- 110111111111.11111.1.1111111.1111 - - 111111111.11.1MINIMnpwr vimiumpr-Nmww- V - w ,---- < 3 International Scholar AN Behremtrunn , ' ' : ) 1 : . r • . - qualify for Boston to move into Almy e i f DEC 13 1' ti it ALNIY HALL Hall next semester • r' 1 Marathon /.0 COL PAGE 3B .IRARy PAGE 3 ••:. - 7 : ,-.* • - • • • •• : .. •' • l'i j r. 2.- • . - --oo- ! cl.l -- -:& , - - - -.I- - w. i .7'. BEHREND _ • • . may ,. . . „,_,•:,...,4-47-,..,_.),T,..,...„•. , ~..„,, •'. g- - - BEACON --4 . 2 t • —3 , - 4. f.: '/- *: s _ . 7 - • ... s' <A• ,_,. ___ Vol. XLVIII No. 14 18 pages SGA holds open forum; students fail to take advantage by Rob Wynne staff writer Last week, the Student Govern ment Association gave away 12 pizzas in hopes that students would participate in the SGA forum on Monday, December 6. It was a chance for students to bring up is sues, as well as voice their opin ions on current ones. However, the members found themselves in an empty lecture hall that night. SGA president Andrea DiPlacido, 05 COMBA, said she was very disappointed with the turnout. "One thing we were hop ing to discuss at the forum is the upcoming SGA Book Sale in Janu ary. Also, we were looking to get input on how students want their activity fee spent, since they pay for it." The members also said they are trying really hard to get more student involvement. But as SGA Senator Melody Sherosky put it, "We can't set goals easily if we have no student input." The group stressed that involve ment is essential for other current projects, including trying to ac- quire a communal hard drive to store email data so that students would not have to use disks to check their email in the computer labs, a T 3 internet server for quicker on-line access, and a free Blue Bus. And, unknown to many, RASO voices concerns after a two by Jason Snyder editor-in-chief With the reformation of the Returning Adult Student Organization (RASO) this past fall, many concerns are being brought to the administration at Behrend about the insensitivity of some professors toward returning adult students and other issues that don't account for the extra responsibilities that those students might have. This past Saturday, December 4, RASO co-hosted, with Women Today, Coffeehouse Night at Bruno's in hopes of bringing returning adult students to enjoy the band and the comedians booked for the evening. The goal of the night was also to bring awareness to the campus of the issues that are concerning some adult students enrolled at Behrend. RASO President Abbey Atkinson felt the evening was very successful. About 75 adult students were in attendance, with six children that were watched in the babysitting rooms that were available. The night helped draw more students to the RASO meeting held this past Tuesday. Many issues were discussed at the meeting, including professor sensitivity, a diversity series for professors, scholarships for adult students and a possible honor society directed toward returning adults. RASO hopes to bring to Behrend some sort of orientation for professors that would train them to be more [II RI SGA Vice President George Leshnock and President Andrea DiPlacido Behrend's SGA is also a part of CCSG (Council of Commonwealth Student Governments) which deals with larger goals for all Penn State campuses. Behrend's SGA has 13 senators, 2 sensitive to the needs of adult students. When professors say statements such as, "when you grow up and get married," it leaves out adult students that are grown up and are married. Some professors see their students as the "normal, 18-year old, white person, from a middle class home," said Atkinson. The training would help professors move away from the stereotype that all students come straight from high school. Adult students with children also run into problems when they plan on bringing their children to classes. Some professors feel that the children cause a distraction to the students in the classroom. Acting Dean of Student Affairs Ken Miller realizes that there are also risks if students begin to take their children into labs. This leads to adult students with children needing to get child care for their children. Some members of RASO feel that the availability of child care on campus doesn't meet the needs of students that have children. For infants, there is currently a waiting list of seven at the Behrend Child Care Center, which can cause problems for students that need care immediately. The waiting list of seven will be cut to five in January, as some infants move to the toddler rooms. With the transition of the children currently at the Child Care Center, more room becomes available. The other two that will remain on the waiting list don't need care until later in the semester. E A S O N S HOLIDAYS IN PICTURES... PAGE 5 of which are freshman positions. Right now, there are 3 vacant seats for next semester. They serve under president DiPlacido and vice-presi dent George Leshnock, 07 Market ing. Students who would like to Behrend students, faculty, staff and alumni have first option for enrollment at the center, which gives Behrend an advantage when trying to get their children care on campus. Eunice Moore, Director of the Child Care Center at Behrend, doesn't see a problem with the availability of child care on campus. She said, "if enough notice is given, there is rarely a problem with getting the child into the center." Students generally know months in advance whether or not they will need child care during classes. Those students are encouraged to make plans ahead of time so there is room in the Child Care Center for their child whenever necessary. Miller commented, "with enough notice, anything can be done." Currently, there are 75 children enrolled at the center, which is the capacity for the center at this time. Not all children enrolled are at the center at the same time, which gives the children a lot of care due to the amount of staff per child. The norm for the state is a ratio of one staff member per four children. Behrend's ratio is one staff member for every three children. The concerns of RASO members will also be solved with the new facility that will be built in Knowledge Park for January 2001. The facility will enable Behrend to possibly have a kindergarden and evening care. A search for a donor has begun to help pay for the construction of the building. THU BEHREND BEACON INDEX POLICE AND SAFETY PAGE 2 1 4 EDITORIAL PAGE 6 CALENDAR PAGE 7 Friday, December 10, 1999 voice an opinion are encouraged to attend other SGA forums, as well as their weekly meetings on Wednes days at 5:20 p.m. in Reed 114. Behrend student and Child Care Center staff member Allison Bear watches children in the toddler room at the Behrend Child Care Center The new Child Care Center will also serve an educational function for students who will monitor and research the behaviors of the children through video cameras. Atkinson is very supportive of the Child Care Center and the function it serves at Behrend. "Our Child Care PHOTO BY ROB WYNNE WIRE SERVICE PAGE 8 PENNSTAIL FEATURES PAGE lv Erie FAVORITE SPOT ON CAMPUS.... PAGE 12 SPORTS SECTION B Advanced Training Center breaks ground at Knowledge Park by Mike Frawley managing editor An Advanced Training Center re cently began construction at Knowl edge Park at Penn State Behrend through the efforts of educators and manufacturers in northwestern Penn sylvania. This center is designed to meet the training needs of the workforce in northwestern Pennsyl vania. It will bring together three part ners for this venture: the Northwest Pennsylvania Technical Institute, the Regional Skills Center, and Penn State Behrend in an effort to develop manufacturing technology courses. Behrend is working toward creat ing a new associate degree in manu facturing technology. It will be a two Construction for the new training center at Knowledge Park. The center will help create more jobs for citizens of Northwest Pennsylva- ear absence Center is stupendous." However, Atkinson hopes to find a way to reduce the cost for returning adult students through grants. The number of returning adult students make up a large section of the Behrend community. There are anywhere between 500 and 700 A Penn State Erie Student Publication year program that will be offered though Behrend's Center for Corpo rate and Adult Learning. This degree will offer the students options in gen eral manufacturing and plastics pro cessing. The program is planning to have a very flexible curriculum so that people who are already employed in the industry can return to school and have a way to easily upgrade their skills. There are plans to add two more options to the degree at a future date : metals and nanofabrication. Members of the northwestern Penn sylvania chapter of the American Foundrymen's Society and Behrend's Industrial Metalworking. Advisory Committee have been working for ATC continued on page 4 returning adult students enrolled at Behrend currently, but the accuracy of that number can be argued. The definition of a returning adult students is any student that is 24 years of age RASO continued on page 4
Significant historical Pennsylvania newspapers