6
B N EHR b EN 6 D 2OO B 9 EACON
www.thebehrendbeacon.com Humanities & Social
Weekly
Political
Ticker
ADAM SPINELLI
hunianitiec editor
Tuesday was election day...
The GOP picked up both
seats in the New Jersey and
Virginia Gubernatorial
races... Democrat Bill
Owens won the NY 23rd
Congressional seat...he is
the first democrat to pick up
this seat since Ulysses
Grant was president...
New York City Mayor
Michael Bloomberg
elected for his third term as
Mayor... Maine repealed the
same-sex marriage law the
governor passed earlier this
year... Republican Candi
date Dede S coz
zafava was forced out of
the race by other conserva
tives like Sarah Palin
and Glenn Beck... Poli
tical Analysts say that this is
the beginning of a divide in
the republican party... An
alysts also say that Tuesday's
elections were not a referen
dum on President
Obama...vice President
Joe Biden criticized
Sarah Palin for her
naivety... George W.
Bush and Bill Clin
ton are set to appear at
Radio City Music Hall in
February... House Democ
rats are beginning to pre
pare a health care bill for
debate on the house f100r...
Karzai was declared
president in Afghanistan
after his opponent dropped
out of the race... Former
Governor Sarah Palin is set
to kick off her book tour...
Former Governor Mike
Huckabee wrote a book
on Christmas and is ready
for a book tour as we 11...
Louisiana Judge resigned
after denying an interracial
couple their marriage li
cense.
On This Day in
History:
October gth
1851: Charles Henry Dow
was born. He was the
founder of Dow Jones &
Company.
1861: Jefferson Davis was
elected as the president of
the Confederacy in the U.S.
1952: The first hydrogen
bomb was exploded at Eni
wetok Atoll in the Pacific
Ocean.
1989: United States gov
ernment officials unfroze
$567 million in Iranian as
sets in hopes of freeing
hostages.
Toronto course set for summer
ALLI HEITZENRATER
humanities writer
Unfortunately, most Ameri
cans' knowledge of Canada
comes from the flapping heads
and block wheels of South
Park.
Fortunately, for those among
Behrend students interested in
going beyond the stereotypes of
mainstream society is a new
course intended to educate stu
dents in relations between
Canada and the United States.
PLSC 299/499 North Ameri
can politics is a three-credit
course that students are now
able to take while studying
abroad at Ryerson University in
Toronto, Canada between May
9 and June 5, 2010. The course
satisfies the political science
major or minor at any Penn
State campus, and require
ments in some majors for an
Education Abroad component
which includes the interna
tional business major at Penn
State Behrend.
The course is being co-taught
by Dr. Robert Speel, associate
professor of Political Science at
Behrend and a political science
professor from Ryerson Univer
sity. If students should choose
to complete this course, they
will be in the classroom with
students from Ryerson Univer
sity. Penn State students' per
formances in the class will be
graded by Speel.
"The course focuses on the
comparative politics of the
United States and Canada and
tilizililAillaiilrd
Dr. Loss teaching class for 16 years
Loss, professor of
English and American
Studies, has taught
his extremely popular
class, American Stud
ies 105: American Pop
Culture and Folklife
Dr. Archie Loss, for 16 years. Loss is
Professor of the only professor on
English. campus who teaches
the course. For the
spring 2010 semester, there are two sec
tions being offered. Loss will also be teach
ing one section of English 202 D, one
POLITICAL SCIENCE
A glimpse
Students meet
with alumni,
community
political leaders
ANDREW TARR
humanities writer
For a few lucky political sci
ence students, their futures in
an uncertain job market might
be getting a little more con
crete.
Penn State Behrend's Politi-
boabut!
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To write for the
on international relations be
tween the two countries," says
Speel.
Topics will include the com
parison of the development of
separate political cultures in
the two countries, comparisons
of government institutions,
Aion systems, federalism,
regionalism, and compar
es of each country's policy
- oaches toward the econ
health care, gun control,
;-sex marriage, language,
speech, abortion, and the
of religion in public life.
The class begins the week
.!r the spring semester's fi
ts week, and meets 14 times
a four week period from 2
m. to 5 p.m. Weekends will
lo be free, giving students
to go sightseeing around
local Toronto area.
Penn State students taking
course will reside in the In
►ational Learning Living
)ter on Ryerson University's
Penn State students will live at the International Learning Living Center on Ryerson University's campus in
ALLI HEITZENRATER
humanities ssiiter
Dr. Archie Loss
has been teaching his
class on American
cultures almost as
long as his course
covers.
into their political futures
cal Science Advisory Board,
which consists of prominent
community leaders and Penn
State Behrend Alumni, will
convene at the Logan House on
Nov. 11. Several students as
well as a few full-time political
science professors are invited
to the event.
Political science professors
John Gamble, Robert Speel,
Christopher Cook, Zachary
Irwin, and Celise Schneider will
represent Behrend's faculty at
the luncheon.
"The purpose of the board is
two-fold," says Dr. Robert
Speel, associate professor of
section of English 484, and one section of
English 494.
The American Studies class dives into
the analysis of the historical significance of
America in the 1960's which includes, but
is not limited to, the music/pop culture
scene, Vietnam War, technological ad
vances, and family/home life.
Additionally, there is also a heavy em
phasis on the music and media. Musical
artists discussed by Loss include The Bea
tles and Bob Dylan. One of the two texts
used in the class is Loss' own book, Pop
Dreams: Music, Movies, and Media in the
American 19605.
Loss himself has been a professor here
at Penn State Behrend for nearly 35 years.
In addition, the three credit course satisfies
General Humanities and United States Cul
ture.
This very popular class includes guest
speakers and movies. Films featured are
Easy Rider, The Graduate, Rebel Without a
A group of experts: The Political Science Advisory Board includes local
politicians, community leaders, and more. Its members include:
• Troy Frederick (far left), an attorney and Penn State Behrend alumnus;
• Sister Joan Chittister(left), author, columnist, public speaker, and co
chair of the UN Global Peace Initiative of Women;
• John Trucilla (right), judge and former Assistant U.S. Attorney;
• Christopher Mong, Pa. Dept. of Community and Economic Development
• Wendy Noble-Sidefinger, legislative assistant to Jane Earll (R-49)
• John Falcone, Attorney, Erie County Judge, Behrend alumnus
• Barbara Welton, Attorney, Member of PSB Council of Fellows
downtown Toronto campus. To
take the course and participate
in the Education Abroad pro
gram, students will need to fill
out application forms, pay a
200 dollar non-refundable de
posit and pay Penn State tuition
for three credits next summer.
Local attorney and Penn
State Behrend alumna Barbara
Welton made a donation.
Thanks to her, the first ten
students to submit ap
plication forms and
the 200 dollar
deposit and
have their
applica
tions ac
cepted will
not need to
pay any ad
ditional
money to
ward the
cost of the
Toronto
residence
political science at Behrend.
"First, for the political sci
ence faculty to get suggestions
and advice about programs and
outreach efforts. The faculty
can seek support from the advi
sory board in publicizing polit
ical science program initiatives
and events to broaden the com
munity.
"Second, to meet with
Behrend student political sci
ence advisers about careers
and internships available to stu
dents."
The meeting is intended to be
an opportunity for students to
meet with the Political Science
for a month.
Applications are available at
the Learning Resource Center
and Speel's office - 159 Kochel.
If students are interested and
have questions, contact Ruth
Pflueger at the Learning Re
source Center or Speel.
Cause, and Apocalypse Now. Loss brings in
a guest speaker who was a student at Kent
State University in Kent, Ohio during the
time of the legendary Kent State shootings.
Before the class became as popular as it
is today, Loss' class was mainly pure lec
ture. However, now that the class has
gained in size, student demand, and popu
larity. Small group leaders are led by up
perclassman students who have completed
the course.
The groups meet every few weeks, dis
cuss what is currently being taught in class
and assist the students as well as Doctor
Loss. The small group leaders also led the
discussion and help the students in their
groups apply what they are learning to
their lives today.
Loss has been one of the very few profes
sors to teach this class, and one of the very
few professors on campus to teach a single
class for so long.
Advisory Board members and
vice versa. The board members
can offer a great amount of ad
vice about internships opportu
nities, career goals, graduate
and law schools, and how to
look for jobs.
The meeting will also include
a group discussion regarding
how students can get more in
volved with politics around the
community and how the corn
munity can engage our stu
dents more in political issues.
Sciences
Pop Chart:
Country Chart:
What's hot
this week:
"Party In The•U.S.K
Miley Cyrus.
The Time of Our Lives
Zac Brown Band.
The Foundation
Rock Chart:
"Check My Brain"
Alice in Chains.
Black Gives Way to Blue
Hip Hop/R&B Chart:
"Pretty Wings"
Maxwell.
BLACKsummernights
Album:
Various Artists
Twilight: New Moon Sound
track
Message From
The Editor:
Based off of the recent
elections around the Erie
area, it has become clear
that now more than ever all
of our votes matter. With
the battle for County Execu
tive coming down to the
roughly 11,000 absentee bal
lots that were cast, Barry
Grossman and Mike Kerner
are still waiting to see who
has won the election.
Grossman holds a slim lead
of around 300 votes. 300.
That's not a large number
given the size of our county.
So if you have ever thought
that voting isn't a big deal,
or it doesn't matter, you're
wrong. When our genera
tion gets involved in politics
and votes, officials will actu
ally listen to us and our
needs. But until then, we
will continue to go unheard.
ADAM SPINELLI
Humanities and Social
Sciences Editor
Corrections:
Two weeks ago we pub
lished an article about Dr.
Christofferson's recent trip
to France. He went over to
France because of his book.
As the editor of the Human
ities and Social Sciences
page, my name was put on
the article by mistake. And
as much as I am more than
willing to claim responsibil
ity for as many things as
possible here, I did not write
the article. The article was
written by humanities writer
Alli Heitzenrater. We are
sorry for the confusion and
hope that Alli will continue
to write for us, despite me
taking her articles.
"Toes"