retti
Volume XXIV No. 10
Keeping steady pace
SGA determined
By Paul A. Corbran
Editor-in-Chief
The SGA has kept a steady
• pace,. in the weeks following
Christmas break. Though there
isn't the hard driving attitude of
the beginning of the term, there is
still the air of determination to
• finish work on the specific goals
illustrated at that time.
This week's meeting was called
to order on Monday at 7:40 p.m.
Mike Woods made some com
ments • on a number of
organizations who now have their
funds impounded because of not
UP dorm procedures
A new procedure for assigning
students to University Park
residence halls, giving all
categories of student applicants
equal opportunity for the spaces
available, was announced last
month by Pennsylvania State
University officials, the plan to be
effective next Fall. --
Ralph E. Zilly, vice-president
for business, and Dr. Raymond 0.
Murphy, vice-president for
student affairs, also outlined a
plan to increase residence halls
capacity by 1,000 spaces, the
increase to be accomplished by
ecnvertiag certain residence hall
areas into student living facilities
and by assigning three students to
the larger double rooms *and two
students to the larger single
rooms. .
Reduced rates for students
assigned to such rooms are
planned;Mr. Zilly said.
. The new assignment system
was developed after a detailed
study by University officials and
student groups, the study
prompted by shortage problems,
that arose last Fall when more
than 15,000 students applied for
the 11,500 spaces available and
priority under the system then in
effect went to residence hall
occupants at University Park,
leaving little opportunity tor
transfer and other students.
After deducting spaces
reserved for freshmen, required
to live in residence halls, and
other designated groups, such as
sororities with suites in the
residence halls, the rooms will be
assigned in accordance with the
percentage of applicants in each
of four major groups. Priority
within each group will be deter
mined by the sequence of the
filing of the application.
The groups are students
currently living in the University
Park residence halls; Com
monwealth Campus, Behrend
College and Capitol Campus
students transferring to
University Park; students on
practicums, student teaching or
in foreign studies programs; and
students residing off campus, and
students returning from leaves of
absence.
Bhehrend students eligible for
change of assignment to
University Park for the Fall
Term 1976 may secure "Request
for Residence Hall Contract"
cards from the Records Office
(Main Building) beginning
Monday, January 12.
Students desiring room and
board information and contract
cards for University Park-
Campus should copi-plece a
an d it to the
request card-
University Park Assignment
Office.
On February 20, 1976, contract
cards and related information
will be - mailed from University
Published by the students of the Behrend College, Pennsylvania State University
complying with the non
discriminatory act, in their
constitutions. Anyone who has not
amended their constitution, and
presented it to the SGA, has, as of
now, no funds until they do so.
Jo Ann Brurxr, SGA Treasurer,
presented a new policy for
reimbursment of funds to
members on business trips. This
policy will apply to all members
of the SGA and organizations
sponsored by SGA.
Mike Woods again spoke up on
the Spring Arts festival and
getting a committee working on it
Park to each student who has
filed a request card as of that
date.
Beginning March 11, 1976,
contract cards with a $45.00
advance payment are to be filed
at a designated office on the
Behrend College campus. The
location of the office designated
will be posted in the Records
Office and the Reed Building TV
Lounge in advance of March 11.
Roommate requests can best
be honored if both students'
contracts are submitted together
as early as possible.
Consideration, for assignment
will be determined bythe date
contracts are validated.
Assignments will be processed in
that sequence as long as spate is
available.
If there are more contracts
Validated than spaces available,
student's will be notified no later
than April 16, 1976, that their
contract will be cancelled and the
$45.00 Advance Payment will be
refunded.
In the recent past, residence
space at University Park has
been in short supply. Students are
urged to submit a request card to
University Park as quickly as
possible. Current information on
procedures will be available at
all times in the Records Office.
Mark Twain at Behrend?
Coming - to Behrend on January 20 is 19 year old Scott L. Brown
who will perform an excellent character portrayal of Mark Twain.
(See Story page 3).
as soon as possible. All interested
people should contact Mike
Woods.orJay DiFrank.-;
Other topics touched upon were
the purchase of a new typewfiter
for the SGA office, a fund-raising
activity for PSL funding and the
free university. Mike McCarthy
also commented on the progress
on the Commuter Council. The
Commuter Council met after the
SGA meeting and decided to set
up booths in order to answer
questions and receive input from
the students. The council needs
student interest in order to
facilitate its institution.
In open business ; George
Spiegel dominated the floor by
making a motion on the establish
ment of a "Teacher of the Year"
award. There was some
discussion on the subject and the
motion was voted on and passed.
Mr. Spiegel, again, made a
motion that the SGA put a charge
of 5 cents on the Collegian. There
was some discussion on this and it
was decided that that motion be
tabled until more information
could be gathered_
The meeting was adjourned at
9:00p.m.
Message from the President
I,l)r.Joln . W.Oswald .
Penn State University
In the fall term I indicated that
from time to time I would ad
dress an open letter to our Penn
State student body concerning
matters in which students had
expreSsed particular interest.
Four topics which have been of
special concern recently will
,be
referred to today.
New Housing Policy
Student housing provided by
the University has been in great
demand in recent years and an
equitable method of selection for
housing assignment at University
Park has now been approved
which basically includes the
provisions recommended by
student groups. The proposed
Saxophone soloist
Frederick Hernke, classical saxophonist, will be appearing with
the Erie' Philharmonic String Orchestra at Behrend on Wednesday,
January 21.. (See story page 4): -
lottery system_ for applications,
will not be used but rather an
equitable opportunity for past
residents, for Commonwealth
Campus students, for new
students is provided. The plan is
based on a "first come, first
served" premise within
categories established in size by
number of applications.
Applications can be made at a
number of locations at University
Park and at all campuses. -The
system provides more certainty
and dependability for planning
than would a lottery. I commend
the very positive and productive
work of many students,
especially the representatives of
the Association of Residence Hall
Students, in working out the
complicated details of housing
assignment procedures. This has
been a most encouraging
example of cooperative effort on
the part of all persons and
agencies affecting decisions
important to students.
Academic Calendar
The calendar of classes is
another interest of special im
portance to students, and
discussion on this topic
throughout the University by
students, faculty, and ad
ministration has been thorough
and complicated. The primary
question regarding the calendar
centers on the retention of the
term system or changing to a
semester. When I came to Penn
State in 1970, many students
expressed concern about finishing
too late in June to secure summer
jobs, and in 1973 an adjustment
was made in the term calendar—
to open the 'academic year early
in the fall with students com
pleting the spring term by late
May.: This.-arrangeinent had a
- disadvantage of the winter term
being split by the holiday recess
in December; but indications are
that the longer the period of in
struction before the break, the
less the objection. I have now
taken into consideration the many
representations on the calendar
decision, including two con
tradictory reports of a University
Calendar Commission that
studied the matter for two years.
There is no consensus among the
faculty 'on the semester-term
issue but students have . over
Thursday, January 15, 1976
wheimingly stated preference ior
the term system. There appears
to be no conclusive evidence- of
over-all educational advantage to
either system; certain
curriculaand certain courses to
fit more advantageously to one or
the other. I have also carefully
reviewed the
.system to another,
two registrations instead of three,
and potential • teaching ad
justment costs. Essentially the
costs offset each other and the
financial factor is a stand-off.
Careful consideration has been
given to shutting down for a
winter period with either a
semester or term system but
though some facilities could be
closed with some savings in fuel
costs, other costs for research
and faculty would continue; and
further, any such long break in a
term calendar in the winter would
require an extension into June.
Given all these considerations I
informed the University Faculty
Senate Tuesday, December 9, of
my intentions to extend the
present term system for a five
year period beginning with the
summer term of 1977 and ex
tending to the fall of 1982. The
calendar will include the
following basic elements.
A) A term system as at present
B) The academic year opening
with fall registration and
orientation prior to Labor Day
with the first day of classes the
day after Labor Day.
C) The fall term completed
prior to Thanksgiving with the
winter term providing as close as
possible three weeks of in
struction prior to Christmas
break
D) The spring term ending
toward the middle of May with
Commencement in the last week
of May; and
E) In accordance with my
interpretation of the Senate action
regarding final examinations in
essentially all courses, there will
be a six-day period scheduled for
final examinations after each
term.
I told the Senate that I am in
tending to publish the new five
year calendar containing these
basic elements about April 1,
1976. I indicated to them that if
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