" m ikn x Theßehrend penn ...A Beacon M Ei PA 16563 August 20, 1999 Volume XLVIII No. 1 Orientation ‘99 “Putting the Pieces Together to Build a Great Future ” by Jason Snyder editor-in-chief Orientation '99 will open its activi ties for Behrend's soon to be first freshman class of the new millennium on Saturday, August 21. New Student Orientation Directors, Mr. Terry Brand and Ms. Jessica Manno, along with Ms. Kristina Motta, Assistant Director of Student Activities, have put together a staff of 62 Behrend students to plan and organize this year's activities. This year’s New Students Orienta tion Committee’s goal for Orientation ‘99 is to guide the new faces in the Behrend community in "Putting the Pieces Together to Build a Great Fu- Dr. Porac to head Humanities and Social Sciences by Mike Frawley assistant editor The School of Humanities and Social Sciences had to run all of last year without a permanent director, but after an exhausting search, a new director has finally been chosen. The new director will be 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 the interviewing, many very qualified applicants of 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 of Political Science and International Law; Dr. Diana Hume George, Chair of the Search Committee and Professor of English andVomen’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 Troester, Associate Professor of Speech Communication; apd Dr. Kathryn Wolfe, Associate Prfofessor 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 s'* / <o^ Activities have been planned for the entire week, dating to Sunday, August 29. However the heart of Orientation is scheduled for this weekend. Eight activities have been required to attend for all incoming freshmen, beginning with the Academic Convocation on the Reed Union Building Front Lawn at 3:00 p.m. on Saturday. The Commuter / Returning Adult Student Reception will take place at Bruno’s at 5:00, followed by the Resi dence Hall Floor Meetings at 6:30 in the student's resident hall. Playfair will cap off the activities for Saturday, giv ing the students an opportunity to meet new friends and enjoy the entertain ment in Erie Hall. Playfair will run Dr. Clare Porac, incoming director of Humanities and Social Sciences been a professor at the University of Victoria for 24 years, and has served in numerous administrative positions in her time at the university. She currently is serving as the President of the University of Victoria Faculty Association and in the past, has served as Vice-President of the association and as a University Senator for the Arts and Sciences. She is very well published, co-authoring five books and writing over 80 journal articles in her field of study. Dr. Porac will be taking over the Humanities and Social Sciences Fresh meat for the grinder: Warning for freshmen ■MM from 8:30-9:30 and will be followed by a showing of Ed TV on the Reed Patio. Sunday will feature activities that will enlighten students on the college experience. The Reed Union Build ing Commons will hold College Life at 9:00 a.m. Small Group Meetings and College Representative Meet ings will take place at 10:30 and 1:00, respectively. Other highly recommended activi ties will take place on Monday. Ms. Sue Daley will give students tips and strategies on how to handle the prob lems that exist in college life. The presentation will begin at 10:00, en titled, "Your Nine Lives at Behrend.” "Behrendpaloo/a” w ill cap off the into 2000 Division Head position that was left vacant when Dr. Roberta Salper stepped down last year. Dr. Dean Baldwin has been acting division head since Dr. Salper left, and he has been recognized by both students and faculty for having done a great job in the interim. While many students do not understand what the director of the school in which they are enrolled does, it is a very important position. In an interview with Dr. Baldwin, he explained what the director’s resposiblities are. The director deals with personnel matters Looking back 1998- to Behrend’s activities prior to the first day of classes. Music will play, food will be served and comedy will be offered. All activities for “Behrendpalooza” will take place at the Ski Slope be hind the Otto Behrend Science Build ing. Dinner will be served from 5:30- 7:30. Comedian A 1 Ducharme will take the stage at 7:00 and will be fol lowed by the music of Sho ‘Nuff as a capper to the evening. The rest of the week will scatter many opportunities for the new stu dents to learn more about the cam pus and around it. The schedule for the week can be found in the Orien tation ‘99 booklet. for their division. The matters include the hiring of new faculty members, overseeing the performance of 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 does a lot for students that they do not realize that' they do. Students who want a course substitution in their major, approval of an independent study, of declaring a dual major must talk with the director of their school. Also, students wanting to comment on the performance of one of 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 open houses and sponsoring events, such as the Humanities and Social Sciences Pizza Party held in April in Lawrence Hall. Also the director usually teaches one course in their Field per semester. The Division of Humanities and Social Sciences is very large. It 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, which varies by semester. Dr. Porac began her new position this past summer where she had a great many things to do to prepare for the upcoming school year. 50th The Beacon to feature new look under new leadership Will Jordan congratulates new editor-in-chief Jason Snyder by Will Jordan former editor-in-chief Once again, the leadership of the Beacon will be changing hands for the Fall semester. Many other editorial stall'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 se mesters. is looking forward to being editor in chief. "1 hope to continue in the path that Will Jordan started. 1 am looking forward to working with a larger staff and many new laces. 1 am confident that the people who will be returning will set an example for incoming editors. I hope to continue putting out a quality paper that the students can be proud of." stated Snyder. Several editors will he leaving the Beacon alter this semester. Will Jor dan will he transferring to the Uni versity Park campus in the fall to fur ther his education in the College of Communications. Ayodele Jones, the managing editor and office manager, will he stepping down to focus on graduating next semester. Jon Siuhhs, the features editor, will he transfer ring down to University Park as well. Other editors that will he leaving are editorial page editor, Natalie Gagliano. business manager, Jaime D;i~ ivis, and copy editor, Rose Forrest. Mike Frawley, former assistant edi- The NEW Behrend September 3 sport recap ' . <. tor, will become the new managing editor of the Beacon. "1 am looking forward to working with Jason next semester, but 1 will still miss all the outgoing editors and wish them the best of luck. " Also returning is news editor Sh annon Weber, Katie Galley who will be taking over as editorial page edi tor, advertising managers Brin Edinger and Carey Smith, Angela Rush who will become the new wire service editor, and associate editor Jessica Tucci. Shannon Weber, returning news editor slated, "I am looking forward to the Fall of 1999 and working with the returning editors. I am also look ing forward to working with the new stall members." There will be several new editors joining the staff next semester. Be ginning next semester the Beacon will be involved in the new Fresh men Seminar Program, '[his pro gram will introduce first year stu dents to the experience of working on a college newspaper. New stu dents will have the opportunity to learn about Behrend as they contrib ute articles to the Beacon. "With the freshmen seminar, we will be able to reach more areas of the Behrend community, something that was unavailable to the Beacon in the past." Snyder added. "Will and Ayodele set a strong foundation for the Beacon and I will follow their example when I become editor in chief," said Snyder. Beacon
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