( : ' >!'. t»
A View From The Lighthouse
I’m sorry, that space is
reserved for the bulldozer
Well another year is off to its
usual start, and many of you who
have been here in past years are
going to recognize this editorial,
since we at the Beacon run one on
this topic at the beginning of every
year, but since there are 1100 new
students who have yet to hear our
wisdom, we are going to trot this
one out again. So what is this
magical topic you ask? Well here
it is: Are we growing too fast? We
at the Beacon like to see our school
doing well, and a sign of doing
well is that many people want to
attend your school. But maybe a
line needs to be drawn
somewhere--this is the most
crowded we’ve ever seen this
campus.
The campus continues to add
more and more students every
semester, but has not increased
space to keep up. Parking is an
unimaginable mess. Spending a
half an hour looking for a space
that is so far from your class that
you need to pack a lunch for the
trip from your car is ridiculous,
and that’s at 9:00 in the morning.
Bruno’s is always so packed you
need an hour just to get through
line and it is cold by the time you
can find a seat (and the food is bad
enough hot). Many people were
unable to get housing on campus,
and dial-up Internet connections,
which were just upgraded last
year, are again constantly busy.
But hey, the more, the merrier
right?
I know that the administration
would say that everything is fine,
but let’s be realistic here. Some
places that we use for classes now
need to be condemned. Turnbull,
no matter what kind of renovations
they do to it, will always be a bam.
It needs to be torn down, and the
space can be used for some more
constructive purpose. Our
professors deserve better than the
“temporary” teacher offices in the
annex trailers that tend to remind
me of portable classrooms at some
over crowded inner city school.
Remodeling of various places
around campus does not add much
needed space. Anyone taking a
class in Library 12 will agree. Just
The Behrend Beacon
published weekly by the students of Penn State Erie, The Behrend College
Editor-in-Chief
Jason Snyder
Managing Editor
Michael rrawley
News Editor
Liz Hayes
Editorial Page Editor
Katie Galley
Features Editors
Karl Benacci
Jermaine Hardy
Arts & Entertainment Editor
Deanna Symoski
Sports Editor
Doug Smith
Wire Service Editor
Rob Wynne
Calendar Page Editor
Nicole Greene
Photo Editors
Jeff Miller
Becky Weindorf
Associate Editor
Libbie Johnson
Copy Editor
Paige Miles
Postal Information: The Beacon is
published weekly by the students of
Penn State Erie, The Behrend
College; First Floor, The J. Elmer
Reed Union Building, Station Road,
Erie, PA 16563. The Beacon can be
reached by calling (814) 898-6488 or
(814) 898-6019 (FAX). ISSN 1071-
9288.
because you get rid of tables and
replace them with a lot of desks
doesn't create more space, it just
makes the room more crowded
and uncomfortable.
As Behrend struggles to grow
into the new millennium,
something needs to be done to
accommodate these growing
numbers of students. A simple
parking garage would help to end
some of the most pressing parking
issues, and in coming years new
residence halls will need to be
added. More classroom space
would also be greatly appreciated.
I know that many people attend
Behrend because of the low
teacher to student ratio in classes,
but that seems to only be in upper
division classes. Upgrades in
computers across campus are
badly needed. The Ethernet jacks
that were to go into the Reed
Commons are still missing, but at
least we have automatic lights in
the science building!
Arguments have been put forth
that Behrend's natural beauty
needs to be preserved when any
expansion is considered, but
expansion needs to be done.
Behrend is a great school, but
blind expansion will quickly
downgrade any advances we
might have made over the past
few years. Behrend could be the
gem of the Penn State system, but
not if visitors can’t find a parking
spot to be able to even check out
the campus.
Advertising Manager
Kim Zuck
Business Manager
Kristine Harakal
Office Manager
Kevin Bruner
Public Relations Manager
Ainslie Ulmer
Secretary
Melissa Proba
Advisor
Robert Speel
The Beacon
encourages letters to the editor.
Letters should include the address,
phone number, semester standing
and major of the writer. Writers can
mail letters to behrcoll2@aol.com.
Letters must be received no later
than 5 p.m. Tuesday for inclusion
in that week’s issue.
Pd
■mmitMuaSbrn
!'f
Students, facility and staff, this is your
chance to iet your voice he heard! ‘this
space is reserved every week to print what
you think and how youfeei about the
campus. Qood or had, iet us know how
youfeei about issues invoicing the
campus, Erie or even things you read in
the ‘Beacon. Don’t miss your
opportunity, everyone is iistening!
Letter policy: The Beacon encourages letters to the editor. Letters should include the
address, phone number, semester standing and major of the writer. Writers can mail
letters to behrcoll2@aol.com. Letters must be received no later than 5 p.m. Tuesday
for inclusion in that week’s issue.
College, a monopoly on truth?
The summer .. ,
went by very fast, DetOUVS aUCI
ii'L=°” Small Potatoes
rrlr^KatieGalley
next that I was ,: a
packing up my
room to come back to school. And I’m
happy that it’s time for classes to start again,
because my brain was turning to mush.
The same old monotony at work was really
getting to me. Doing mindless tasks that could
have been done by a trained monkey was mildly
tolerable, at best. At least when I am in class, I
feel like I am doing something stimulating. And
everyone repeat it with me, class is fun!
When we as students are in class, we are being
trained to take on tasks that will come after our
college education. Yes, I am referring to that thing
called the real world. And don’t get me wrong, I
am excited about getting out there. I just hope that
I can make it through my college career without
being completely brainwashed and warped. Now
before everyone gets all in a huff that I am saying
negative things about Behrend, simmer down now,
because I’m not.
All I am really saying is that when we are in
college, we get a hundred new ideas thrown at us
every day. And new ideas and thought patterns
are a great thing. However, don’t let all the new
information that you are taking in change the way
that you believe. Remaining true to yourself is
going to be one of the hardest things that you will
have to face in college. Sure, there is the
% g •>
f THe
cu
tV ot 1 To
Y oU
At 5f A ‘
QuT ?
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
temptation of alcohol, drugs and sex, but
k the thing to be aware of the most is the
I fact that some people are going to try
K and change you, both consciously and
K unconsciously.
Not to say that anyone that you
will encounter in college will be
L an enemy, because there are
I thousands of wonderful people
P on this campus. Just not all of
| them think like you. And that’s
ok too. It doesn’t become
troublesome until someone questions your
way of thinking, and then you in turn, question it
too.
For example, did you know that at some of the
country’s largest college campuses, some
professors like to ask new students, “Do you believe
in God?" To me, it seems wrong for a professor to
want to challenge your beliefs. While that has never
happened to me personally, at least not while at
this campus, I have had other incidents of ‘personal
beliefs being challenged,’ yes, right here at
Behrend. And while said challenges will be further
left unmentioned specifically, it has happened. I
was just lucky that I have, thus far, come out
remaining true to my own mind.
People can be very persuasive at times. And
resisting charming people can be hard too.
Especially if those people seem like they want to
be your friend. And while I am not naming any
certain groups here on campus, there are
organizations that seem to want to take you the way
you are, only to change you and mold you into what
they desire you to be. Does it seem like I am talking
FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 1, 2000
in code? Please don’t think that I am pointing
fingers saying, “Liar,” because I’m not. College
can just be a very confusing time where all sorts
of people and things want to influence you to think
a certain way.
These challenging and confusing thoughts can
come from students, professors, staff, and even
friends. It can come from administrators and even
from higher ups than that. With all of these outside
influences you might wonder what you can do to
keep your mind focused on what you believe. And
the answer to that is a sad one; there’s not much
you can do other than to remember what you stand
for and don’t be afraid to defend what you believe
in.
Time, you will soon find out, is a precious
commodity in college. So before you spend your
time pondering over all the new ideas your are
receiving in your eager, sponge-like mind, take a
few minutes each day to remind yourself what is
important to you. Also take the time to find out
whether or not people are sincere. Don’t be so
willing to put yourself on the line for people who
probably couldn’t care less. And don’t be so
willing to take everyone’s words at face value.
Hopefully you made it this far without being
terrified. This really wasn’t meant to frighten
anyone. College is supposed to be the best times
of our lives, and with an open mind and a little
self-knowledge it can be. Just remain true to your
heart and your mind and you’ll make it through
with an extra encyclopedia sized book of
knowledge and a clearer understanding of who
you are and what you believe.