the Penn State-Behrend APRIL 17,1986 SGA executives take office ",::+~'~" ;,cam "x ; ~~,~ ERRE MS= SGA President, Doug Gainor TV makes two-way course possible at Behrend University Relations—Students at Penn State-Behrend College in Erie are watching a lot of TV this semester. Compressed TV, that is. An advanced telecommunications link known as a T-1 carrier and a new way of transmitting video are allowing students 200 miles away from their agriculture professor to ask and answer questions in class, in what is thought to be the first higher education use of the system. "Penn State has long been described as one university geographically dispersed. This new system. makes that statement relevant in a new and exciting way," says Marlowe Froke, general manager of the University Division of Media and Learning Resources. The T-1 system and the compressed video technology are provided by Penn State's new Office of Telecommunications as the first prototype project in what is planned to be a statewide network linking all of the University's campus locations. Gary C. Schultz, administrative director of the office, explains that "our mission is to develop a communications system for Penn State that integrates telephone, data and video communications to enhance the administrative and instructional effectiveness of the University's faculty and staff." The T-1 circuit currently brings Agriculture 100, a career and educa tion planning class for underclassmen, to Behrend College. The course originates from Universtiy Park, and is taught by Phil Bucher, assistant director of placement services. Through the use of television monitors, 26 University Park students share the period with four Behrend students for a common classroom experience. Both groups of students can simultaneously see, hear and interact with one another as the instructor gives his lecture, answers questions raised at either campus and assigns homework. Video images and voice impulses sent through telephone lines are projected onto a classroom TV monitor. The T-i system uses faster telecommunication lines—T-1 lines—which were developed by AT&T in 1958, but not publicly used until 1983. The lines transmit voice, video and date messages about twenty-four times faster than ordinary phone lines. To date, users of the T-1 have been banks, brokers, insurers and other service companies that transmit huge volumes of information quickly. But at Penn State, "The video aspect of the T-1 system opens up new and vast instructional opportunities for students at Behrend College and University Park," says Jack Burke, Behrend associate provost. "We can utilize the expertise of the University Park faculty— particularly in graduate instruction—and they can utilize our talented STATION ROAD, ERIE, PA 16563 continued on page 2 ollegian April 7 and 8 marked the 1986-87 Student Government elections. Doug Gainor edged Alene Rhode for the Student Govern ment Assocation presidential position. Gainor won the race by about 50 votes said incumbent president Doug Gerow. I was glad to see most of the of fices having competition," Gerow said. About 15 percent of the student population participated in voting. Newly elected officers begin serv ing on May 11. Results are as follows: Doug Gainor—Student Govern ment President Jim Stenger--Student Govern ment Vice-President Ed Bailey—Resident Senator Mike Shanshala—Resident Senator Marilyn Lamore—Resident Senator Dallas Jacobs—JßC President Hank Purefoy--JRC Vice- President Congress's higher ed act struggles ahead WASHINGTON, D.C. (CPS)— Some call it akin to "putting socks on an octopus," some call it fear, but by any description the government is having a terrible time fashioning a Higher Educa tion Reauthorization Act of 1986. Which once was supposed to be called the Higher Education Reauthorization Act of 1985. "The climate is different this time," says Dallas Martin of the political struggle over the all important bill that will, sooner but probably later, set American higher education policy through the rest of the decade. Martin, head of the National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators, ought to know. The widely respected educator virtually wrote the Higher Education Reauthoriza tion act of 1980, timed to expire last Oct. 1, himself. Congress is supposed to pass such acts every five years, to "reauthorize" the giant federal student and college aid programs established in the original Higher Education Act of 1985. And when it • reauthorized the programs, it sets maximum funding levels for the next five years. Educators don't hesitate to stress its importance. Judy Wolfe--ICC President Daryll Hill—Student Program ming Council President Janet O'Hare—Student Pro- John Pugliano--Commuter gramming Council Vice-President Senator Lori Rogosky--Commuter Ken Gornic—Commuter Coun- Senator cil President "It provides a road map" for Congress and colleges, says Bob Aaron of the National Associa tion of State Universities and Land-Grant Colleges. "It establishes what each party -federal government, state, col lege and fancily—(in the college business) is responsible for," he adds. And the Reagan administration thinks it's a chance to bring con servative reform to the campuses, to pull the federal government out of higher ed and leave it where the reformers believe it belongs: in the states. But, as the Count von Bismarch The Senate proposal, recently suggested, the process of creating out of committee, would trim a Higher Education Reauthoriza- about $2 billion from the present tion Act of 1985 hasn't been authorization of $11.7 billion for pretty. continued on page 4 inside this issue April 19 & 20 marks symposium on women and blacks p. 3 The Children's Hour staged p. 7 ROTC Rangers go air borne p. 10 Men's baseball p. 11 VOLUME XXXIV NUMBER 13 Cindy Clark--Commuter Senator Mark Mann--Commuter Senator On March 3, for example, a Senate committe finally passed a version of a bill it first began pondering in 1984_ And what the Reagan ad ministration promised would be a meaningful, long-overdue philosphical debate about higher ed has turned into just another budget argument that, some say, the administration hasn't even bothered to attend. Martin says the process has been more fiscal than philosophical. "There's a strong deficit consciousness from Con gress and the public."
Significant historical Pennsylvania newspapers