BIGGER &L. BETTER
Mum/ continued its growth and development with some new attractions opening their doors
Athletic and Recreation Center finally opens
The Athletics and Recreation
Center (ARC) is now open after
continuous setbacks in
construction. Now fully
operational, the ARC offers
students, faculty, and alumni a
wide range of recreational
activities.
"The ARC is an exciting new
world for everyone associated with
the Penn State program," stated
Paul Benim, sports information
coordinator.
There are many new additions to
the gymnasium that were not
available in Erie Hall, including
two batting/golf cages, long/triple
jump pits, and a pole vault pit. If
these facilities are too adventurous,
then the three-lane walking and
jogging track is available.
The ARC is the new home to all
of the athletic offices as well as the
exercise and sports activity classes.
The pool allows for new ESACT
classes like lifeguarding and
SCUBA training, and both of these
classes allow students to become
certified. With the ARC's
completion varsity sports such as
water polo, indoor track, and
basketball can finally play their
games in the new facilities.
The ARC will be open during
the summer, and even offer public
swimming classes that can also be
scheduled now with various
coaches.
"The ARC is an
exciting new world
for everyone
associated with the
Penn State program."
- Paul Benim, Sports Info Dir.
ISIT.com joins Knowledge Park
More employment and research
opportunities for Behrend students
are set to arrive on campus in July
2001: ISIT.com, an Erie-based dot
corn company, will be moving into
Knowledge Park.
At a press conference a group of
various ISIT.com, community, and
Behrend officials gathered in
Knowledge Center to make the
announcement to the local media.
Publisher of ISIT.com Amy
Baxter led the presentation of the
company's services. ISIT.com, or
Integrated Solutions for Information
Technology, is an online resource
center for other information
technology (IT) companies.
ISIT.com gives companies advice
on how to set up and manage the IT
portion of their businesses. They
can then direct companies with IT
needs to other resources and
suppliers.
ISIT.com is involved in ten areas
of technology: e-business, data
collection, security, retail and hospitality, customer relationship, mass
storage, manufacturing/distribution supply chain, warehouse management
systems, imaging and content management. and enterprise wide solutions.
They are planning on adding at least eight more technologies by the end of
Chapel with carillon, Observatory provide small growth with big benefits
There have been several construction projects
occurring around campus that are not very obvious
to students.
A new observatory was constructed behind the
Otto Behrend Science Building. Funded by a gift
from the Mehalso Family, one unusual aspect of the
observatory is its handicap accessibility.
According to Dr. Roger Knacke, professor of
physics and director of the School of Science, a
new walkway has been constructed leading up to
the new observatory that is wheelchair accessible.
Also, a video monitor outside display the sights
from inside.
The observatory will be used for astronomical
viewing after the Open House in Astronomy Nights
It was also used in conjunction with several classes, namely ASTRO 001,
010, 011, 292, and 293.
Knacke said that the existing observatory will be kept in operation even
though the new one is in use. The old observatory, whose telescope was
installed in the late 1970 s by the now-retired Dr. Keith Hagenbuch, will be
used for student research projects
Also under construction is the multi-faith chapel and carillon on Jordan
Road, which is being funded by a donation from Larry and Kathryn Smith.
The Floyd and Juanita Smith Carillon will feature a full complement of 48
bells, which will play four full octaves. Carilloneur Mr. Richard Watson of
The Athletics and Recreation Center (ARC) was dedicated on Thursday, November 9, 2000, in front of a
crowd filled with students, faculty, staff, and alumni. SGA President Jen Miles, Penn State Board of Trustees
Chair Edward P. "Ted" Junker, Behrend Provost and Dean John Lilley, Behred Council of Fellows Chair P.C.
"Hoop" Roche, and Penn State President Graham Spanier threw commemorative sports balls into the pool.
Many officers of other organizations and members of sports teams were also on hand to proclaim their Penn
State pride. SGA President Miles led the Penn State cheer. The atmosphere was even more energetic due to the
pep band, cheerleaders, and dance team.
business-causal setting.
Other opportunities for Behrend could include internships: class and
senior research projects; faculty and staff consulting, research projects, and
technology transfer projects.
Meeks, Watson, and Company added, "ninety-five
percent of the music published for the carillon can
be played on four octaves. This size permits
teaching and practice of almost the entire literature
of carillon music."
Knowledge Park is another area of construction.
The new Center for Advanced Manufacturing will
include high bay areas for large equipment,
computer labs, traditional classrooms, and offices.
According to Dr. Robert Light, associate dean and
associate provost, "the center will benefit the
college by providing opportunities for engineering
and engineering technology to gain access to
machining and other advanced manufacturing
equipment [Behrend does] not currently have."
One final area of construction that few students were aware of was the
renovation of Logan House on Station Road, which houses the Office of
Development and University Relations. The formerly unused third floor of
this restored house was converted into much needed office space. With the
addition of Office Manager Mary Anne Geary last winter and the hiring of
Kevin Moore as alumni director, the space is in dire need, Loretta Brandon,
public information assistant, explained.
This new space provides office area for the manager of university relations,
the public information assistant, a staff assistant, and several work study
students.
ISIT.com will he joining Aalborg
Industries and (;E Transportation
Systems' c-Business Division in the
200-acre park. which is a joint effort
of Penn State Behrend and GEIDC.
A new multi-tenant building is
currently under construction in the
park and ISlT.corn is scheduled to
lease 14,100 square feet of space on
the first floor.
ISIT.com, like other Knowledge
Park companies, will provide
various opportunities for the
Behrend community. Already the
Career Development Center has
been working with the company to
recruit students. Baxter, in her
presentation, assured the crowd that
ISITcom is not the typical dot-com
where employees work on flex-
time, wear ripped jeans t the
office, and have various piercings.
Employees work a regular schedule
and are expected to dress for a
Renovations provide proof
for
improving campus
Students returning to campus
after a long summer away were
confronted with piles of dirt,
construction crews, and yards of
caution tape. Also abundant,
however, were signs of change and
progress, demonstrating the
massive amount of renovation and
growth encompassing the campus.
In order to keep pace with the rise
in student population, the campus
has been building up and building
out in the past few years a trend
that will continue for some time to
"Our goal over the next few years
is to concentrate on getting better,
not bigger," stated Dr. Jack Burke,
senior associate provost and senior
associate dean. Enrollment is up
about 150 people from last year, for
a grand total of approximately
3,800 students.
Until the Research and
Development Center (REDC), the
next academic building in the plans,
is completed, the campus would
like enrollment levels to remain as
they are. "When [the REDC]
Building is funded by the state, the
university will also begin planning
additional on-campus housing,"
Burke said.
There are many renovations,
East Side Access Highway
to go through Behrend
Although the campus is currently
bulging from the rate of growth and
construction, Behrend is not nearly
finished expanding. Several major
projects loom on the horizon, many
of which have been bandied about
for years but with little results.
However, that is about to change,
as many goals are soon to be
realized.
One project that students have
been hearing mention of for years
is the East Side Access Highway.
The East Side Access Highway, a
four-lane, divided roadway, will
eventually connect 1-90 with the
Bayfront Highway, making it easier
to cross Erie without using the
small, traffic-laden streets through
town. Parts of the highway have
already been completed, and the
rest is to be done in sections. The
section that most affects Behrend is
slated to start in May of 2001,
according to figures relayed to
Computer upgrades made
throughout campus
During the past year, many of the
computer labs have been drastically
altered so that they may be more
accessible to the student body, as
well as to faculty. Several labs have
had complete makeovers, and many
more have had aesthetic renovations
completed. Almost every student
computer terminal on the campus
has had some sort of upgrade.
In the Computer Center in the
Hammermill Building, the main lab
(H 135) has had all computers
upgraded to new 650 mHz Pentium
111 processors. Also, larger 17"
monitors have replaced the older
versions.
A smaller lab off the main lab has
been reborn into a Collaborative
Learning Lab. Until this semester,
H 139 was specifically a School of
Science lab. Now, while students in
the School of Science are still given
preference, anyone is welcome to
use the new facility. Before
renovations, the lab was rather
traditional looking long tables set
up in rows with several cramped
stations at each table. In its new
form, the lab is now geared toward
collaborative group work.
There are now seven large
workstations that will each
comfortably accommodate a small
group. Large 21" monitors have
been installed so that all members of
a group will have maximum
visibility. Several of the
however, that have already been
completed. These improvements
are largely in the form of new air
conditioning, lighting, and
appearance.
An introductory biology lab was
modernized with the assistance of
$50,000 grant from the University
Facilities Improvement Committee,
according to Burke. As in other
buildings, Nick classrooms were
also air-conditioned and new
lighting and ceilings were installed.
In the Witkowski Building
(located between the Prischak and
the Fasenmyer Buildings in the
Engineering Complex), classroom
WllO was converted into a
computer lab.
In the Hammermill Building, lab
H 139 was converted into a
cooperative learning computer lab.
The other main additions to
existing buildings students may
have noticed are the new elevators
in the Reed Building and in the
Stairtower (located behind Perry
Hall leading up to the residential
area of the campus). The elevator
in Reed is up and running for all to
use in fact, a person was
temporarily trapped in this elevator
during one of the brief brown-outs
on August 30.
Director of Operations John Ream
When the highway is added,
other area roads will need to be
altered. Station Road will change
course shortly after it crosses 1-90:
the road will shift south and flow
into Knowledge Parkway. Then it
will pass to the south of the Jordan
Road Parking Lot, through the
current Registrar's Office, and join
into Campus Road. Hannon Road,
which intersects the current Station
Road near Country Fair, will also
run into Knowledge Parkway.
As a result of the highway,
several changes will also take place
on campus. As mentioned earlier
this semester, the new baseball/
softball complex was constructed
because the highway will cut right
through where the current softball
field is. Other buildings that will
be affected include the Child Care
Center, the Registrar's Office, and
several residences on Jordan Road.
workstations can also be combined
to form even larger stations.
As in most of the computer labs,
new ceilings and lighting have been
installed. In H 139 in particular, a
new form of automatic lighting has
been added. The lights have a
sensor that recognizes when people
are in the room. When someone
walks in, the lights turn on
automatically. After there has been
no movement in the room for a short
time period, the lights will turn off.
Another lab that has been
renovated in the Hammermill
Building is Hl3O, just down the hall
from the Computer Center. This lab
is now equipped with the fastest
systems on campus 800mHz
Pentium 111 processors.
Over the course of last summer,
all Behrend stations were upgraded
from the Windows 4.0 operating
system to Windows 2000 which
makes Behrend the only campus in
the University system to be running
this new version on all public
computers.
All labs and kiosks are now
running on a data switch, which
allows for a quicker response to the
central server, providing a 10-fold
increase in speed to the individual
machines. The University also
provided a new T 3 line to
University Park's server, which will
also greatly increase the connection
speed.