The Behrend College collegian. (Erie, Pa.) 1993-1998, March 20, 1997, Image 1

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Erie PA 16563 Volume XLV, No. 18
Thursday, March 20, 1997
Famine raises hunger awareness
30 Hour Famine
participation doubles
by Danielle M. Murphy
Editor in Chief
Every night, millions of children
go to bed hungry; their gnawing
bellies reminders of the poverty that
surrounds them.
For these children, famine is not
a choice. But for 43 Behrend
students, it was.
In efforts to increase awareness
of world hunger and raise funds for
combating famine, students
participated in the 30 flour Famine.
The event, held Feb. 28 and
March 1, was in conjunction with
international efforts lead by World
Vision, a Christian relief and
This is a great way for all of us to
do something about the problem
of hunger around the world.
development organization.
The second 30 Hour Famine at
Behrend, participation nearly
doubled that of last year. This was
due in part to the co-sponsorship by
three student groups--the Newman
Association, the Knights of
Columbus and the Intervarsity
Christian Fellowship.
According to Michelle Kladny,
(06 History) vice-president of the
Newman Association, nearly
$2,000 was raised. Last year,
students raised $1,500.
"This is a great way for all of us
to actually do something about the
By DARREN ROBERTSON
Collegian Staff Writer
University Park. PA
A University student has created a
stir on the floor of the state
legislature over a piece of artwork
that hangs in the University's
Zoller Gallery. At least one state
representative has threatened to
withhold the University's $2Bl
million state subsidy if the artwork
remains on display.
AChristine Enedy (senior-visual
arts) has found herself in the center
of controversy once again, as
complaints arise about her project
featured in a student exposition.
The artwork in question, entitled 25
Years of Virginity: A Self Portrait,
is a quilt covered with 25 pairs of
women's underwear, each with a
cross stitched onto the crotch.
Enedy is familiar with
controversy - she removed a
sculpture from an outdoor display
earlier this semester when a campus
priest received complaints that the
sculpture was anti-Catholic. That
sculpture was described as a grotto
with a statue of the Virgin Mary
emerging from a bloody vagina.
State Rep. John Lawless, R-
Montgomery, demanded yesterday
something be done about the
display. State Rep. Lynn Herman,
R-Centre, responded to Lawless,
saying the University was changing
its policy regarding student art
display. Herman also said he was
told the art would be removed in the
near future.
The exposition was scheduled to
end Saturday and University
officials gave no indications the
artwork was going to be removed
ahead of schedule.
The policy on student art has
problem of hunger around the
world," said Kladny. "Sometimes
when we see people starving, we
feel there's nothing we can do, but
this is a way that we really can
make a difference in people's lives."
During the fast, students
participated in a variety of service
projects. Students volunteered at
Health South Great Lakes,
Health South LEIR, Shriner's
Children Hospital, the Mercy
Center for Women and the Penn
State - BehrendChild Care Center.
Other activities included a
scavenger hunt and a role-playing
"game." Students were grouped
--Michelle Kladny
into countries and given a scenario.
In one scenario, as head of the
family, the students had to decided
to either remain in the village or
move into town for work.
Deciding to move, the students
were faced with living in a poverty
stricken "tent city." The children arc
then forced to scavenge for metal
(to exchange for food), until one is
struck blind at the age of five and
becomes a panhandler. The "game"
turned out out to be reality, with
the child benefiting from World
Vision.
To raise money, participants
Anything
been slightly amended recently,
Sallie McCorkle, associate
professor of art, said. She said the
new language was only an attempt
to foster discussion on sensitive
issues, and was not meant to censor
students in any way.
The new paragraph added to the
School of Visual Art's guidelines
encourages students and faculty to
be aware of cultural differences
when displaying art outside of the
classroom, McCorkle said.
Herman had not seen the artwork,
he said, but he had seen pictures of
it on television and in the Centre
Photo cowboy David S. Spat he Digital Collegian
This quilt, titled 25 Years of Vhglnky: A Self-Portrait, hangs in Zoller Gallery at
Penn State, University Park, PA. Representative John Lawless, who
d - oves of the art, threatened to withhold University funding ff the quilt
Entertaining: The children at Shriner's Hospital in Erie were entertained by participants in the 30 Hour Famine. Justin Crawne, IVCF member, helped
make buttons and doctor bags for the Children and Healthcare Week. Volunteers also played games with the children.
recruited sponsors and donors
According to Sandra Honick,
graduate intern for Campus
Ministry, the money is dispersed to
World Vision's six targeted
countries. The United States is
among those countries targeted for
hunger-related needs and illness,
medical treatment and education.
Of the money raised, nearly 75
percent goes directly to feed - the
hungry. Through World Vision,
every 50 cents raised could feed a
"I thought it was terribly
offensive and it does not fit mine or
the public's description of artwork,"
Herman said.
During appropriations hearings
last month before the state
legislature, University President
Graham Spanier was repeatedly
questioned about the issue by
Lawless. Lawless demanded the
artwork be removed, threatening the
University's vital $2Bl million
state appropriation if the art was
not taken down.
Spanier said the University does
not condone censorship, and the art
child for one day.
Participating in the famine
proved a worthwhile learning
experience for some.
"It's a time that we get to step
out of our culture and society and
sec things that we take for granted,"
said Richard Holleman, (07 EE)
IVCF president.
"It wasn't as bad as I thought it
would be, the hunger wasn't
unbearable" said Heather Lippencott
(08 B 10), "I learned about starving
but brief
Spanier was disappointed that
Lawless detracted from the real
issues at an appropriations hearing,
said Steve MacCarthy, executive
director of University relations.
"It's an unfortunate distraction
from the real issues," MacCarthy
said. "A serious question is why
Penn State tuition has to be what it
is. That is because the level of
funding is so low. That's an issue
to be concerned about, not whether
Visual Perception to be discussed
BEHREND: The Division of
Humanities and Social
Sciences at Penn State Erie,
The Behrend College, will
present "A Citizen's Guide to
Visual Perception" on
Thursday, March 20, at 7 p.m.
in the lecture hall of the Reed
Union Building.
Speaker for the evening will
be Dr. Stuart Ewen, professor
of media studies and chair of
the Department of
Communication at Hunter
College, City University of
New York.
Ewen has published widely
on mass media and consumer
society, advertising, and the
shaping of American
consciousness.
His 1988 book, All Consuming
Images: The Politics of Style in
'3ontemporaty Culture, provided
the foundation for Bill Moyers'
4-part Peabody and NEA award
winning series, "The Public
Mind: Image and Reality in
America."
people in the United States, it
heightened our awareness about
how bad it really is. Your really
can make a difference."
"It was a great experience," said
Michelle Grucndl BIO). "I
realized that my hunger wasn't as
important."
"I think it's important that we
remember that there arc people less
fortunate than us," said Dan Murray
(07 BIO), who sponsored
Lippeneott. "They were poor for
a student is making a statement
with a piece of artwork."
University administrators do not
seem overly concerned about
Lawless' threats, however.
"There is always the hope that
there are enough level-headed people
in the capital to not let someone
with an extreme agenda sideline the
real issues," MacCarthy said. The
University felt it was important not
to give in to this attempt at
Ewen's recent presentations
include "Photojournalism and
the Eloquence of Images" at the
Museum of Modern Art in New
York City.
He is the author of numerous
articles and is currently at work
on a book entitled Consuming
Culture: Mass Media and
in a service on Sunday, April 13, 1997
2:00 p.m.
Reed Union Building Commons
Following the service, the family will greet
students, colleagues, and friends
30 hours, 1 think it represents how
fortunate we are in the United
States compared to others."
The 30 Hour Famine will return
to Bchrend next year, possibly
involving more students.
"We'd like it to become a larger
Berhend event, sponsored by
Campus Ministry," said Honick.
Kladny agreed, "We're hoping to
make it a campus-wide event."
"I definitely urge people to do it,"
said Jen Sloka (02 DUS).
censorship, he said.
"The University believes very
much in the absolute right to
freedom of expression," MacCarthy
said. "At the same time, we want a
tolerant campus, and students
tolerant toward other views.
However, the expression of ideas on
a university campus is a very
important tenet."
Courtesy The Digital Collegian located at
http://www.collegian.psu.edu
Copyright 0 /997. Collegian Inc
Consumer Society, A
Documentary History, to be
published by Westview Press.
Ewen's presentation is free and
open to the public.
For more information, please
contact the Penn State-Behrend
Division of Humanities and
Social Sciences at 898-6108.
Penn State Erie
The Behrend College
will celebrate the life
of longtime Athletics Director
Herb Lauffer
1941-1997