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The Beacon takes a look at the highlights of the 2000-2001 school year,
Dean Lilley's final year as Behrend's provost and dean.
PEN N STAT E
E r i e The Behrend
> College
Behrend gets $3O million for REDC
Behrend was very busy while students
were away during winter break. On
December 28, Governor Tom Ridge
delivered $3O million of Pennsylvania
state money to Penn State Erie to fund the
building of the Research and Economic
Development Center (REDC). This grant
was the largest ever in Erie County
history.
The REDC has been in the planning benefit the area.
stages for more than ten years, with Governor Ridge indicated that the
construction being labeled as "high REDC and other similar cooperative
priority" in 1996 and 1999 by the Erie projects that will link the community
Conference's Community Coalition. with industry and educational facilities
The REDC will be a 160,000 square- will help to keep graduates and the
foot academic building that will house the knowledge and skills they possess in
Schools of Business and Engineering and Pennsylvania.
Engineering Technology. According to Dr. Jack Burke, senior associate Dr. Robert Simoneau, director of the School of Engineering and
provost and senior associate dean, the building will provide 17,000 Engineering Technology, echoed Governor Ridge's sentiments: "The
square feet of classroom space, a great increase from Behrend's current REDC will usher in a great opportunity for the Schools of Business and
23,000 feet. Also included will be up to ten computer labs and a Engineering and Engineering Technology to forge a truly strong
cybercafe. educational and outreach partnership which can be model for the
Aside from the benefits the REDC will provide Behrend, the building Commonwealth and a significant asset to Northwest Pennsylvania."
Child Care Center will move to Knowledge Park
Months of meetings finally paid off for
those fighting to keep the Child Care Center
at Penn State Behrend. On Thursday,
January 18, it was announced that the
Center will be rebuilt in Knowledge Park as
soon as feasibly possible.
The new $l.l million dollar center will
be constructed by the Greater Erie Indus
trial Development Corporation (GEIDC) as
soon as the Harborcreek Township Supervi
sors grant permission to build. The college
is currently seeking the cooperation of the
Pennsylvania Department of Transportation
(PennDOT) in delaying demolition of the
current center on Station Road. Should it
become necessary, the college will find a
temporary space on campus to facilitate
child care while the new center is under
construction.
GEIDC, which has been a partner of
Behrend's in the development of Knowledge Park, will lease the 8,500-foot an overwhelming majority,
child care center to the college. At some point Behrend hopes to buy the Dr. John Rossi complimented the college's decision to rebuild the center.
center from GEIDC. "Child care is not something that only benefits employees or students.
The decision to continue offering child care services did not come Businesses have found that offering 'family-friendly' policies such as child
overnight, however. Many in the Behrend community had been working to care reduces absenteeism, increases productivity, and ... users' loyalty and
keep child care a priority for months. Toward the end of fall 2000, the commitment to the institution."
Lilley accepts job at Univ. of Nevada,
Reno after 21 years at Behrend
The decision has been made and the deal is sealed: Provost and Dean
Dr. John Lilley, Penn State Behrend's long-time executive officer, has
decided to accept a position as the president of the University of Nevada,
Reno.
At a press conference on Friday, April 20, Dean Lilley made the official
announcement that he would be leaving Behrend.
"This is one of those classic bittersweet days," said Lilley. "I have
accepted the offer of the Regents of the University of Nevada, Reno, to
become their president this summer." Lilley will be the 15th president in
the 127-year history of the University of Nevada, Reno.
Lilley announced that Dr. Jack Burke, his first major appointment in his
21-year stay at Behrend, has been named as the interim provost. Burke is
currently Behrend's Senior Associate Provost and Senior Associate Dean.
A national search will take place next year to find a permanent
replacement.
"I suspect I will not be a candidate, but I'm not holding that out," said
Burke who did not wish to comment further on his future role at the
college.
Back in February a search committee approached Lilley, requesting that
he permit them to submit his name as a candidate for the position that was
vacated by Dr. Jim Crowley in December 2000. Crowley had served as
president of UNR for the past 23 years.
"I certainly wasn't looking for it (job at UNR)," said Lilley. He bet a co
worker $.25 that nothing would come of the opportunity. "I had to pay off
my quarter this week."
In February an ad hoc Presidential Search Committee was formed to
interview and narrow down the 70-plus candidates and select eleven to be
presented to the UNR Board of Regents. From the 11 selected, two
candidates dropped out of the running.
In early March the 11 candidates were narrowed to six. These six were
will have an even greater impact for
the community. Researchers from the
region's colleges and universities will
have access to this facility and its
state-of-the-art equipment, as will
company representatives. The REDC
will offer educational training
programs and research and technology
transfer projects that will greatly
announcement was made that when the
current center was razed during the construc
tion of the Eastside Access Highway, the
funds might not be available to rebuild.
Protestors came from the far reaches of the
Behrend community to rally for the continu
ance of child care facilities on campus.
In late November two meetings were held
to discuss the Child Care Center's uncertain
future. The first was sponsored by the
Women's Commission Liaison Committee
and the second by the Child Care Center
Parent Teacher Organization. Also instru
mental in the debate were Dr. John Rossi and
the Faculty Council Ad Hoc Committee he
chaired that was created to deal with the
dilemma.
At the SGA meeting on January 10, 2001,
a motion was put forth to support the new
Child Care Center. The motion passed with
then asked to attend day-long interviews at the Airport Plaza Hotel in
Reno. After these interviews, the candidates were narrowed again to four.
Aside from Dean Lilley, the other finalists were: Joann Boughman of the
University of Maryland, Baltimore; Richard Davenport from Central
Michigan University; and R. Michael Tanner of the University of
California, Santa Cruz.
The four finalists were asked to return for a three-day visit to the
campus. Dean Lilley was at UNR April 11, 12, and 13. There he met with
UNR's vice presidents, deans, faculty, students, alumni, and Interim
President Stephen McFarlane. He also traveled to the Las Vegas campus
of the University of Nevada system and met with more members of the UN
community.
The following Tuesday the five university system regents unanimously
voted for Lilley, despite opposition from a 14-member advisory panel.
Those in favor of Lilley's nomination cited his fundraising abilities and
community presence as qualities in his favor. Those opposed questioned
whether he would be able to make the transition from representing the
3,800 students at Penn State Behrend's campus to the 15,000-student UNR.
"The Board has a very good history of hiring excellent presidents of our
institutions, and Dr. Lilley is no exception," said Thalia Dondero, Regents'
Chair at UNR. In response to the opposition, Lilley says he will "listen,
talk, listen, talk..." He doesn't plan on entering UNR will a plan, but does
plan on listening and learning before he makes any decisions.
The seven members of the Board of Regents approved Lilley's
appointment at a board meeting that Thursday.
The University of Nevada, Reno, is the oldest of the seven institutions in
Nevada's public system of higher education. UNR has 10 schools and
colleges agriculture, biotechnology and natural resources, arts and
sciences, business, education, engineering, human and community
sciences; journalism, medicine, and mining and graduate studies.
Hovis, Lewis win SGA
elections for 2001-2002
Turnout may not have been
as high as last year's Student
Government Association
elections, but at least it was
closer.
Brandi Hovis and Clint
Lewis beat Keenan Hansen
and Traci Hamm 190-126 for
the positions of president and
vice president for the 2001-
2002 academic school year.
According to a statement
provided by Hovis and
Lewis, their platform includes
taking care of "unfinished
business." The president/vice "Keenan, Traci, Brandi and Clint
president elect, also wish to didn't want controversy, so turnout
increase involvement in SGA and wasn't nearly as high."
SGA involvement in organizations In last year's controversial
on campus. election, Miles and Clint Skillen
Only 316 students turned out to won in a landslide over Demian
vote in this year's presidential Blair and Mike Frawley, 401-89.
election, a far cry from the 490 This year's deficit was only a 64-
students who voted last year. vote margin.
"There was a lot of controversy This year's results were an
that surrounded last year's election. nounced to a crowd of 20 people
It's unfortunate to say, but contro- outside Bruno's. All four candi
versy breeds publicity which dates were present for the an
increases turnout," said Miles. nouncement.
Shaggy performs at Behrend
At 6:00 p.m. April 19, 2001, the
line started outside of the new
Athletics and Recreation Center as
fans began to anxiously await the
Shaggy concert. However,
organizers of the concert became
nervous when Shaggy had not yet
arrived for the sold out concert, two
hours after his scheduled arrival
time. It wasn't till 8:30 p.m. that
he entered the ARC.
Immediately after Shaggy's
arrival, Rikßok and Ray Von began
their opening act. The 30-minute
delay was a result of Shaggy's late
arrival. The crowd screamed with
approval at the end of each of the
opening band's songs. Rikßok
responded by talking to the
audience and complimenting
Behrend.
BY JASON SNYDER
Rikßok finished at about 9:00
p.m. Shaggy's performance began
15 minutes later.
Shaggy played his three most
popular songs one after another;
"Angel", "Mr. Boombastic", and
"It Wasn't Me." Shaggy played for
60 minutes, but his audience began
to leave after hearing the first three
songs. Acoustics in the ARC made
it difficult to understand Shaggy;
therefore, when he played less
popular songs, members of the
crowd claimed they tuned out.
There were 2,500 tickets sold for
the concert. This was composed of
1,854 student tickets and 346
faculty/staff/community tickets.
Additional tickets were distributed
for committee members and ticket
giveaways at radio stations.