Beacon
H & SS names new director
by Mike Frawley
assistant editor
The School of Humanities and
Social Sciences has run this entire
year without a permanent director, but
after an exhausting search new
director has finally been chosen. The
new director is Dr. Clare Porac, a
native of Pittsburgh and a Professor
of Psychology at Victoria University.
She was chosen by the Search
Committee after a long and
exhausting process. After
interviewing many very qualified
applicants the Search Committee
deemed Dr. Porac to be the most
qualified for the position. The Search
Committee consisted of Dr. Dawn
Blasko, Assistant Professor of
Psychology; Dr. Sharon Dale,
Associate Professor of Art History;
Dr. John Gamble, Professor ol
Political Science and International
Law; Dr. Diana Hume George. Chair
of the Search Committee and
Professor of English and Women’s
Studies; Dr. Ann Pancake. Assistant
Professor of Creative Writing and
Literature; Dr. John Rossi. Associate
Professor of History; Mr. Brian
Streeter, Athletics Director; Dr. Rod
Troesler, Associate Professor of
Speech Communication; and Dr.
Kathryn Wolfe, Associate Prolessor
of French, chose the best applicant for
the position.
Dr. Porac currently is Professor of
Psychology at the University of
Victoria. The University of Victoria
is located in Victoria, British
Columbia, Canada. She was born in
Pittsburgh, which gives her ties to the
local area to compliment her
qualifications. She received her B.A.
from Duquesne University in
Sociology, and received her Ph.D. in
Psychology from the Graduate
Faculty of the New School for Social
Research in New York City. She has
Hepatitis shots available to
Behrend students
by Jennifer Heinme
staff writer
Behrend’s Health and Wellness
Center is offering the Hepatitis B vac
cine to all students. Hepatitis B is an
inflammation of the liver. It is caused
by the hepatitis B virus and is consid
ered a sexually transmitted disease
(STD). There is no known cure for the
disease and it is 100 times more con
tagious than HIV.
Hepatitis B can be transmitted
through body fluids like semen and
blood, and also through toothbrushes
and razors. Some of the symptoms of
Hepatitis B are: jaundice (yellowing
of skin and eyes), pain in the right side
of the abdomen (where the liver is lo
cated), dark urine, long-term and per
sistent fatigue, and also flu-like symp
toms (nausea, vomiting, fever, and ap
petite loss).
College-age students are at the
highest risk for all STDs, including
Hepatitis B, and Behrend students are
no exception. Patty Pasky-McMahon,
director of the Health and Wellness
The Behrend
Eric, PA 16563
Dr. Clare Porac, incoming director of Humanities and Social Sciences
been a at the University ol
Victoria for 24 years, and has saved
in numerous administrative position'' in
her time at the university. She currently
is serving as the President ol the
University ol Victoria Faculty
Association, and in the past lias served
as Vice-President of the association and
as a Univ ersity Senator lor the Arts and
Sciences. She is very well published,
having co-authored live books and
written over HO journal articles in her
field of study.
Dr. Porac will be taking over the
Humanities and Social Sciences
Center says "When studies have been
done that look at the sexual behavior
of students here at Behrend, compar
ing them to students at other college
campuses, we were no different. We
were not better; we were not worse.
So they [Behrend students] are as
much at risk, nationally, as other col
lege students are.”
Pasky-McMahon advises students
to use the same preventative measures
for Hepatitis B as those used to pre
vent HIV infection, namely that stu
dents should use protection (condoms,
dental dams) during sexual activity
and that they should not share needles,
razors, or toothbrushes. She says, "I
always tell people that in all personal
care items remember the word “per
sonal”-it’s for yourself- because that
is the safest thing for you and for oth-
The Hepatitis B vaccine is $40.00
an injection at the Health and
Wellness Center. The treatment con
sists of three shots given over a pe
riod of six months and it lasts at least
ten years.
Open bottle
of Ice
ill
Director position that was left vacant
when Dr. Roberta Salper stepped
down lasi year. Dr. Dean Baldwin
has been acting division head since
Dr. Salper left, and he has been
recognized by both students and
facultv as hav mg done a great job in
the interim
While many students do not
understand what the director ol the
school in which they are enrolled
docs, it is a very important position.
In an interview with Dr. Baldwin, he
explained what the director’s
resposiblities are. The director deals
New Editor-in-Chief takes over Beacon
hv Will Jordan
editor-in-chief
Once again, the reins of leadership
of the Beacon will be changing hands
for the Fall semester. Many other
editorial staff positions will be
changing hands as well.
Jason Snyder, a second semester
Communications major, will become
the new editor-in-chief in August.
Snyder, who has been the sports edi
tor of the Beacon for the past two
semesters, is looking forward to be
ing editor-in-chief. “I hope to con
tinue in the path that Will Jordan
started. 1 am looking forward to
working with a larger staff and many
new faces. I am confident that the
people who will be returning will set
an example for incoming editors. I
hope to continue putting out a qual
ity paper that the students can be
proud of,” stated Snyder.
Several editors will be leaving the
House
April 29, 1999 Volume XLVII No. 29
Star Wars Trivia
with personnel matters lor their
division. These matters include the
hiring of new faculty members,
overseeing the performance ol the
faculty, handling whatever problems
the faculty has, and helping with
promotion and tenure of faculty
members. The director also deals
with curriculum development by
working with the department heads
on revising and updating the
curriculum.
The director also can do a lot tor
students. Students who want a course
substitution in their major, approval
of an independent study, or to declare
a dual major must talk with the
director of their school. Also students
wanting to comment on the
performance of one ol their
professors should talk to the director
of the school. Recruiting and
retention of students for the school is
also part of the director's duties. This
involves talking to students at ('pen
houses and sponsoring events, such
as the Humanities and Social
Sciences Pizza Parly held last month
in Lawrence Hall. Finally, the
director usually teaches one course
in their field per semester.
The Division of Humanities and
Six'ial Sciences consists of six majors
: Communication, English, general
Arts and Sciences, History, Political
Science, and Psychology. It also has
two specialized minors: Gender
Studies and International Studies, and
an Elementary and Secondary
Education co-op program with
Mercyhurst College. The division
has 50 full time and approximately
30 part time faculty, varying by
semester.
Dr. Porac will begin her new
position this summer, and will have
a great many things to do to prepare
for the upcoming school year.
Beacon after this semester. Will Jor
dan will be transferring to the Uni
versity Park
campus in
the fall to
further his
education in
the College
of Commu-
nications.
Ayod e 1 e
Jones, the
managing
editor and
office man
ager, will be
stepping
down to fo
on
graduating
next semes-
ter. Jon
Stubbs, the
features edi
tor, will be
Former editor in chief Will Jordan congradulates new ei
Jason Snyder
transferring down to University Park
PF.NN
Two Behrend seniors win
Oswald and Hetzel awards
bv Shannon Weber
news editor
Two of the most prestigious senior
awards in the Penn State system were
recently won by two of Behrend’s
seniors, Kristi McKim, 08 Eng. and
Gretchen Kline-deHart, 08 Psych. At
a recent awards ceremonies held at
University Park, the John W. Oswald
Award was presented to McKim, and
the recipient of the Ralph Dorn Hetzel
Memorial Award was Kline-deHart.
The John W. Oswald Award is given
in the honor of John W. Oswald, the
thirteenth president of Penn Slate. It
is awarded to a graduating senior who
has excelled in at least one ('I the fol
lowing areas: scholarship, athletics,
social service, religious activity, stu-
dent government, and communica
tion. The Ralph Dorn Hetzel Award
honors another former president of
Penn State. The Hetzel Award is
granted to an undergraduate who has
illustrated qualities such as leadership
during lus or her college career and
gives the promise of public-spirited
achievement in the future. 1 his is the
second year in a row that Behrend has
Look on page 9 for the
results of the pizza taste
testing contest to
who has the best pizza
transferring down to University Park
as well. Other editors that will be
Softbal
wins
AMCC
<9^
in Erie!!!
had students receive two of the seven
University-wide awards given to se-
Kristi MeKim is an English major
from New Castle and received her
award for participation in journalism,
speech and the mass media. She is
eo-editor in chief of Behrend’s jour
nal of literature and the arts, Tempus.
MeKim is also a writing tutor in the
Learning Resource Center.
In addition to being a student,
Gretchen Kline-deHart is also a reg
istered nurse and has served as a
teaching assistant in her major. Psy
chology. She has also served as a
teaching assistant in German and
women's studies. Kline-deHart is a
Lion Ambassador. She has been in
strumental in serving the College
through her membership.on the Stu
dent Activity Fee Committee, the
Curricular Affairs Committee of the
Faculty Senate, and the Strategic
Planning Committee. When asked
how she felt about being the recipi
ent of the Het/.el Award, she stated.
"1 feel honored to be recognized out
of the whole graduating class of Penn
Stale."
see
leaving are editorial page editor,
Natalie Gagliano, business manager,
Jaime Davis,
litor in cl
photo by Mike Frawlev
editor cont. pg. 2
and copy editor,
Rose Forrest.
Mike
Frawley, current
assistant editor,
will become the
new managing
editor of the
Beacon. ‘‘l am
looking forward
to working with
Jason next se-
mester, but 1
will still miss all
the outgoing
editors and wish
them the best of
luck. ”
Also re-
turning is news
editor Shannon