Thursday, December 2, 1993
Soror
SGA
by Matthew D. Cissne
Co-sditor
and
Hal D. Coffey
News Editor
The Student Government
Association's Hearing Board held
a •hearing last night to address
alleged hazing charges against a
sorority.
The hearing was closed to the
public and members of the
Hearing Bawd were advised not to
discuss details of the case in order
to insure confidentiality.
The prosecutor and Director of
Student Activities, David
Shields, would not comment on
the hearing. He was also
concerned with guaranteeing
confidentiality.
The Hearing Board
Chairperson. Joe Mycka, would
not reveal the outcome of the
hearing or any details. but he
said, "The Hearing Board met.
Sanctions will be delivered
tomorrow (Thursday) after the
group in question is informed of
them."
Plastics department receives BIG federal
A $1.9 million-plus federal
grant to ease Pennsylvania and
Ohio plastics manufacturers into
the competitive post-Cold War
marketplace has been awarded to
Behrend in cooperation with the
Cleveland Advanced
Manufacturing Program in
Cleveland, Ohio.
The $952,855, twryear grant
is part of $471 million in
Technology Reinvestment
Project awards announced at the
White House last Wednesday by
U.S. Secretary of Conunerce. Ron
Brown.
Technology Reinvestment
Project funds am intended to help
businesses hurt by defense
cutbacks produce goods for more
diverse civilian markets.
The grant will allow the
Cleveland Advanced Manufac
turing Program to establish a
Plastics Technology Deployment
Center (PTDC) at Penn State
Erie's existing Plastics Technical
Center.
"The PTDC will be a one-stop,
full-service technology and
problem-solving center for small
and medium-sized plastics-related
companies," Dr. Robert Light
associate dean for graduate
studies, research, continuing
education, and economic
development at Penn State Erie,
said of the new technology
Meer center.
"Our ultimate goal is to
increase productivity, sales,
exports, and jobs for these
companies, and enhance the
region's masufactuting base."
At least seven new research and
outreach jobs will be created in
• aimg
ity goes
Heari
The sorority was advised by
representatives from their
national headquarters not to
comment on the hearings until
sanctions are announced today.
Shannon Mclntyre, a witness
in the hearing would not
comment. She said, "I want to
talk to David Shields first."
Kristie Guldner, another
witness in the cue, said, "I never
saw any of the hazing, but
Shannon told me everything.
She continued, "My testimony
was only second-hand
information."
Guidner added, "I feel that
hazing and mental cruelty are
serious and damaging. They
cannot be allowed."
The ultimate decision was left
to the Hearing Board.
The SGA Hearing Board used
guidelines and procedures set
forth by Rick Funk, the director
of Greek life at University Park.
These guidelines state that a
"hearing will be held when a
person, organization or entity has
brought allegations against a
Craig Bromn#Codkpien photgrapher
Big Money: Dr• Robert Light tales about the federal grant while Dr. Richard Progelhof looks on
Erie as a result of the grant.
"Five hundred and fifty grants
totaling $8.4 billion dollars were
proposed for this program," he
added.
"Only 55 were funded. To be
one of 55 is a remarkable
tedmxlsent."
The Plastics Technical Center
was approved as a grant site after
an intense local visit late August
by representatives of the
Department of Energy. the Air
student club or organization,
which constitutes infractions of
policies and rules pertaining to
registered studem organizations."
The Hearing Board hears and
acts on allegations and
complaints brought against
chartered student clubs and
organizations of Penn State-
Membership to the Hearing
Board consists of those
individuals elected to the
following positions:
*Joe Mycka, SGA president
*Ray Graham, Living-Off
Campwi (LOC) president
*Sam Epps, Student
Organization Council (SOC)
pcsidat
*Hugh Rosenblum, Joint
Residence Council (JRC)
mvackft
'Christine Bukowski, Student
Programming Council (SPC)
President
*Brien Murphy, Interfratemity
Council (IR) president
*Darlene Stremic, Panhellenic
Council president
Force, and the Nationil Institute
of Standards and Technology.
"The plastics faculty, Dr.
Light, Dr. Richard Progelhof,
head of the School of
Engineering and Engineering
Technology, and our plastics
industry partners made this
happen," said Dr. John M.
Lilley, college provost and dean.
The target industries served by
the Plastics Technology
Deployment Center will be
before
Board
*Marie, Boyer, Multi-Cultural
Council (MCC) president
*Gail Senoski, SGA secretary
(non-voting member)
Each member has one (1) vote
with the exception of the SGA
president, who is the chairperson
and votes only to make or break a
tie, and the SGA secretary, who
serves in a non-voting capacity.
Once the Hearing Board is
assembled including the Board
Chairperson, and all other
involved parties, the hearing is
called to artier.
The Chairperson begins the
meeting by making an opening
statement explaining the Board's
purpose for convening.
The accused club/organization
is then introduced to members of
the Board and the organization is
asked if it objects to any member
of the Board on the grounds of
prejudice. In last night's hearing
the accused party did not object to
any board members.
After the accused's advisor, the
Chairperson and the Board are
introduced and their roles are
plastics processors, tool and die
manufacturers who make molds
for plastics processors, and non
plastics manufacturers who use
plastic components, sub
assemblies, or systems in their
products.
Ten counties in northeastern
Ohio and 14 in northwestern
Pennsylvania, including Erie,
Crawford, and Warren counties,
will be making up the Center's
service region.
explained, the students and
witnesses are warned not to give
false testimony.
From there, the proceedings
follow a similar pattern to a trial
with witness testimony and
chances for the accused party to
answer questions.
One difference between a trial
and the Hearing is that in the
Hearing the Board members may
ask questions of the witnesses or
accused patty at any time.
After all of the testimony is
completed, the Chairperson calls
for the Board to render a decision.
If the decision is guilty, then the
Board must also vote on
recommendations of sanctions.
The entire decision-making
process of the Board is done in
privat e and when they reach a
decision, the parties involved are
then asked to return to hear the
decision.
If the accused party is not
satisfied with the decision, they
have five days to weal it. After
the appeal is submitted the case
is taken to the Apellate board.
grant
The Cleveland Advanced
Manufacturing Program estimates
4,200 businesses in the 24.
county region fall into the three
target industries.
The five-year-old Plastics
Technical Center at Behrend
has assisted over 200 regional
and national businesses with
application of technology to new
products and processes, its clients
have reported an average 33
percent increase in sales and 40
percent increase in number of
employees needed after learning
to utilize new and existing
technology.
The PTDC will be an
expansion of the number of
services offered by the Center,
and the number of clients it can
assist.
Among the technology
activities planned by the PDTC
are facilities tours, software and
other technology demonstrations,
I state-of-the-art technology
1
surveillance, sharing of
equipment, computers and
software, and training from basic
to graduate-level education.
"Technology transfer fits the
historic mission of Penn State.
We continue a long tradition of
superior applied industrial
research in our laboratories like
the Plastics Technical Center,"
said Dr. John Brighton, Penn
State's executive vice president
and provost.
"Facilitating the transfer of
knowledge from the lab to
industry is a natural fit for a
university, because it creates jobs
for our communities and our
graduates."
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