\I%IS ()NNW\ SPORTS The Behrend College Graduation audits see page 3' Police Log Men's, Women's Basketball 1-\lll4l IIN\II See pages 7, 8 (Ak legign see pag NON-PROFIT 2 Hardcore hits Erie S I) see page 5 : PAID 00 STAG E ERIE, PA PERMIT # 282 b 27 , 1997 E PA 16563 Volume XLV No. 16 Erie's past joins Behrend's present by Mike Woycheck Collegian Staff A part of Erie's past will join Penn State Behrend's present later this year when the Mack House is officially opened. The Mack House, located on Station Road, built in 1928, has undergone extensive internal and external renovations since last summer The house was originally owned by Clarence Mack, the owner of Erie's Boston Store, previously known as the Erie Dry Goods Once the bridge and the sidewalks are built, linking all of that together, it should feel like a major campus expansion. Store. The building has received new wallpaper and carpeting, as well as interior and exterior struc tural changes that were necessary requirements because of the De partment of Labor and Industry, Harborcreek Township, and the Americans with Disabilities Act. The first floor will primarily be used for formal receptions, dinners and special events which students and faculty will be able to attend. Also housed on the first floor is the Office of Publications and Public Information. The Office of Devel opment and University Relations resides on the second floor, while the third remain unused until OS HA standards for fire escape can be Vanishing Greeks? Pledge numbers dwindle by Scott Woznicki Collegian staff Fewer students are joining Behrend fraternities and sorori ties. the Greek system in gener al is experiencing drastically low numbers. Fraternities and sororities for the most part are having a hard time keeping their numbers up. Even though the overall student population of Behrend is steadi ly increasing, the Greek system is not following The fraternities and sororities had many more active members a few years back, and pledge classes were much bigger. We all need to take a different approach b rush. --Nicole Pepicello AZT Rush Chairman "Four years ago we had forty guys and a pledge class of thir teen, and now we have twenty five guys and a pledge class of six. All pledge classes were big back then," said David Stoehr, president of the Delta Chi fra ternity. Most students involved in the Greek system cannot under stand what is happening. Some ruary ack House renovations met. Many of these offices have been relocated from the Glenhill Farmhouse to the Mack House within the last two weeks. The inclusion of the Mack House into the campus of Penn State Behrend will be integral in the overall expansion of the col lege, according to Dr. John Lilley, Provost and Dean. Lilley indicates that the house will be a definitive part of the campus as soon as the playing fields between the current intramural fields and the Mack House are complete. Lilley went on to say that, "Once the bridge and the sidewalks are built, linking all of that together, it should feel like a major campus expansion." The house will also be exten sively used by students and faculty said Dr. Christopher Reber, Dean of Student Affairs. "This kind of student faculty interaction can be very meaningful for students, and has frequently been correlated with student satisfaction and student success," Reber states. Lilley said he believes students should see and use the Mack House "primarily as their private dinner club." Student groups will be able to use the dining room for club use as, well as for receptions with com- blame the problems on the school and others on the stu dents themselves. "The administration does not realty support the system," said Brad Wetzel, rush chairman for Kappa Delta Rho. "A lot of people are scared of the Greek system," said Nikki Dellasandro, a sister of Theta Phi Alpha. There could be many reasons why fraternities and sororities are having a bad time, but one of the major reasons might have something to do with deferred rush. Deferred rush is a school pol icy stating that freshmen in their first semester cannot pledge a fraternity or sorority. Most schools around the country do not have this policy, including University Park. When asked how she felt about deferred rush, Katie Ryan, a Panhellenic Council delegate and sister of Theta Phi Alpha stated, "It's discriminato ry towards freshmen, which is actually most of Behrend's population." "I strongly disagree Students should have the choice whether to join their first semester or not," said Wetzel. "It stinks," said Ron Horvath of Tau Kappa Epsilon. Not everyone believes that deferred rush is a detrimental thing. A Behrend staff member and advisor for the Panhellenic - Dr. John Lilley Provost and Dean munity members With students able to "rehearse" dining skills, which will be essen tial in a business or interviewing setting, Lilley indicates the Mack House will be, "a place to learn to handle oneself in a gracious setting of the kind that one will encounter Council, Chris Mata, stated, "I'm for deferred rush. It's a good thing because it gives people the chance to think about whether they are joining for the right reasons." A possible solution could be that first semester freshmen would be allowed to pledge on ly if the chapter's grades were in good standing. This way, students might be attracted to an organization with exemplary academics. If there is a way to overcome the problems that the Greek system is having, it needs to be discovered soon. The answer may be that the Greek system needs to work together. "We all need to take a different ap proach to rush," said Nicole Pepicello, rush chairman of Al pha Sigma Tau. If the numbers continue to decrease, this could mean cer tain doom for some of the Greek organizations on campus. Fraternities and sororities can not exist without members. No organizations are in extreme danger, but the situation could get worse. Although the Greek system at Behrend is quite diverse, the popular adage of "We are all Greek together" may take on more meaning in the next few years as fraternities and sorori ties realize that they need to work together, to overcome their hardships. in the business professional world as an alum." "It is a beautiful facility that will benefit the entire Penn State Behrend community in more ways than we can fully envision now," Reber stated. Loretta Brandon, public infor- Fee allocations biz* stow casoitistOr p n ai t ain ar y tot the_etedeet eetivitY fee have 'b ee n r°l4-1414144 _ On Feb. 15, the 1997-915. Nita- Cthe ssoJ4reCteolOt*l4 coettatit , Th e ththmt mpri of dudents facaltY ita took recom;lerommteed , *Pending im ietee t *love w money ~.rded the 6 . year miss 1/17,7 from available V/41462,635, Act=ling to. tho comgattee * S i 99148 aiMOSt SO Potent thi s mone y el m b e g i ven 10 elloPos vovidelt. Some of the *ding wilt bsunilenumnd Meney ter enidsteosl student teu simizmios* Stthlent ariltuilzatinss at *oad have nosily doubled in../ , fhb h ot Ka A im w hit e fu n di n g hnn elaalaaa' ***The lthaa / 1104—.1 * a o *** lll I* • SW** Waa 004V04 two Yea* 4 ° •* s l*** 1111MM ` .• OS 4 00 . 01 * This mm o 7 Wag ' al kat, the Into bre at an *fitejokb level hr Stthlkinn* a, ix t ee mow 80400 thtt 4 9 2 /Prne • *oda kw ***kw OROof the - loom tut will 40 00001 w i t h thr is show 4 Maga Wender" ;::' to shed* 04•011$1$46 .e, : vents d ol o wwh i ch op aw. mation assistant in the Office of Publications and Public Informa tion, indicated that there is still work to be done. She indicated that the process for placing the finish ing touches on the house is now underway. On the path to completion, the cessible on the Ethernet, Back bone, will be available for facul ty and staff to update events. This will keep everyone in formed of changes in the sched ule and will also keep events from being scheduled at the same time. $4OO will be allocat ed to a fund to place plaques on all equipment purchased with the student activity fee, $3,000 was allocated to the Back Room in the Reed Union Building, to refurbish the water damaged walls and make the al ready popular game room a more attractive place. $17.500 of the fund will go to the Jageman Fitness Room to maintain the heavily used equipment. This money will be used to purchase new equipment including a rowing machine, a lateral pull down machine, a leg press and two treadmills. Intramural activities had a to tal allocation of $9,000. ion McCaslin, PLET 4, said, "Many students on campus play intra mural sports and it's good that it is getting some money." This money will support the expense of referees, a part-time assistant in the IM office, aero bics equipment, and intramural sports equipment. $2,300 was allocated for a new Behrencl College lion mas cot uniform. Years of use dam aged the old costume. McCasUn felt that "the mas cot is not really needed, but if they are going to get it I don't imagine it costs that much, Lara Herrmann, BIOBD 06, arrival and installation of furnitures is set for March or April. Land scaping outside the house is also on the agenda. "I can see student ac tivities getting fully underway in the Fall semester," Brandon said. A tentative open house is sched uled for May or June. and a member of the Student Life Task Force, explained the situation. '7 remember once there was a speaker that wanted to have his picture taken with the mascot, but it looked horri ble, and we were ashamed to have its picture taken." Mike Curryowsky, MIS 04, said he thought that "R's tine if they want to buy a new (mascot uniform), as long as it is at more student sports, like soccer." Funding in the amount of $1,675 will further diversity on the Behrend campus. $l,OOO was allocated for Multi-Cultural Council Resource Center for new equipment such as a new TV/VCR to enhance the lending library. The remainder of the money will go to the Women's Resource Center. $20,000 will be given to the Child Cart Center, According to Dr. rhristccher Reber. Dean of Student Affairs, only 20 of the children at the center are from Bei)Mad students and faculty. The other remaining citildttri are from the Erie communiV. $9,600 was allocated to the new varsity track and field prt>. gram. This money will be spent for the start-up costs of the new sports. Many requests for allocations were turned down, ssss
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