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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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PHOTO BY NEIL MAKADIA
MONDAY
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