BEHREND BRIEFS Behrend plans ‘Hot and Trendy' All-Class Reunion Penn State Behrend’s third All-Class Reunion, which will run from Friday, June 15, through Sunday, June 17, is currently being planned by faculty, staff, and alumni. The planning committee has chosen the theme “Hot and Trendy” and hopes to come up with a weekend of activities that live up to that reputation. Some of the planned events of the weekend include a family carnival and picnic, faculty seminars on intriguing topics, opportunities to stargaze with the new Observatory, and plenty of activities in the Athletics and Recreation Center (ARC). Those interested in reserving space for the reunion, joining the planning committee, or simply learning more about the event should contact Kevin E. Moore by phone at x 6159 or by e-mail at kem7@psu.edu. Information about the reunion can also be found at Behrend’s website, www.pserie.psu.edu, by clicking on the All-Class Reunion link. College for Kids has new website Penn State Behrend has launched a new website containing program information for its College for Kids summer youth program. The pro gram features more than 70 half-day classes offered during an eight-week period, beginning June 11 and ending August 10. Classes are not offered the week of July 2-6. Topics for this year's classes include wildlife, environmental issues, art, computer topics, physics, space launches, medieval faire, Scottish danc ing, physical fitness, etc. The program also offers early and late day care. For more information, contact Rhonda Carter at x 6212, via e-mail at rhondacarter@psu.edu, or on the web at ww.pserie.psu.edu/affairs/cfk/ cfkindx2ool.htm. Program brochures will be available April 1. College Republicans to host debate The election season is beginning again with the primaries for Election 2001 to take place May 15. Among the positions to be voted for is the Erie County Executive, a race in which Behrend’s College Republicans have taken a special interest. Getting back into the political scene, Behrend’s College Republicans and the Beacon will hold the area’s only public debate between the candidates for Erie County Executive on the Republican ticket. The candidates for the Republican ticket include Rick Schenker, Denise Robison, and Joy Greco. The debate will be moderated by WLKK’s Jeff Johns. For the first half of the debate, Johns will ask the candidates questions in which each candidate will get a rebuttal. Audience members will then have the chance to ask the candidates questions during the second half of the event. The debate will be held in the Reed Commons on Monday, March 26, at 7:00 p.m. Refreshments will be available throughout the debate. 21:00 A student found with forged permit 3/14/2001 11:00 3/14/2001 00:25 3/14/2001 18:10 3/14/2001 15:55 3/15/2001 03:00 3/18/2001 11:25 3/19/2001 08:10 3/20/2001 00:25 3/20/2001 22:40 3/20/2001 A student wanted to report a theft from his room over Spring Break. A student requested an ambulance to transport her to St. Vincent’s because she had trouble breathing Belle Valley transported her. A complainant called to report that her son was bitten on the leg by an unleashed dog she asked that officers keep an eye out for a female walking three leashed/unleashed terrier dogs. The student was bitten on 3/12/01, around 5:00 or 5:30 p.m. in the gorge. A student’s father called to report that his son had received harassing messages on his computer. The student did not contact P&S himself. The messages were sent to his off-campus address father contacted Student Affairs A complainant reported having a problem with a student. This person believed that the student was intoxicated. Upon P&S’ arrival the student was cited for under-aged drinking. A complainant reported having items missing from her room. A complainant reported student vehicles parked in the Dobbins Lot. Upon arrival of P&S, only one vehicle was found, which was issued state citation A 6680034-4. The owner arrived just prior to the tow truck being called and removed the vehicle. A staff member advised an officer that someone had put duct tape in one of the main doors to the plastics lab to keep it from locking. The officer simply removed the tape and secured the doors. While dealing with a harassment case ECC gave P&S a name and number of someone wishing to speak to an officer. P&S called and the individual wanted to talk about a campus ticket. She was advised that the officer was on call and was asked to call back the next day. NEWS & WEATHER 1 u «*- v V $ *: ■%* \.A* X I 8 /A * ~«0tr L lY / /h / Xy / ff / / They are back! Attentive readers may recall the premier focal point last fall when we featured our feathered friends as they congregated near the front entrance of campus. Now that spring has technically arrived, they are back at their old haunts. How long they will stay when the white stuff flies again this weekend is anyone’s guess, though. SATURDAY Chance of Snow Champagne’s ideal university education On Thursday, March 15, Dr. John Champagne introduced his audience of fellow faculty and students to research and views that the university today has developed into Dr. John Champagne, assistant professor of English, addressed his ideas of how to improve university education during the second lecture in the Provost’s Speaker Series on Thursday, March 15. a vocational training center, rather than an institution that promotes critical thinking and creativity. Dr. Champagne, associate professor of English at Behrend, presented a 40-minute discussion in the Reed Lecture Hall describing how education at the universities has changed over time. He began the lecture by speaking about “appropriate education,” discussing how the fairy tale, Peter Pan, was adapted for working class children. The story was adapted so that "1 ~,>i m. / ' ■PI $ '■'oV Hi 35° Lo 25° by Andrea Bolton staff writer FOCAL POINT / ...... ' '.#& ■ •■ U- * .<•••» •" m • / Chance of Snow it would be considered “appropriate for a child whose future is in manual labor.” Champagne discussed how universities have abandoned their historical mission, especially in the area of humanities. He argues that the university today relies on part time labor, which includes non-tenure track faculty, and “the classics have been dismantled.” He put forth the idea that supporting evidence that Champagne presented in support of his theory about the university today lies is the expansion of capitalism. Champagne says that global or multi national corporations and their influence on higher education are the “tragedy of the humanities.” Champagne said that universities today have become vocational schools that are so worried about filling classrooms that they fail to provide an evenly-rounded education equipping today’s university graduates with critical thinking skills and creativity. He said that today’s university is concerned with training students with skills for job placement rather than developing a cultural awareness and creativity through study of the SUNDAY Hi 35° Lo 27° universities have eased sanctions and allowed students to work full-time while taking 15 or more credits a semester. He argued that universities have failed to develop cultural literacy, and have become a vocational training center. Part of the f , * ...V v «':•■£. * .*... ■ '< . •*•**••• *- -< <4W* r <*»•* .> •• ■&' «*».. _ • ***:■* '* s*■' ' -'*s*■' s> * - / ' Partly Cloudy, humanities According, to Champagne, the university is so concerned with corporate welfare that it provides internships for students, which he considers “free labor” for the very corporations that are pushing humanities from the university curriculum. In his argument that the university has evolved into a vocational training school, Champagne discussed the Erie area as an example to support his conclusions. He says that one quarter of the jobs in Erie are manufacturing, and three of the top ten employers are manufacturing companies. He believes that many of these manufacturing companies, including General Electric, are planning to relocate to keep their labor costs down. This means that many in the Erie area that rely on their manufacturing jobs will lose those positions, and Erie will be devastated because of its reliance on those positions. Champagne argued, “today’s prosperity leads to tomorrow’s recession.” He said that the manufacturing industry in Erie is going “belly up.” Champagne argued that job training does not benefit students; he said that students need to earn a living, but “it is not the role of the university to provide job training.” He said that students should not be looking for the “cash value” of a degree because “money is not the most important thing in life.” Champagne pursued the idea that students should not intend to get a job with their degree; they should instead become creative thinkers and attempt to understand the world around them. Champagne just received the 2000 Council of Fellows Award for Excellence in Teaching from Penn State Behrend. He is also a past recipient of the Benjamin A. Lane Outstanding Service Award. He received his Ph.D. in English and Critical and Cultural Studies from the University of Pittsburgh. His M.A. is in Cinema Studies from New York University. FRIDAY, MARCH 23, 2001 . «•. -*oo*4,** PHOTO BY NEIL MAKADIA MONDAY Milder Hi 42° Lo 32°
Significant historical Pennsylvania newspapers