The Behrend College
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Thursday, February 19, 1998
INSIDE...
News
Progress made in 50th Anni
versary plans ...page 2
Police and Safety
Suspicious people in S-lot
Editorial
Support for increase of Student
Activity Fee ..page 4
Calendar
This weekend's movie: Seven
page 5
Campus News
Years in Tibet
Defective condoms at Univer-
sity of Illinios
World & Nation
Frozen embryos brought to life
...page 8
Features
Video review: The Shining
...page 9
Sports
Men's basketball splits two
...page 1 1
NSBE's "Night of
Style" this Thursday
by lit Cban Kang
staff writer
February 19 for NSBE (National
Society of Black Engineers) is go
ing to be a big day. It is the first time
that any organization at Behrend has
organized a formal fashion show.
They call it "A Night of Style." Be
ginning in October of 1997, mem-
photo Courtesy of NSBE
Erika Forde and Channasa Taylor, freshmen members of the
National Society of Black Engineers, are co-chairing "A Night
of Style" along with freshman Tammy Freeman.
Final activity fee
decisions made
The Student Activity Fee Allocation
Committee concluded its work creat
ing a budget for next year's student
activity fee money at last Thursday's
final meeting.
The major focus of this year's com
mittee was to provide activities for
both resident and commuter students
so they can see where their money is
going. This was accomplished by in
creased funding for bands, including
a plan for bringing in one big, well
known band. In addition, money was
allocated for improvements in the
back room, upgrading movie equip
ment, formal dances, mocktails in
Bruno's and tailgate parties in
Bruno's, Erie Hall and residence halls
for sporting events.
At the final meeting, the commit
tee, which is made up of seven stu
dents and three faculty members, had
to reduce the preliminary budget from
$189,228 to $158,550. Each commit
tee member had suggestions to change
the budget appropriately. Each sug
gestion for how to reduce the budget
brought a downside. There was a sug
gestion to cut the funding that Student
Government Association (SGA) re
ceives to allocate to clubs and orga
nization. Michael Zampetti, SGA
president and committee member,
emphasized the importance of stay
ing at at least $50,000, which is what
was allocated last year. He stated that
page 3
page 7
hers of NSBE such as Erica Forde,
02 psychology, Channasa Taylor, 02
Marketing &International business,
and Tammy Freeman, 02 Finance
&International business, have
worked hard to organize a fashion
show within our campus, and their
plans are about to become reality on
February 19th at 7:30 p.m. in the
by Anne Rajotte
managing editor
there are four new organizations on
campus this year and that it is already,
"very difficult to allocate money for
clubs."
A major point of conflict was the
funding of books and videos for the
Multi-Cultural Resource Center
(MCC). MCC originally requested
$BOO for this purpose. Chris Rizzo,
Director of Student Activities, pointed
out that SGA allocates $lO,OOO in di
versity funding each year. Charles
Testrake stated, "I don't think we
should keep something just because
it is a diversity program." The issue
was resolved by cutting the request
in half to $4OO.
Another point of discussion was
ballroom dancing lessons for students,
faculty, staff and possibly community
members. Julie Cain, a committe e
member, was the strongest advocate
of this program. This funding was
eventually cut, with the recommen
dation that ballroom dancing be of
fered as an ESACT course in the fu
ture. Cain argued that offering ball
room dancing as a class would limit
the opportunity to a small number of
people.
After debating each item and cut
ting something from nearly all of
them, the committee eventually
brought the figure down to the goal
of $158,550. Many suggestions that
the committee members supported
had to he cut, but as Cain stated, "We
can't do everything in one year."
Reed Commons with support from
another student organization, ASO
(Asian Student Organization). These
three freshmen are co-directors of the
upcoming event.
NSBE's initial purpose to organize
the fashion show on campus was for
fundraising. As time progressed,
they have realized that their initial
purpose has taken a different route
in bringing benefits to Behrend and
institutions around us.
In the beginning, they literally had
to run from one place to the other in
It will be travesty on the
part of our faculty, staff,
and students if they did
not come and support us.
It shows Behrend's pride
and spirit."
Co-chairs of the NSBE Fashion show
order to find sponsors who would be
interested in the event. Since the
budget was limited and the cost for
the event was higher than they had
expected, they had to find as many
sponsors as possible. They went to
stores around Erie with formal let
ters explaining their intent. After the
search process, they managed to find
several sponsors such as Burlington
Coat Factory, J. Riggins, 5-7-9, The
Gap, Hammond's Clothing Store,
The Limited, Bridal Elegance, and
the Behrend bookstore. These spon
sors are the primary providers for the
clothes that will be used in the show.
To make the show more interesting,
three co-directors created 6 different
scenes to the show, which are disco,
business, casual, sports, formal, and
wedding scenes.
All of the models who will be
walking on the stage are volunteer
Erie, PA 16563 Published weekly by the students of Penn State Erie, The Behrend College
Reed commons to
close in April
1 i,,
Reed Union Commons: Students will not have the use of this space to study for final exams
by Anne Rajotte
managing editor
Students returning to Behrend next
year will be greeted with a newly
renovated Reed Commons. The work
will begin in March, and the Com
mons will be closed from April 1 to
the end of the semester.
Penn State's Board of Trustees will
be meeting at Behrend in June. Ac
cording to Chris Reber, Dean of Stu
dent Affairs, this meeting provided the
opportunity to make changes that
have been needed for some time. The
renovated Commons will have a new
sound system specifically designed
students from our campus. There are
not only members from NSBE, but
there are also students who are
highly interested in the event. This
spectacular event is not only orga
nized by the student body such as
NSBE, but also by several adminis
trators, such as Chris Rizzo, Direc
tor of Student Activities, Kris Motta,
Assistant Director of Student Activi
ties, and Anne-Marie Welsh, Direc
tor of Public Relations and Publica
tions. Welsh has organized the pub
licity not only to the people in the
campus community but also to the
local people in Erie by providing
publicity to local radio stations, and
newspaper press releases on last
Monday, the 16th. The day before
the fashion show there was more
publicity that was shown on local
TV stations along with the halftime
segment of a basketball game.
There will be a lot of things going
on at "A Night of Style". There will
be refreshments and a buffet dinner
served after the show, catered by the
Penn State-Behrend Housing and
Food Services, which will be fol
lowed by prizes (including gift cer
tificates) which were donated by
various local restaurants. For all
these services and entertainment,
NBSE is only charging for $9.00 for
a ticket at the door and $7.00 if you
purchase it in an advance.
The student directors' goal for the
future is to make this show an an
nual event if possible They urge all
the students to come and attend "A
Night of Style" which will bring lev
els of full entertainment. They also
strongly state, "It will be travesty on
the part of our faculty, staff, and stu
dents if they did not come and sup
port us. It shows Behrend's pride
and spirit."
for the acoustics of that room, new
lighting and a catering area. The Com
mons will also be improved aestheti
cally by a new floor and repainting.
The lighting will be improved and
have lighting zones and more capa
bilities, such as the ability to accom
modate equipment for a band.
Chris Rizzo. Director of Student
Activities, said the feel of the room,
"will be much more warm and invit
ing." He went on to say, "I hope the
students will use the space even
more." It is also hoped that the stu
dents will use it more for informal
activities, such as studying.
The downside of the renovation is
Students voice opinions
on visitor parking
by Damion Miller
staff writer
"Hey!, that's my car," is a com
mon exclamation heard in the park
ing lots around Behrend when people
arrive to the sight of their car being
ticketed or even towed. Many cam
pus residents know someone who has
been a victim of a ticket or a car tow
ing. The students who live on cam
pus often find themselves wonder
ing why
Bill Donahue, the head of campus
police and safety, explained why in
dividuals find themselves in bad situ
ations due to parking. Donahue
pointed out that the regulations for
parking were already in a pamphlet
that is handed out to students that get
parking permits. Gabby Carroll ,02
Kinesiology, doesn't know about this
pamphlet because she doesn't have a
car, like many other students that have
visitors. They don't drive but they
have guests who are subject to the
Penn State parking regulations.
Donahue made it clear that the signs
are there for that purpose, so that those
who don't know will know where to
park. Visitors must get parking per
mits from police and safety before try
ing to park their vehicle on campus.
Melinda Fernandez ,02 Psychology,
stated, "I didn't even know that there
were different ones, my friend got a
ticket for having the wrong permit, I
got a temporary instead of a visitor."
Carroll has witnessed her friend's car
just about to be towed because it
didn't have a permit. Fernandez says,
"The signs don't even make sense."
Her friend parked in the Reed lot
thinking that it was possible because
the sign says no student parking he-
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photo by Jason
the fact that the Commons will he
closed from April until the comple
tion date which is June 27, in time for
the Board of Trustees meeting. There
are regular activities held in the Com
mons, such as the Catholic Mass on
Sunday night. Rizzo has attempted to
let people know about the closing so
events can he scheduled around it. So
far, there have been no complaints and
no rescheduling problems.
Rcher commented that the minor
disruption this year will he made up
for by benefits of the renovation in
the long run. Rizzo stated that when
completed, the Commons will he "a
top notch programming area.-
tween certain hours. Her friend was
a visitor, without a permit, who
thought that visitors were exempt
from this rule. A ticket was issued to
that individual.
Where should our guests park?
Donahue stated that with the appro
priate permit, visitors are allowed to
park in the Reed lot (for overnight
guests) after hours, the Dobbins lot
(for temporary guests) after hours and
other places around campus that don't
have signs prohibiting visitor parking.
Donahue wanted everyone to under
stand that the signs are as helpful as
they possibly can be and even if a visi
tor parked somewhere after it was pro
hibited a little leeway is given.
Donahue stated, "We don't want to
see people towed. We don't wait un
til the exact time to go give the cars
tickets and have them towed, none of
the cars towed have the time in which
parking is prohibited as the time of
the ticket. The time that they are
towed is usually up to an hour after
the prohibited time, to give people a
ehance'to move their vehicles."
It is also possible to prevent a car
from being towed if visitors reach
their car before the tow company
leaves their base. Police and Safety
can stop them, hut if they are already
halfway, individuals are on their own.
Fines for parking are a $42.50 cita
tion and a $45.00 towing charge .
Lisa Delfinger, 04 DUS, a Lom
muter, stated, "I don't think it's right
for visitors to have to get parking per
mits. The easier we are on visitors
the more it will help us look more re
laxed and it might entice people to
come here "Another commuter, Kelly
Parkin . continued tpe 2
LVI. No. 18
Jai