opinions
Computerized security
In the near future, students living in
dorms may find that a computerized securi
ty system will supplement the current pro
cedure of locked doors and student night
receptionists.
Dorms will be accessible at all entrances
by use of a computer card key under the
proposed system. The system, which will be
tested within the next two years in one of the
large dorms for women, will provide better
security for students who remain on cam
pus during vacation periods and between
semesters, when student night receptionists
are not scheduled to work and some dorms
remain open. It also will be more conve
nient for students throughout the year.
Robyn Walls, East Halls president, said
students are interested in safety plans other
than the card key system such as imple
menting a key system and expanding the
security night receptionist system. Howev
er, the University already has the equip
ment necessary to begin implementing the
THE BLIGHT AT THE END OF THE CENTRAL AMERICAN TUNNEL
Why leave for " lily-land"?
Young black people have trouble battling the racism in cities where blacks predominate
The "recruitment and retention" problem
here at Penn State has been making head
lines since I got here over a year ago. At
that time, a federal mandate was in force
requiring the university to increaase the
proportion of under-represented racial and
ethnic groups to 5 percent of the total
student population.
Penn State was never able to scale much
over half that figure; although actual non
wh enrollment has increased, the per
centage within the total population occupied
by these desired students has not.
So. what follows is my open letter to the
"powers be" over this "recruitment
and retei >n" issue. Ido not purport to
represent the opinions of all students to
whom this issue pertains, but rather it is my
hope that my thoughts could open up a frank
and candid public discussion of why those
who are being "recruited" choose to escape
being "retained."
Coming from an Afro-American perspec
tive, I feel that there are three things which
would make this environment more hospita
ble for me. The first is a higher profile of
faculty role models and I mean both more
and merrier. I am disappointed that more
black faculty members do not receive ten
ure here. (I am not going to presume to
guess why they don't.)
I am also disappointed that the few black
faculty members I have gotten to know are
not happy here. It seems as though their
choices are to ignore the racism with a
smile or to fight it and get the boot. Having
card key system, and, logically, the poten
tial for this more convenient system should
be tested.
But University officials must remember
that no system is failproof and dorm securi
ty should not rely solely on a card key. Card
keys easily can be lost, leaving students in
inconvenient and perhaps dangerous situa
tions. There is no reason to alter the policy
of free access to the dorms during the day,
monitored in part by resident assistants.
The new system is supposed to enhance
security, but in an emergency situation, a
card key may not come to a student’s
rescue. Guards still will be needed to mon
itor the dorms at night since the system
may malfunction and doors may be propped
open, letting unwanted invaders into a pri
vate residence.
A trial period for this new security sys
tem, tested in conjunction with the current
procedure, stands only to increase the safe
ty of University students in the dorms.
to deal with either of those stresses for any
length of time is counterproductive to pro
fessional and scholarly activity.
So it seems that the black faculty here
face a Catch-22. The same is probably true
for other "non-Ol' Boy" faculty people,
although I haven't really talked to any.
I think however, that some of the things
that would make me. as a student, feel more
comfortable here would also make other
Afro-American faculty members feel more
comfortable. So. on to points two and three.
The second thing is better cultural rep
resentation and adequate opportunities for
a decent social life. This is not trivial.
Everybody needs to be able to take a little
rest and recreation.
Speaking for myself, I do not like bars,
pubs, and taverns. I like clubs. Clubs are
places with good atmosphere and good
music. I do not want to get bombed; I want
to dress up and dance. And maybe I’d be
satisfied to dance at home if I could get
some “Fresh” music on the radio more than
two nights a week. (On a student's budget.
I’m too poor to buy my own.)
I look around me on billboards, in
advertisements, on TV and all I see is a
steady stream of white faces. The few black
faces that are interspersed often appear so
“mainstreamed” that I can scarcely recog
nize them. This is culture shock for me,
having come from Atlanta, which is about
65 percent black, and where TV, radio,
advertising, and commerce reflect this
accordingly.
Granted, Central Pa. isn’t exactly Africa
in miniature, population-wise. By casual
inspection, I’d guess that there is a lower
percentage of black people here than in the
nation as a whole.
But this is just my point: Our school is
indistinguishable from the community in
which it lies Young black people have
enough trouble battling the racism in cities
where blacks predominate: it is unreason
able to expect them to willingly leave that
for “lily-land.”
Unless and until Penn State creates with
in itself an atmosphere which stands in
vivid contrast attitude-wise as well as
opportunity-wise to the inhospitable envi
ronment around it, it is unreasonable to
expect to achieve recruitment and retention
goals.
This brings me to my third and most
important point. The number one thing
which would make this environment more
hospitable is more of what I’ll call under
standing.
daily Collegian
Monday, Nov. 30, 1987
- 1987 Collegian Inc.
Editor
Chris Raymond
Business Manager
Glenn B. Rougier
The Daily Collegian's editorial opin
ion is determined by its Board ol
Opinion, with the editor holding
final responsibility. Opinions ex
pressed on the editorial pages are
not necessarily those of The Daily
reader opinion
Serious disorder
This is in response to a letter by Amy Daron in the
Nov. 17 Collegian, addressing the socio cultural etiology
of anorexia nervosa. I would like to support Daron’s ideas
about anorexia nervosa as a social disease, relating to our
culture’s preoccupation with thinness.
Eating disorders, like all psychological problems, de
velop within a cultural context. Thus, they reflect the
biases and oppressions of the culture. The single image of
female beauty and thinness is an ideal fostered by the
patriarchy oppressing all women, not only those with
eating disorders.
One in four college women suffer from a serious eating
disorder. Furthermore, most women in our culture are
preoccupied with their negative body image to the extent
that it is a major cause of low self-esteem.
Kim Chernin, a feminist author who writes on eating
disorders, states, “We have entered an era of cultural life
when everyone is preoccupied with a woman’s body, but
few women, whether fat or thin, feel completely comfort
able living inside the body they possess.”
We need to rebel against society’s ideal that defines a
woman’s beauty so narrowly and to concentrate more on
her inner beauty. Each of us needs to celebrate the
diversity among women, rather than conforming to a
single definition of beauty.
To quote Daron, “Perhaps we should stop and reeva
luate our inner beauty and concentrate on being a better
person rather than a thinner one.”
The USG Department of Women’s Concerns is running
a discussion group to talk about these issues. We meet
every Wednesday night at 6:30 in the Center for Women
Students Lounge, 120 Boucke. For more information, stop
by the Center for Women Students, 102 D Boucke.
Contrast among races
One of our most disturbing social conditions in the
world today is the closed or “caste” system known as
“Apartheid,” in South Africa. This system of racial
stratification is accompanied by segregation.
It is imperative that we, college students, influence our
governments and banks to impose sanctions on South
Africa, so that Prime Minister Botha's government will
implement reforms.
“Apartheid” is the classic example of a caste system. It
is described as the “seperate developement.” Apartheid
is the product of racism in which all people of color are
different from whites and can not enter into the white
status. There is to be contact among different races that
might undermine the assumption of essential difference.
Marriage, sexual relations, political gatherings, enter
tainment, bars, transportation, and toilets in short, any
situation in which bodily contact is possible, must be
preluded. In recent years some improvements have been
made, especially in the area of sports.
In 1963, the International Olympic Committee deter
mined that South Africa must eliminate racial discrimi
nation from it’s teams if it were to be invited to the next
Olympic Games. This example shows how outside inter
vention can have an effect on internal government poli
cies.
Segregation in South Africa has maintained the domi
nance of the 17 percent white population over the 83
percent black population. Whites have evicted blacks
from towns and “white” areas.
This is the completion of the Apartheid structure
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Letters Policy: The Daily Collegian en
courages comments on news coverage,
editorial policy and University affairs.
Letters must be typewritten, double
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Students' letters should include se
mester standing, major and campus of
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include the major and year of graduation
Wendy Casper
junior-psychology
By this I mean the kind of understanding
which would never allow a black student’s
written composition to be flunked because it
didn't read like she talks. It’s the kind of
understanding that wouldn’t question why
the B.G.S.A. needs to exist, but would rath
er be thankful that it has arisen to redress
some of the social and student-activity-re
lated imbalances at Penn State.
It's the kind of understanding which, in
the academic milieu, would not necessitate
entire courses devoted to racial and ethnic
perspectives on traditional disciplines be
cause these perspectives would be included
and studied in traditional classes as a mat
ter of course.
Penn State is certainly not the only school
lacking in this kind of “understanding,”
but. nevertheless, it must realize that this
kind of lack of understanding is just what
deters many bright black students from
coming to and staying at schools like this.
In my experience, I have found that there
is so much that “mainstream” people don't
know about “non-mainstream” people, and
if this place is truly a university, it would be
more than appropos for those in need of
educating to stand up and ask to be edu
cated.
If you < the “powers that be" > invited your
so-called “minorities” to come in and, as it
were, educate you, I think you'd be far more
successful at recruiting and retaining them.
Institutions of higher learning should not
view themselves as agents of mainstream
ing, but should, rather, concentrate on di
The Daily Collegian
Monday, Nov. 30, 1987
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Between 1960 and 1983, about 3.5 million blacks were
moved into impoverished areas. In 1969, Botha. Minister
of Bantu Administation and Development said, “The
Bantu people like being moved.”
However, they went like Jews in Nazi Germany, they
did not know what the government was doing. The
deportees didn't even pass through white towns. These
new barren, desert lands were not able to support the new
population. Many died of starvation, while the rich lands
were owned and governed by the whites.
This was a successful displacement of a native popula
tion, thus, setting the stage for a black rebellion.
We must implore our government to use its influence in
the United Nations and, moreover, directly with Prime
Minister Botha to extend the basic civil liberties to all
people of South Africa.
In 1985, Chase Manhattan Bank, influenced by college
students, churches, and civil rights groups refused to
renew a loan to Aouth Africa. Soon, other banks respond
ed in kind. Botha promised changes; however, he re
verted to a harsh repression. He stated that while some
rights could be granted to educated urban blacks, “im
posing” democracy on rural blacks had failed.
We. who live in democracy, must cherish our civil
rights and use every opportunity to try to promote
changes.
Penn State proud
All too often in our society good deeds often go unno
ticed. Recently, The Penn State Wrestling Squad ran
Mt. Nittany to prepare for this season and to benefit The
American Heart Association.
The coaches and athletes, given two weeks to solicit
pledges, raised $450. We publically commend the Penn
State Wrestling Team for their good deed and their social
responsiblity.
Next season, the wrestling squad has set their goal of
raising more money, possibly with having local high
school wrestling teams participating in this worthy pro
gram. It is the thoughts and deeds like this that truly
make us Penn State Proud.
Kim T. Banach
Communications Chairperson-American Heart Associa
tion, State College
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versifying and integrating themselves with
the multifold elements of difference within
their ranks.
Of course. I speak with figurative lan
guage. but this idea has concrete ramifica
tions which I hope are discernible to the
very powers to whom I write. Getting stu
dents to Penn State isn’t just a matter of
attractive scholarships; it's a matter of
attractive atmosphere.
There are a few things, worthy of note,
which I feel give a positive outlook for the
future. Things like the SYMBOL yearbook,
the Mahogany Magazine, the Minority Ad
ministrative Fellowship, and the efforts of
Ebony-Ivory week are good. And I’m sure
there are other efforts which I am leaving
out.
My final comment is this: This recruit
ment and retention conversation cannot be
complete unless the students themselves
raise their voices in candor.
The racists need to speak up so that no one
can any longer deny that they are here, and
the victims of racism (or any other “ism”)
need to speak up and, from their own
vantage point, plainly lay out why it is
difficult to go to school here and what, in
their opinion, could be done to make life
better.
I think that the Collegian would provide
the perfect forum for just such a dialogue.
Layli Phillips is a graduate student ma
joring in psychology, and a columnist for
The Daily Collegian.
Adam Sobel
freshman-premedical medical
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