Thursday, October 28, 1993
by Kristie Guldner
Collegian Staff
Around this time every
semester, Behrend students are
looking for their academic
advisors to schedule classes.
According to College
Registrar Robert R. Schenker,
the advisor helps council the
student in the direction the
student wishes to pursue.
"We assign advisors based
upon college of enrollment,
Division of Undergraduate
Studies and planned major.
Behrend has advisors in five
areas: DUS, engineering and
engineering technology, science,
business, and humanities and
social sciences," said Schenker.
"The advisor is the student's
consultant. The student has
responsibility also," said
Schenker.
Schenker said that a good
advisor will listen to the student,
help him reach his goal, and put
his goals into reach.
"A student pursuing realistic
goals and having an advisor
helping him reach that goal is
the kcy to advising. The earlier
the student sets that goal, the
better," said Schenker.
Schenker claimed that the
most important question a
student must first answer is
whether he wants to pursue a
science or a non-science degree.
Academic progress is the next
step.
"Academic progress is to be
able to flow through a major
from a student's freshman year to
graduation," said Schenker.
"The biggest freshman major
is DUS. Unlike high school,
Craig Brown/Collegian Photographer
Nittany Lion Found Carved in Pumpkin. Film at 11!!!: Happy Halloween from the staff
of The Behrend College Collegian!
Scheduling
again?
here (in college) you have a
chance to choose the level of
classes. The student has to take
control of his life," said
Schenker.
Once a student has chosen a
major, he is given a check sheet
to make sure he completes all
the prerequisites.
"The check sheets give you
(the student) a chance to plan.
Penn State does a pretty good
job of getting the student ready,"
said Schenker.
Prerequisites must be filled
before the student can go on to a
major.
"Some majors are very
prescriptive. In other words,
you must take A, B, C and D
and -get a certain grade point
average or you don't get into
that major," said Schenker.
Students cannot take classes
within their major only. They
must fulfill a majority of general
education courses first.
"General education gives you a
chance to get ready for your
major. Some students don't
truly know which direction they
want to go," said Schenker.
"Nineteen credits is the
maximum load. Only after
drop/add begins can a student
register for more than nineteen
credits. I would recommend no
less than af , average of sixteen
credits i .)er semester," advised
Schenker.
Schenker explained how to
determine the number of hours
of work a student will have
according to the number of
credits he takes.
Assuming a student takes
nineteen credits, multiply 19 by
40 hours of work, and that
equals 760. Divide 760 by the
fifteen weeks in the semester,
and a student should spend
approximately fifty-one hours a
week in class, doing homework
and studying.
Schenker recommended that an
important thing for all students
to remember when scheduling is
to advance register when they are
supposed to and choose alternate
Courses.
"Choose alternate courses that
you would prefer because the
computer chooses alternate
sections for you," said Schenker.
When making the list of
classes, the registrar's office
looks at the number of rooms
available, the teaching faculty
available, and the number of
students in each major.
Seniors, athletes, honor
students and University Scholars
schedule classes first.
The registrar's office tries to
make sure that a varsity athlete
is able to play his sport by
scheduling his classes
accordingly.
"Honor students and
University Scholars have
priority scheduling. Honor
students are freshmen and
sophomores. University
Scholars are primarily juniors
and seniors. Freshmen and
sophomores are University
Scholars because of their college
GPA, by invitation, or because
of high school grades and SAT
scores," explained Schenker.
"The educational process is to
make people more employable
and more human," concluded
Schenker.
Founders' Day
celebration
by Terry Rucker
Collegian Staff
On Friday, October 29, the
Lion Ambassadors are sponsoring
Founders' Day, an activity
commemorating the 45th
anniversary of Penn State's
acquisition of the Behind estate.
The Founders' Day event will
be celebrated in the Memorial
Room of the Glenhill
Farmhouse. Free food will be
served, photos will be displayed,
and there will be a trivia contest.
The goal of Founders' Day is
to honor Mary Behrend's donation
of her estate to Penn State
University. The event also
introduces students to the history
of the Behrend campus.
The Memorial Room, where
Fire!!!
by Rob Moffett
Collegian Staff
Last Wednesday four fire
companies responded to an alarm
in Niagara Hall. The cause of the
alarm was a paper fire which
started inside a pumpkin in a
room on the third floor of the
East wing.
Smoke from the fire drifted
under the door and set off the
smoke detector.
Several fire-fighting units
responded to the alarm.
Police and Safety Manager
Larry Silvis said that the amount
of response on behalf of the fire
departments was necessary.
Fire fighting companies
respond to Behrend's alarms as
part of a mutual aid system.
"Four companies make up the
mutual aid," said Silvis. He
added that the amount of response
depends on the time of day.
"Usually all four companies
respond at night, but due to man
power, only two may respond
during the day," Silvis said.
There are a few reasons which
account for such a large response
to a seemingly small fire on
behalf of fire departments. One
factor is the way that Behrend's
alarm system operates.
Silvis said, disregarding false
alarms, "When a fire alarm goes
off, it means that there is a fire.
The alarm signals University
Park who then dispatches fire
fighting units."
Silvis continued to say that,
since University Park has no idea
of how severe a fire may be, they
have no way to determine how
much support to send.
Another reason for such a large
response to an alarm is the fact
that it was in a residence hall and
there is a high potential for
injuries and deaths.
A second issue associated with
residence halls is the result of
the event will be held, is a rarely
seen section of the Glenhill
Farmhouse.
Sindy Staley, committee head
of the Founders' Day program,
commented, "Most students have
never seen the Memorial Room.
We feel they should be able to
see it because it's an important
part of Behrend history."
Another function of Founders'
Day is to promote pride of the
Behrend campus itself.
Jane Hill, president of the Lion
Ambassadors, said, "We are aware
of the history and traditions of
?elm State, but most students
aren:t aware of the unique history
behind the Behrend campus. We
are attempting to instill more
pride for Behrend."
false alarms and fire drills. "A lot
of students don't want to leave
the building," said Silvis, "and
that means a potential need for
evacuation. That is why the Bell
Valley Fire Department sent a
ladder unit," he continued.
Chris Huber, a third-floor
Niagara resident said, "most
people went outside, but about
ten people were referred for not
leaving the building."
Mike Castolo is the third floor
RA. A notice which he posted
on his door stated that students
who refuse to evacuate will be
referred for violation of school
policy and violation of state law.
Silvis said, "Within a matter of
a minute, what starts as a small
fire could spread to an entire floor
or building. So it is important
for students to respond
accordingly to alarms."
There are two types of alarms
in campus buildings. Trouble
alarms signal a problem in the
alarm system. These alarms do
not notify Universtiy Park and do
not indicate that there is a fut.
Fire alarms are triggered by
actual smoke or heat changes.
They are an indication that there
is a fire and that support is
needed.
"The system automatically
notifies University Park," said
Silvis. He added that the process
takes only a few seconds.
The fire alarms arc made up of
smoke detectors and heat sensors.
Smoke detectors can be reset and
used over.
Silvis said that once a heat
sensor is set off, the entire unit
needs replaced.
"Heat sensors are necessary in
places where you may normally
get some smoke or steam, like in
janitorial areas," said Silvis.
Heat sensors can be set to detect
changes of 10 to 180 degrees.
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