BEHREND BEACON
October 1, 2010
www.thebehrendbeacon.com
Use of OrgSync PSB
grows within clubs
ALEX LEY
At the start of the new
school year, Behrend students
returned to find a new com
munication
OrgSync. OrgSync is an Inter
net based communication tool
that is meant to be a "one stop
shop" for clubs and organiza
tions. The website can do
everything from managing at
tendance at meetings to being
a central
location
for consti
tutions
and other
important
docu-
To join OrgSync:
1. Log on to
www.orgsync-com
2. akk'sregister in the
top right of the page
3. Type "Behrend" into
the quick search box
4. alderegister
5. Fill in personal
ments.
Nu-
merous
clubs and
organiza
tions used
similar
features
on the al
ready ex
isting
ANGEL
course
informatkm.
6. Enter a profile
pkture and/or
expand your own
personal info as
much as you want.
7. Click loin an Or( at
the top of the page.
8. Find the dubs you
belong to, X pick
an interesting one
and joint
manage
ment sys-
tern, yet
are finding
that
OrgSync
could be
much more efficient for their
needs. While ANGEL does
allow for communication,
document viewing, keeping
record of attendance and
meeting minutes, OrgSync
does have many other fea
tures that are useful. So, how
does it work?
Any Behrend student can
register on OrgSync in a mat
ter of minutes. By providing
basic contact information, the
students can begin "joining"
clubs and organizations. Stu
dents then receive notifica
tions on all upcoming events,
important dates, and how to
get in contact with fellow club
members. OrgSync boasts
two notable features that its
predecessor, ANGEL, does
not: one central personal cal
endar with all upcoming
events and mass cell phone
texting.
Adam Fracassi, President of
the Political Science Society
believes that "...It is a great
way to organize everything
for our group in one place. It
is easier to use than ANGEL
because everything is to
gether. I think if the presi
dents of all the other clubs use
it, OrgSync will be very useful
ASB prepares for spring 11
TASHIMA MITCHELL
staff writer
ASB is still standing and
going strong
Making differences in peo
ple's lives, developing un
breakable bonds and
overcoming obstacles, defines
The Alternative Spring Break
group.
"The Alternative Spring
Break is a trip for students to
do something different and
possibly productive with their
spring break", says Kylie Pe
ters who has been on the
planning committee for two
years.
"Our planning committee is
a hard working, creative
- 'n of dents from
and popular at Behrend."
Chanel Easley, President of
the Multi Cultural Council
also sees a great future for
OrgSync.
staff writer
"I think once the transition
period is over, and all of the
clubs have a better under
standing of what it can do,
OrgSync will be extremely
useful."
medium,
One feature that Easley sees
being useful is the calendar.
"OrgSync's calendar is so
convenient for anyone who
participates in multiple organ
izations. All of the dates and
events for each club are lo
cated on one calendar, which
makes things easy for stu
dents."
OrgSync provides a transi
tion for returning Behrend
students. However, the fresh
man class has the potential to
hit the ground running with
the new online resource.
"The only problem now is
that it is new and the older
students don't quite under
stand OrgSync. This fresh
man class is the first to see
this new system. When they
are seniors, everyone will be
use to it and it will become the
norm as ANGEL is now,"
Cody Brown, Interfraternal
Council President believes.
Caleb Rogers, President of
the Lion Entertainment Board
and Kappa Delta Rho Frater
nity can make great use of
OrgSync's distinct features.
"Some of the features of
OrgSync that I really see
being more useful over time
are things like the real-time
accounting system, the mass
text messaging, the commu
nity calendar, the web-based
fundraising application, and
the web site interface," says
Rogers.
As for Chapter uses of the
new resource, Rogers says,
"For Kappa Delta Rho we use
OrgSync quite a lot because it
allows us to post forms online
for our members to fill out
and we are also able to keep
our alumni more informed
about what the Chapter is
doing since they are able to
register with the website as
any of us are currently."
As OrgSync gains a better
understanding among student
life at Behrend, the way we
communicate could change
dramatically. Whether you are
the President of an organiza
tion or a first-time member,
OrgSync has the tools you
need to be a successfully ac
tive member at Penn State
Behrend.
omores to seniors who have
all participated in past alter
native spring break trips and
are dedicated to making this
coming trip the best it can be."
The students who partici
pate in ASB get a rewarding
feeling and a sense that they
are giving back to the commu
nity. While the Alternative
group is out of town, they do
a lot of community work.
"We do humanitarian work
so that we can impact peo
ple's lives in a positive way,"
said Amy Hudson who has
been on the ASB committee
for the last three years and
will be attending her third trip
this year.
"Our group believes that
something as simple as: recon.
interested
TOBY KELLER
For some, life on campus
can turn out more than a de
gree: it can incite college
pride, making experience at
the university a more than en
joyable lifestyle.
The unique houses that are
found along Jordan Road are
residences that coexist on
campus. Many question the
reason for their locale and na
ture of their inhabitance, and
they have gone all but unno
ticed. For the residents of
these dwellings, life on cam
pus is an everyday occurance.
These homes, though, could
represent an area of future ex
pansion for the school.
"When the people are ready
[to sell], then we're interested,
but we're not pressuring
them," said Ken Miller, Direc
tor of Student Affairs. "As they
become available, we're not
aggressively pursuing, but
when and if they make that
decision, we'll start planning.
"However, we're not going
to go out and buy property
just for the sake of buying. It
Behrend
CONNOR SATTELY
editor-in-chief
Penn State Behrend was
heavily represented at the In
ternational Coastal Cleanup
(ICC) this weekend in Erie.
Groups from Greener
Behrend, the Center for Serv
ice, Residence Life, Campus
Ministries, a BI SCI 003
course, and Gamma Sigma
Sigma service sorority.
Ann Quinn, the advisor for
new student organization
Greener Behrend and an or
ganizer of the Greener
Behrend Task Force, says that
The Behrend Beacon
Behrend was represented by some affiliated group at seven out of fifteen cleanup sites this weekend.
Dots represent a worksite; astericks represent sites that had groups from Penn State Behrend.
structing a porch or sanding
down walls can make a differ
ence in someone's life."
In the past, ASB has suc
cessfully helped with the re
construction of housing in
Gulf Port, MS and New Or
leans, LA. According to Hud
son, this year they will be
rebuilding houses, which
ranges from putting tile on the
floors to sanding down and
painting the outside of a
house. After work, and re
flecting about their experi
ence, they then are able to go
site seeing.
"The trip isn't all work, it's
still spring break," say's Pe
ters.
lan Mcginnity is the coordi
nator of community service
and the Smith Chapel. He
feels that he will benefit ASB
because he can bring a differ
ent perspective to the group,
since he is new to Behrend
and has been to Phoenix and
helped with poverty issues.
"My goal is for every stu
dent to have a meaningful ex
perience. I have no doubt that
we will have a successful year.
With the A.S.B committee, the
driven students, and the fac
ulty and staff that will guide
us, we will definitely have a
wonderful trip", say's Hud
son.
Only time can tell how this
years A.S.B group trip will be,
but with their determination
and willpower, they will suc
ceed.
has to be reasonable. The
market value could be too
much and we won't want it."
stall' tvriter
While the campus continues
to expand, seeking additional
room for classes, student liv
ing, a fine arts center, a new
stadium and separate fitness
center, these houses remain
perfectly intact.
Three of the four houses are
privately owned. The brick,
ranch style home that sits fur
thest back from the road is
owned by Penn State Behrend
and supports the Susan Hirt
Center for Organization Re
search and Effectiveness, the
CORE research evaluation
and development base for
teen pregnancy prevention
providers.
What houses? The ones on Jordan Road that you walk past every day.
Who owns them? 3/4 privately owned; one owned by research center
Why do they matter? They could represent future expansion space.
Why are they placed there? When Mary Behrend first donated land to
Penn State, that part of the land was actually a decent walk away from
the "center" of the campus. As Behrend expanded towards where the
Junker Center now sits, the campus eventually enveloped the houses.
Will Behrend pay millions? No - PSB will shoot for market value.
leads at
the event had a tremendous
turnout from groups across
the campus.
"This effort was driven by
so many groups," she said,
"and the work is just so im
portant."
International Coastal
Cleanup, led by the nonprofit
organization Ocean Conser
vancy, is a worldwide effort to
clean up the world's coast
lines. According to the organi
zation's website, more than a
half-million people from 100
countries take part.
At Erie, students and com
munity members who were
in Jordan Rd. Houses
The yellow house highest
on the hill is home to Ben
jamin Lane and his wife Car
olyn. Mr. Lane is considered
a pioneer of the university; he
was an English teacher, Dean
of Students and Head of Ad
missions in his career at
Behrend. When he began
teaching, his home was far
from campus- Glennhill Farm
house, Lawerence, Perry, Ni
agara and the Science
buildings were the center hub
and outer limits. Now, they sit
amidst new structures on the
backbone of the campus, right
at the main nerve—the Reed
Union Building.
Dr. Ken Miller, Director of
Student Affairs, said he has
often seen Mr. Lane out on
Quick hits: Jordan Road Houses
present at one of the cleanup
sites picked up trash, cleaned
the surroundings, and took
part in a worldwide effort to
help the environment.
In Erie, there were 15 sites -
groups affiliated with
Behrend participated in
Quinn not only encouraged
her organization to attend,
but also brought students
from her class, and from a
civic community class she co
teaches.
"A big tenet of what I be
lieve is service," said Quinn.
"You can do all of the research
coastal
News
nice days conversing with stu
dents.
"They love being there, they
love seeing students," he said,
"They love being in the mid
dle of things."
The house right below, be
tween the CORE and Mr. and
Mrs. Lane, is owned by Evelyn
Barber. Her husband passed
away in Aug. of 2009. Mr.
Louis W Balmer was one of
the first 12, full-time faculty
members. As a chemistry
professor here, he taught for
nearly three decades. There
is now a scholarship in their
name.
Denise and Audrey Menges
own the fourth house along
Jordan Road. Jerry Ross,
President of the Greater Erie
Boating Association resides
on Old Station Road, before
the Junker Center driveway.
These old houses stand as a
constant reminder of the uni
versity's past, and the land on
which they sit could play an
integral part in the expansion
that is surely part of
Behrend's future.
cleanu
you want, you can do all the
studying you want, but service
is such an important part of
being a student."
Why, then, choose to help
the environment?
"Two reasons: first, it's
beautiful," said Quinn. "The
walk down to Four Mile Creek
is just unbelievable. You walk
on that path down there, and
it's just stunning.
"Second, when you do work
like this, you get to see that
it's preventable. There's a lot
of things that are going on
that you can't reach out and
clean up, like air pollution.
But we got seven bags of recy
clables and eight bags of trash
just in the mile and a half of
Four Mile that we covered."
Penn State Behrend's
kl'oups' and 'classes clealtitid . o
seven sites:-Presque Isle State
Park, Upper Mill Creek, Mc-
Dannell Run, Lower Four Mile
Creek, Upper Four Mile
Creek, Seven Mile Creek, and
Shade's Beach. The cleanup
sites stretched from Lake City
to beyond North East.
Greener Behrend, which be
came an official student or
ganization just last spring
semester, sent many of its stu
dents out, and is planning
more cleanups before winter.
International Coastal
Cleanup is in its 25th year,
and Penn State Behrend has
been participating for the last
four years.