions, and even crime statistics.
The website for Behrend's Police and Safety is
http://pserie.psu.edu/student/police/index.htm. In addition,
the Police and Safety Department is downstairs in Erie Hall,
and on campus contact number x6lOl.
`Basically the welfare
of our students and
maybe to get better
equipment in the gym.-
Steve Falk, 06
Accounting
e.com
Information regarding