OCTOBER 29, 1999, THE BEHREND BEACON, PAGE 3
NEWS
Behrend adds Finance major
by Angela Rush
Starr writer
Recently, Behrend added Fi mince
to its roster of majors. Approved in
September of 1999, it ‘,t, as added be
cause Behrend is known for their
business as well as being an engineer
ing school, and commonly every
business school has a finance major.
The finance major provides students
with a firm foundation in the prin
ciples of finance and its major areas:
financial management, investments,
and financial markets. The
coursework is designed to lead the
student into a professional certifica
tion in financial analysis.
The unique part of this major is that
it is designed to prepare you for level
one of the Chartered Financial Ana
lysts Exam also known as the CFA
exam. The CFA Program is a glo
bally recognized standard for mea
suring the competence and integrity
of financial analysts. Its curriculum
develops and reinforces a fundamen
tal knowledge of investment prin
ciples. Three levels of examination
measure a candidate's ability to ap
ply these principles at a professional
lei el. The CFA exam is administered
annually in more than 70 nations
Behrend
opinions
by Juliana Harper
st,tll \\ rum
As presidential candidates attempt
to express their view s and gain popu
larity. people across America begin
to make choices about who should
become the next president. Local
elections ss ill also be occuring across
Penns) I s aria next Tuesday, although
most students scent unlikely to vote.
An informal survey of Behrend stu
dents shoes that 88 per cent of stu
dents are not registered to vote, and
only half of people not registered plan
to registei
Only one third of people surveyed
said that they were planning on vot
ing in the next election. "I feel that I
am not going to vote until I know a
lot about the candidates, so that I can
make a good decision in who I vote
for, - said Lacey McElwain, 01 Math
ematics.
H 8 percent of Behrend students sur
veyed said that they know a little
about the candidates. Besides news
programs, one way to learn more
worldwide. - www.aimnorg/knowl
edge/cfaprogram>http://
kV W w.aimr.org/knowledge/
cl aprogram
The program is divided into three
levels. You may only take one exam
each year. and you must pass it and
fulfill other requirements to receive
and have the right to use the CFA
charter. Each level time varies from
candidate to candidate based on the
familiarity of the material, but in gen
eral, each level requires about 250
hours of preparation. Level one of the
program includes multiple choice
and level two and three are essays.
This exam is only given once a year
in June. Behrend's major focuses on
preparing students for this exam
whereas main campus focuses on just
the major. Only 5-10% of those tak
ing the exam are students. The rest
are people working in the investment
industry.
Of everyone that takes the exam
only 61% pass it. If one passes, this
puts them above everyone else, be
cause they have more background
and the CFA Charter. Like almost all
other majors you cannot start classes
for your major until your junior year.
Career opportunities include a vari
ety of positions with mutual funds,
students voice
on voting
about the candidates is to check out
Project Vote Smart on the weh al
www.vote-smart.org. This \A chsile
lists all the candidates and also has a
list of issue statements for each can-
The U.S. Census Bureau reports
that 48.8 per cent of the 18-24 age
group was registered in 190 h. and
only 32.4 percent voted in the 19%
presidential election. The most com
mon reason that people did not vote
was because they were "to() busy...
Most students do agiee that voting
is an important responsibility. "Vot
ing should he taken seriously by any
one old enough to vote. It's one of
our rights as citizens of the United
States and should be taken seriously,..
said Erin Nichols, 01 Biology.
How then does a college student
register'? "Some kids register to vote
in Erie with their school addresses.
That is permissible, - said Sharon
Drayer, Election Supervisor for Erie
County. "But it would he better to
register at home and get an absentee
ballot to vote.'' There is also expected
brokerage firms, insurance compa
nies, banks, and corporate finance.
Along with the new classes that they
will he adding. Behrend is also look
ing for a potential professor to hire.
Tim Smaby, Associate professor of
Finance said, - It is a good major for
someone that is interested in the stock
market and Wall Street. I anticipate
that it will he popular. - Some of the
new courses are financial statement
analysis, introduction to investment,
problems in financial management,
investment analysis, and advanced fi
nancial analysis.
Finance has a minor that requires
you to take 18 credits. It offers you
an introduction to the principles of
finance. The minor would benefit
accounting and economic majors.
We all are aware that investing
online has become very popular in
the last couple years. It would he rea
sonable to assume that professional
brokers could become obsolete in the
near future, hut Smahy has every
confidence in Finance's fate, because
the way people trade may change hut
the necessity for people who under
stand the market will not. Stated
Smaby, "A person needs to take time
and have the knowledge and hack-
gri to give advice
to he an Internet voting system a‘
ail
ahle for the next election. for those
ho don't want to leap e their dorms.
For more information on Mk:Filet vot
log On to
winternet otinu.cont. There is
plenty of time to register to vote and
to examine the c a ndidates' views he-
fore its time to vote for a new presi
dent. - Every person can contribute
to the good of the country b) voting.'
said .len Miller. 01 Elementary Ed.
For more information about voting
and the registration process, call 451-
6276 for the Erie County Board of
Elections; or call 1-888-VOTE
SMART for information on candi
dates and elected officials, including
campaign finance data, issue stances
and vwing records. They will also
do specialized research to find out
what you want to know. Also. for
anyone interested in the plummeting
oting statistics of college age people,
try the essay contest "Why don't we
vote?" at www.ige.org/cvd/contest/
index.html and win up to $l,OOO.
The contest is for anyone under 25.
Hop aboard
the Blue Bus
by Rehab Elzeney
staff writer
Whether you badly need a tube
of toothpaste or have been dying to
see Stigmata, just pull out $l.OO and
the Blue Bus will take you where
you need to go. So, "come ride with
us". This phrase will haunt you from
blue poster hoards as well as blue
pamphlets. The white bus with a
little blue stripe will transport stu
dents to various areas in Erie. Blue
Bus drops are usually made at the
Milcreek Mall area, Buffalo Road,
Upper Peach Street, and East 38th/
West 38th Street. Wunmi Okupe,
03 EE, comments about the neces
sity of the Bus. She says, "During
my freshman year, riding the Blue
bus reduced the stress of looking for
someone to take me places".
About 20 years ago, the Bus was
started on a small scale. It was origi
nally a big blue school bus. This
was replaced in 1991 with a new
bus. But in 1992, due to severe hud
get problems, the Bus disappeared
for a while. Ken Miller, the Acting
Dean of Student Affairs, mentions
The Penn State Behrend Blue Bus transports students around the
area.
Founder's
off season
by Michael Frawley
nanaging editoi
Penn State Bchrend will be hold
ing Founder's Day on Friday, Oct.
29, at noon in Bruno's Cafe. This
event, which will he hosted by the
Lion Ambassadors, will he the kick
off to Behrend's season of giving.
This year's season of giving will
have a special emphasis placed on
student service projects.
The Behrend College community
is invited to attend the festivities and
participate in the events. These
events will include a performance by
the Behrend Pep Band and a brief
presentation about the significance
of Founder's Day, followed by free
cookies and cake for everyone who
attends.
Mary Behrend, who was the
widow of Hamermill Paper Com
pany founder Ernst Behrend, do
nated her 400-acre Glenhill Farm
estate to Penn State University in
1948. The Behrend Center, the fore
runner of this school, was dedicated
on October 30, 1948, in a ceremony
at the Glenhill Farmhouse.
Winners of Greek Week included the
Theta Phi Alpha sorority and the Zeta
Beta Tau fraternity. The god of Greek
Week was Chris Chimera and the god
dess was Erica Weissenfluh.
CORRECTION
Last week's Three Kings article was
written by Kristin Grudowski, not Erin
Henninger as published.
that the effect of this on Behrend
students was extremely drastic.
Being miles away from civilization
with nothing to do on campus was
tough. But in the tall of 1994, the
Blue Bus was resurrected. Now, the
entire Bus program is funded
through a Student Activities fee and
through the riders themselves.
The new semester brought about
a few new changes in the Blue Bus.
The Behrend "Loop" is a new addi
tion this year. At a quarter past the
hour, the Loop begins at A lmy
The Blue Bus then goes from there
to Yarnell Hall, Perry Hall, and
Lawrence Hall. Then it finally ar
rives in front of Reed Union Build
ing at half-past the hour, where a
small crowd lines the curb. Millet
says. ''We are trying to make the bus
more accessible to students-.
In the future, more changes are
to he expected. A change that he
suggests is to paint hig blue paws
where the Blue Bus makes its stops.
See the RUB desk for new sched
ule changes, and pull out your buck.
Day kicks
of service
Founder's Day celebrates that dedi
cation and Mary Behrend's legacy of
service and giving in forming this
institiution
Ken Miller, Acting Dean of Stu
dent Affairs, will highlight the ex
tensive set of student service projects
planned for the next two months at a
Founder's Day presentation. The
Lion Ambassadors will provide de
tails for their One Equals Seventeen
cannister drive, which will he con
ducted in conjunction with Second
Harvest of Northwest Pennsylvania.
Every $1 donated by members of
the Behrend College community will
help Second Harvest purchase the
equivalent of $l7 in food for hungry
families. This is done through vol
ume discounts when purchasing the
food or paying charges to transport
the donated food. Second Harvest
distributes food and grocery products
through a network of certified affili
ate food banks throughout north
western Pennsylvania. Contributions
for the food drive can he made dur
ing Founder's Day, and donation
canisters will also be located at the
Bookstore and RUB Desk.
Body, Alind, and Spirit is
jointly written by the Per
sonal Counselors and trill
appear monthl.l
From Health and Vs'ellness
Feeling sad, lonely, unhappy ... maybe
you're depressed. Depression is an ill
ness that can he treated. Some biologi
cally-based signs include:
—Change in eating habits: eating too
much or too little.
—Change in sleep patterns; insomnia
or excessive sleeping.
—Trouble concentrating; being forget
ful, unable to think and make decisions
Some self-help suggestions for mild de
pression include:
—Get plenty of rest: fatigue compounds
depressive feelings and lowers the body's
immunity making you more at risk for
illness and deeper depressive feelings.
—Get proper nutrition; inadequate ca
loric intake or an imbalance in food
choices enhance feelings of fatigue,
irritability and depression.
—Exercise, natural endorphins which
elevate mood are released during aero
bic activity.
-Avoid alcohol; alcohol is a depres
—Talk to someone you trust: reach out
and he reachable. It is normal to feel sad
or depressed when changes occur in your
life. However, if at any time you arc
unable to perform normal daily activi
ties, you may heneht from professional
bet p.
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From Personal Counxling
In every winter's heart
There is a quivering spring
-Kahil Gihran
Virtually everyone experiences "blue"
days associated with the ups and downs
of everyday life. When psychological
signs such as sadness and despair. irrita
bility, low self-esteem, apathy, poor mo
tivation, interpersonal problems, guilt
feelings, negative thinking or suicidal
thoughts persist and keep you from liv
ing or thinking normally, you might be
experiencing clinical depression. This is
not a personal weakness but is currently
considered the result of an imbalance in
brain chemistry that affects the way you
eat and sleep, the way you feel about
yourself, and the way you think about
things.
Depression is considered one of the
most common and treatable of all psy
chological disorders. Approximately 18
million Americans suffer from it.
While there are many causes for de
pression, including the winter season and
loss of sunlight, sometimes depression
occurs for no apparent reason
If you recognize the above signs in
yourself or someone you care about here
are some self-help ideas:
—Take a rational look at your negative
thoughts and challenge their validity.
—Give yourself permission to feel your
normal emotions and seek support.
—Each night before bedtime jot down
four things that went well today.
--Overcome the myth that depression
is a personal weakness.
—Go to Florida for Spring Break and
catch some rays!
-Don't overextend yourself. Limit
your commitments and concentrate on
your priorities
-Take time to nurture yourself
If symptom relief does not occur in spite
of your efforts, ask for help ... it's wait-
From Campus Ministry
Autumn makes us aware of the pass
ing year and for some can be a time of
feeling "blue - and lonely. Loneliness is
an ageless human trial. It is one of the
hardest roadblocks to overcome toward
our spiritual health and well-being. Spiri
tual health suggests being well grounded
and centered. Loneliness can feel like
the opposite. When loneliness "strikes."
our personal center seems to get lost or
cave in leaving us feeling isolated or de-
pressed.
By acknowledging feelings of sadness
or loneliness, autumn can be a time of
quiet reflection, a doorway for self
growth. It is the season to gather the
fruits of the past year and store them
away to nourish us during leaner, more
difficult times. How about slowing down
with friends and sharing your best memo
ries from the past year and hopes for the
special New Year ahead?
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