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MARY
BEACON
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Vol. XLVII No. 18 16 .a:es
Students
elect new
SGA
senators
by Karl Benacci
news co-editor
On February 2-3 the SGA held an election
to determine who would occupy the three va
cant SGA seats.
There were five students running for the
three open positions. Klm Moses received the
most votes (130), followed by Brandi Hovis
(l2o), and Jason Nachman (65). Matt
Grimmke and Matt Wiertel also ran for the
Jenny Zhang was the uncontested winner
for the University Faculty Senate Represen
tative position tallying 115 votes.
In the past, the whole college would vote
in the April elections, while senate seats that
opened during the school year were filled by
elections within SGA. However, because of
the large number of empty seats that needed
to be filled this semester, SGA felt that the
whole college should be included in the deci-
The SGA seats were unoccupied for a num
ber of reasons. Last semester one senator
transferred and a few senators knew that they
couldn't dedicate the time that was needed for
SGA.
The SGA senate is made up of eleven sena
tor seats, two freshmen seats, six council seats,
and four executive board seats.
Some of the duties and responsibilities of
the senators are to reflect the interests and
ideas of the students of Behrend at meetings
of the SGA, serving on at least one commit
tee, and helping in the general operations in
the SGA such as serving office hours.
SGA President Andrea DiPlacido com
mented on the election by saying "Congratu
lations to the winners and thanks to all those
who participated."
SGA holds their meetings in Reed 114 ev
ery Wednesday at 5:30. Students are encour
aged to attend the meetings to offer sugges
tions. More information about SGA can be
obtained at their office in the Reed Union
Building.
ME - HALL NHS SEPVEID A VAHEIN
OF FUNCTION'S AT Eft Irrhir
Erie Hall's days as an athletic center will soon be coming to a
close with the completion of the 1999-2000 Behrend basket
ball seasons. The facility has had an interesting history serv
ing the function of an athletics and recreation center, with many
memorable moments occuring its 48-year history.
This week, the Beacon will feature Part One of "The End of
an Era" which will cover the earlier history of Erie Hall. Next
week's edition of the Beacon will talk of the memorable mo
ments that have occured within the walls of Erie Hall and will
include athletes', coaches' and students' feelings towards the
time that they have spent in the facility.
The construction of Erie Hall was
completed in 1952, four years after the
opening of the college. Before Erie Hall
was built, Behrend's athletics and
intramurals were held at the Lawrence
Park High School. Because of the in
crease in athletics and activities on cam
pus, everyone at Behrend saw that there
was a strong need for a building that
would hold the activities.
During an Advisory Board meeting in
January 1949, Penn State's S.H.
Campbell proposed that Behrend based
its plans for a new gymnasium on plans
being used at Penn State's Hazelton
Center. The board agreed with the
plans, under the direction of the board
chairman Edwin N. Nick. The project
was to cost $75,000. The money was
raised by the citizens of Erie.
The original idea of Erie Hall was not
only for athletic activities. It was also
to be used as an assembly hall. It was
used for dramatic and musical produc
tions as well as a place for lectures and
a gathering place for an organization
that would eventually be called
R.O.T.C.
Erie Hall continued on page 3
Behrend students participate in
Miller answers students' questions
and talks of experiences at Behrend
For the past one and a half years the Office
of Student Affairs has been run by Interim
Dean of Students Ken Miller. The search
committee to find a new dean has conducted
a national search to fill the position left empty
in 1998.
The committee has the candidates narrowed
down to two choices: John Harp and the
Interim Dean Ken Miller. On Thursday,
February 3, 2000, a student interview was held
with the second candidate, Ken Miller.
Students were given a chance in this 45 minute
question and answer session to find out
Miller's goals and ideas for Behrend in the
coming years if he becomes Dean of Students.
Miller has been Interim Dean of Students
since May of 1998, when he took over for
Chris Reber who left the position to become
Associate Provost for Advancement and
University Relations. He has worked at
Special
Valentine's Day
Issue
BY JASON SNYDER
by Mike Frawley
managing editor
NEWS PAGE 1
PAGE 10 PENNSTATE
POLICE AND SAFETY PAGE 2 EDITORIAL
Pi Erie
WORLD/CAMPUS NEWS_PAGE 4
CALENDAR PAGE 7
Friday, February 4, 2000
END Of AN
EF~A
Basketball teams hope to extend Erie Hall history
by Matt Wiertel
sports editor
The Penn State Behrend basketball teams
are primed to host the Allegheny Mountain
Collegiate Conference (AMCC)
championships on February 23. Currently,
both teams are undefeated in AMCC play, but
have some key games left to play before
wrapping up the season title.
At this time, the men's team is 8-0 in the
conference and 17-2 overall. Last season, the
team advanced to the AMCC championship
against La Roche. Unfortunately, the men's
team did not capture the AMCC title last
season but they did win their first-ever Eastern
Behrend since 1988 when he was hired as a
Residence Life Coordinator. Other positions
that he has held at Behrend include Acting
Director of Educational Equity Programs
and Associate Dean of Student Affairs.
Miller stressed that he really enjoyed
working with students, and even though
being Interim Dean has given him much
more administrative work to do he still
makes time for the students. One way that
he does this is by advising SGA, "Advising
SGA has been a very rewarding experience."
Students asked various questions of him,
covering topics from diversity issues, the
goals of the college the new vendor policy,
and commuter students. "The main focus
of the college, top to bottom, is quality,"
Miller told the students. Many things have
been changed and improved in the 12 years
that he has worked at the college. Some
improvements that he hopes to see in the
future are the new multi-faith chapel, getting
faculty offices out of trailers, and the gutting
• ,t.-7,44„,
=MI
College Athletic Conference (ECAC)
Southern Regional Championship.
The men are on an eight game winning
streak, but they still have three conference
games remaining on their schedule. A key
upcoming match-up for the Lions will be
against second place Pitt-Bradford. Behrend
will host Pitt-Bradford on February 5 at Erie
Hall.
The women's basketball team also is primed
to defend the AMCC title that they won last
year. Unlike the men's squad, they did not
advance to the ECAC championships, but they
hope to change that this season.
This season the women are 8-0 in the
conference and 15-5 overall to date. With an
search for new Dean of Students
Acting Dean of Students Ken Miller, during his student interview on February
of Turnbull
Miller also said that we need to improve the involved on campus.
"drive-thru education" that commuter students The administration plans on making a final
receive. Through various programs he hopes decision between the candidates sometime in
the near future.
BEHREND AFTERHOURS PAGE 8
FEATURES PAGE 11
SPORTS PAGE 13
‘: O,, ;W4VJ
A Penn State Erie Student Publication
eight game winning streak, and three game
conference advantage over second place
Frostburg, the women have plenty of
momentum going into the playoffs. Due to
the fact that their remaining schedule is
against AMCC opponents, all of their games
until the end of the season will be key.
Leading the list is the February 12 game
against Frostburg, which could decide if the
Lions will host this season's AMCC
championship.
Officially, the last regular season game
will be played at Erie Hall on February 16
but at this rate the season will remain alive
for a short time longer.
that we can find a way to get commuters more
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