Page 4 - The Behrend College Collegian Thursday, February 27,1997
Graduating? Not yet!
By Colleen rromknecht
Collegian Staff
The closer I come to the end of my
college career, the more stories I seem
to hear about students who won't he
graduating because they are short one or
two credits. Sometimes the reason is
because there is a snafu in the system,
but I think it is mainly because students
are irresponsible.
It really amazes me that a student
spends thousands of dollars to obtain an
education at Behrend, yet won't go to
see his or her advisor. I've heard
students say that their advisors have no
clue about advising them in their choice
of classes. No! Really? Could it he
because it is hard for an advisor to do a
good job when he or she has never seen
the student?
I almost feel sorry for some advisors.
They sit in their offices waiting (eagerly
I am sure) for their advisees to visit only
to be disappointed. Then, usually during
the last semester a student is attending
classes here, a half-crazed, incoherent,
vaguely familiar person bursts into their
silent domains and babbles that he or
she won't he able to graduate because
one credit is missing from the student's
transcript. (I'm positive that the reason
some advisors twitch at loud noises is
directly due to the high incidence of
poor souls who have wandered into their
offices in this condition.)
Give the advisors a break. How can
you expect them to do their jobs when
they see you once for five minutes while
you are having a nervous breakdown?
One visit for an entire college career at
Behrend will not help the advisor to
look out for your concerns properly.
The success to good advising is to go
and see you advisor often. That way,
pro and con
Student Activities fee
debate, part 3
by Mike De Santis
Collegian Staff
Over the past two weeks there has been
a clash of opinions in the Collegian
opinion section about the Student
Activities Fee. In the following
paragraphs, I'll give you my opinion,
based on the articles, about who I feel won
the argument.
The first article was written by the
opinion editor. The second was a rebuttal
from the Dean of Student Affairs. The
editor was saying how the students had the
right to know where their money was
going. She was right. They should.
Whenever the students want, they should
be able to go ask and find out what their
money is being used for. Give one point
to the editor( I).
The Dean says that he gave the
Collegian a "two-page progress report" and
that the Collegian didn't carry any story
about the committee. Give him one
point(l) since they didn't carry the story.
But, and it's a big BUT, the reason that
the Dean gave a "two-page progress
report" was because a reporter was not
allowed into the meeting. Well, why
not??? He said it is because the
committee thought that the reporter might
"misconstrue" what some of the members
of the committee might say. In my
opinion, letting a reporter into the
meeting would give more of a neutral
overview of what happened at the meeting.
Then the reporter would be able to write a
story, if there was one, about the
committee and its work. Unfortunately, I
think by giving a written report there are
things that can be hidden, or what is in the
report is only what the committee wants
people to hear or know. Just think about
it. One to the editor(2).
Now I admit that indirectly there was
some things that were a bit much. For
example, the "thinking like lunatics" part,
so we should give the Dean a point(2).
As for the "cheesy ethics" the Dean
interpreted that totally wrong and implied
that the members had this type of ethics.
If you read the article the editor wrote it
says, "(she) doesn't want anyone with
cheesy ethics...playing with (her) money."
you can become comfortable with each
other and can form a relationship built
on trust. This helps the advisor to give
the student good advice.
Another good source for students to
utilize is the Registrar's Office. All of
the people working there will bend over
backwards to help you. They even have
nifty aids which can help the student
plan a wise choice of classes.
I recently found out they will run a
"what-if" audit for a student who is
considering changing majors. This can
be useful because it is better to find out
you will need to complete 183 credits if
you change your major from biology to
history instead of being surprised by
that fact after you actually change your
major.
The Registrar's Office also guards the
University's "Blue Book". Each student
should receive a copy when he or she
first comes to school at Behrend. It
contains a list of classes currently
offered at UP and also lists graduation
requirements for all of the majors Penn
State currently offers. I have found it to
be a big help when I'm trying to decide
which courses I should register for each
semester. The Blue Book seems to be
harder to track down on campus than
Elvis in a shopping mall, so if you've
lost your copy the Registrar's Office can
help you if you need you see a copy.
The bottom line is that you are
responsible for keeping track of you
progress in school. The final decision
rests on your shoulders. So go see your
advisor for help instead of consulting
your pals during Happy Hour at the Pub.
After all, you're paying a hefty price to
have these services. The least you can
do is check them out.
The editor didn't say any of the committee
members had "cheesy ethics". I personally
don't believe that any of those people
would have been elected to the committee
if they did. have cheesy ethics Give two
points to the editor, one for the Dean's
misinterpretation and the other for
blowing it out of proportion(4).
As for the campus wide input and the
hard working members, I don't think that
this was needed. I have no doubt in my
mind that the comittee worked hard,
because the job that they had to do was
difficult. I also do give credit for the
campus-wide input, but I think that the
information collection could have been
done better. No points here to anyone.
Written suggestions are nice, but isn't
face to face input better? Why not hold a
meeting somewhere that the students, even
if they couldn't say anything, could
watch...it is OUR money. Wait a minute,
here is an idea, next year why not have a
meeting after the written submissions are
due. The meeting, headed by the
committee, would ask the student body
where they feel their money should go.
After the meeting, the committee could
go, and based on both their and the
student's ideas, fully voiced, could decide
how much money to allocate based on
what the students think. That way the
process would be more helpful for the
students to feel content, because they
would know, and have an idea of where
their money is going.
Even though there has been a lot of
publicity about the allocation of the now
dreaded Student Activity Fee, I personally
think that some of the places the money
was put towards were well thought out.
On the other hand some of the things were
a bit ridiculous. I honestly don't think
that this is a worthwhile use of our
money. Wouldn't it be nice to have that
$4OO dollars do something a bit more
useturi Por example, help tne owe van
become cheaper, since I am a loyal rider,
or help support the Women's Center.
So who won? The editor 4to 2. I feel
the students should know and have a better
chance to give input, better than written
suggestions that is, to a closed door
meeting about THEIR money.
Howard Kurtz, the Washington Post's
media critic, writes that I am "unfair" in
describing Rush Limbaugh and Howard
Stern as hatemongers in my new book,
"The Coming Race War in America."
Thus Kurtz seems to wish upon me
timidity, even cowardice, in writing about
these titans of talk who are demagoguing
America toward its greatest social crisis.
"Stern...has made fun of blacks-along
with Jews, Mexicans, Filipinos and other
racial ethnic groups," Kurtz writes.
"Some people can't stand this sort of
satire."
I'll wager that in the 19305, when the
Nazis were stereotyping and scapegoating
Jews, a lot of well-meaning Germans
dismissed it as "satire." The "fun-making"
in Germany quickly deteriorated into some
of the worst atrocities in human history.
I can't believe that Kurtz would help
Stern to hide behind the word
"entertainment" in justifying his vulgar,
utterly offensive broadcasts. I point out in
my book that white Americans once
painted their faces black and put on
minstrel show "entertainment," but
Americans stopped that in the knowledge
by John Amorose
Collegian Staff
It's been said that college is an
institution of learning, established to
make students members of a better
society, both mentally and emotionally,
in preparation for post-graduation
employment. Sounds like a cool place
to go, huh? But in reality, college is an
institution that utilizes a series of
ridiculous requirements and a constant
deluge of irrelevant outside information
to mask the important material that
would guarantee a lifestyle of wealth
and fame. With that being said, let's
look at the rocky road one must take to
earn an English degree (maybe you can
relate).
Being a newly declared English
major, I was downright shocked to learn
what types of classes make up the 124
credits of an English B.A. degree. Forty
six or 36% of these credits are summed
up under the heading "General
Education." If you've never sat down
and figured out the math, that's roughly
three semesters, or a year and a half
spent on various non-major subjects.
Included in these courses are nine
credits of communication, nine credits
of natural sciences, six credits of
quantification (whatever that may be),
six credits of arts, six credits of
humanities, and the six credits of
social/behavioral classes. And that's not
all. An English major must also have
compiled the four credits most essential
to life, liberty and the pursuit of
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Downsizing the curriculum
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that such "entertainment" wounded other
citizens
Kurtz says "so what?" to my citation of
Limbaugh's ssplenetic, sexist assaults on
the women's movement. He says
Limbaugh "mercilessly skewers liberals,
feminists, journalists and those he views
as Hollywood elitists and environmental
wackos... But mostly his show is three
hours a day of mainstream conservatism."
Yes, a conservatism that includes the
mean-spirited delivery of piles of
misinformation and surly innuendoes
about the most divisive issues in
American life. Kurtz doesn't seem to
understand that the most effective
hatemongers are those who are careful not
happiness: Health and Esact (gym
class). That's right, gym class!
Basically what the University is telling
me is that if I do not achieve the one
credit of health education, and three
credits of badminton and bowling, I
cannot graduate. This doesn't seem
right to me.
The madness doesn't end with the
General Education requirements. Now
one must face the twenty-four credit
task of fulfilling "College Degree
Requirements." Included in these
requirements are twelve credits of a
foreign language, three more credits of
arts, three more credits of humanities,
three more credits social/behavior
classes, as well as three credits of a
course about other cultures. For those of
you scoring at home, that's seventy
credits, or approximately five semesters
thus far, and before we can finally start
taking the final forty-five credits which
are "Requirements for the major."
Dqn't get me wrong, I do understand
the need for courses such as these; they
broaden the mind by introducing
students to fields and cultures that they
may have never been exposed to before.
But there's definitely some room for
down-sizing in the current curriculum.
I think a curriculum that combines a
traditional four-year college program,
and a sixteen month program from a
technical institute would be perfect. In
these technical schools, students are
taught only what they need to know to
perform the occupation they attend the
SI - UDEN "r 5.
to throw around "the n-word" or other
blatant racial insults.
Kurtz concludes his news-pages
"editorial" against me with the assertion
that "Folks who don't like Limbaugh or
Stern, who has been relentlessly penalized
by the Federal Communications
Commission, have a clear option: Turn
them off."
Just turn them off?
When the Nazis wer suffocating Jews in
"satire", leaders in the Vatican just "tuned
out." Government leaders in Great Britian
and the United States just tuned them off,
pretending not to hear anything about
what Hitler's killers planned to do, or
later, to know anything about the ghastly
murders they were committing.
Kurtz writes that my hook "misses the
point of what (Limbaugh and Stern) do
and why millions of loyal fans tune in
each day." I write so critically of them
because I know precisely what they do.
And I have written about "The Coming
Race War..." because I am disturbed tho'
their sick hatemongering has "millions 0:
loyal fans."
school for, and very little else.
Technical school graduates, in turn,
leave school after sixteen to eighteen
months and enter the workforce. Sure
they might not know much about the
music of the Baroque period, but they
do have good jobs, which a lot of
University students don't have. They
also spend much less money on their
education than the average college
student does.
My suggestion is this: cut the general
education requirements in half, leaving
only twenty-three credits of non credit
classes, which takes up less than two
semesters. Also eliminate some of the
"college degree requirements", so
students will he able to jump directly
into, and stayed focused on their major.
I believe this will boost graduation rates.
If students only have to attend school for
three years, instead of four or five, that's
less money they have to spend (or
borrow from Uncle Sam). Also, if at
least the majority of classes you must
take have something to do with your
desired major, better grades will he
obtained because you can picture what
you're learning being applied to your
future employment.
There's a vote being called from theb
Faculty Senate concerning the cutting
or reshaping of the current curriculum. I
urge those responsible for this vote to
put any and all egos aside, and vote for
these cuts. In the long run, it will
benefit the students, who are the most
important part of a college campus.
The Behrend College
Collegian
published weekly by the students of
Penn State Erie The Behrend Colle • e
Editors in Chief
Jennifer V. Colvin
Danielle M. Murphy
Business Manager
Carley Gwin
News Editors
Doreen Foutz
Sara Prosser
Sports Editors
Brian Gregory
Matt Plizga
Entertainment Editor
Sheila Bickel
Tim Holsopple, Assistant
Photography Editor
Colleen Gritzen
Opinion Editor
Colleen Fromknecht
John Amorose, Assistant
Advertising Manger
Tom Keefe
Office Manager
Crystal Dehart
Advisors
Dr. Ursula Davis
Dr. Rob Speel
Postal Information,: The Collegian is
published weekly by the students of Penn State
Erie, The Behrend College; First Floor, The J.
Elmer Reed Union Building, Station Road, Erie,
PA 16563. The Collegian can be reached by
calling (814) 898.6488 or (814) 898-6019 (fax).
ISSN 1071-9288
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