the Penn State-Behrend JANUARY 29, 1987 IBM Mainframe added to computer center University Relations--Penn State-Behrend became the first col lege in the country to receive an IBM 4381 mainframe through a computer loan . program from the IBM corporation when the system, one of the most modem in a line of high-tech hardware, was installed this month. The IBM 4381 came to Behrend through an agreement between the IBM corporation's ACIS (Academic Information Systems) computer loan program (a program which markets computer systems to colleges and Universities by offer ing "rent to own" packages) and Penn State University_ The 4381, which is the most advanced system in IBM's 4300 line, had, not been previously offered through the ACIS program. According to Dr. Jack Burke, associate provost and associate - dean of Penn State-Behrend, the computer, which is located in the Penn State-Behrend's General Electric Foundation Computer Center, will . provide the college's faculty and studetns with hands-on experience on one of the most up to-date and widely used mainframe systems in the country. "We're gaining an incredible amount of experience for our faculty and our students through the loan of the IBM 4381," ex- Graduate Research Center possible by Craig Altmire Collegian Staff Writer Erie's s corpgrate leaders are hop- Ting to see a world-class graduate research center at Penn State- Behrend within four years. The Erie Conference on Com munity Development, an organiza tion consisting of over 100 Cheif Executive Officers from the Erie area, beleives that development of such an institution at Behrend would aid in the revitalization of northwestern Pennsylvania's economy. According to the Con ference, the center would create new products and jobs as well as bring new firms to the area. Penn State's strategic plan for Behrend included the development of a graduate research center but the original plans called for a com pletion date in the year 2000. The University, is now hoping to "fast track" the plan. The "fast track" program calls for a comple tion date in 1991, nine years earlier than originally planned. If this target date is to be met, newly inaugurated Gov. Casey must pledge the state's financial support of the program within his first 100 days in office. As. one of Casey's major cam paign promises was the creation of new jobs in Pennsylvania, many supporters of the proposed Behrend facility are optimistic. According to Larry Klima, presi dent of the Erie Conference on Community Development, the con- Finding a home at University Park The 1987 Housing Fair University Park—The Housing Fair 4 87 is scheduled Feb. 6 and 7, 1987. This special weekend pro vides an opportunity, for students and their families to explore hous ing opportunities on the University Park campus of the Pennsylvania State University and in the adjacent State College community. The Fair will -be held in the Hetzel Union Building (HUB) Ballroom on cam pus from 9:00 am to 3:30 pm both days. plained Burke. "Right now, this is a minimal inviestment for Behrend. And it's one that I'm sure will pay off." In addition to the computer friendly experience the mainframe provides, there are financial benefits to the loan program, add ed Burke. "This way, the universi ty can determine whether or not a mainframe fits our needs at Behrend without making a blind in vestment," he said. As one of its on-going goals, Penn State University plans to in stall centrally-managed computing facilities in areas where they are needed. Behrend's loan of the IBM 4381 is the first step towared this goal, which was the first revealed in the university's Stategic Plan for Academic Computing, published earlier this year. If the computer, which will become central to the college's own computer system while it provides even greater access to the University-wide computer net work, proves its worth, the univer sity may purchase the mainframe. And that would mean a million dollar price tag on both the main frame's hardware and software. But considering the benefits the computer brings to the Erie college and to the Penn State System, the cost may be justified. According to ference has long supported the presence of a major research center in this region and members are-urg ing Gov. Casey to support the plan. Behrend was chosen - as - the-in stitution capable of developing the nationally recognized research and graduate programs needed to stimulate economic growth in the area because of its technologies programs and its link with Penn State."Behrend has access to na tional technologies that our in dustries need," said Klima. The graduate research research center would afford Behrend students many advantages. The center would expand Behrend's graduate programs, allowing undergraduate students more ex posure to research and education they may want to pursue after graduation. Behrend's reputation for quality education would be enhanced through the research and the facul ty conducting this research. The program would involve the recruit ment of world-class researchers. No specific areas of research have been identified, but the center's work will capitalize on cur rent research strengths of Penn State and will support the needs of northwestern Pennsylvania. Possible areas of research in clude: hardwood forest products and polymers; advanced-manufac turing methods; water chemistry; salt-related chemistry, and petrochemicals and glass technology. Rental agency representations will be available to discuss housing both on the University Park Cam pus and in the State College area. In addition, exhibitors from local transportations, utility, code and safety enforcement agencies, and commercial enterprises will com plete an overall view of the living environment in this Centre region of Pennsylvania. Saturday will be a special 'day, o e pan STATION ROAD, ERIE, PA 16563 the college's plan for the computer, students and faculty in Penn State- Behrend's Science, Engineering and Technology division will be us ing the computer in computer aided design and computer graphics courses. To further he college's research goals, engineering faculty will be using the mainframe for research in computational mechanics and the college will experiment with the in tstructional uses for the computer by linking a local area network in These men stand in the shadow of injustice . . . ABC program schedules celebrity author by Michele Miller Collegian Staff Writer "Early in the spring of 1750, in the village of Juffure, four days upriver from the coast of The Gambia, West Africa, a manchild was born to Omoro and Binta Kinte...the two wrinkled midwives, old Nyo Boto and tile baby's grandmother, Yaisa, saw that it was a boy and laughed with joy. According to the forefathers, a boy firstborn presaged the special bless ings of Allah not only upon the parents but also-upon the parents' families; and there was the prideful knowledge that the name Kinte would thus be both distinguished and perpetuated." And so begins Roots, a saga of Afro-American heritage as experienced by on fami ly. Twelve years were spent writing and researching its almost 600 with walking tours of University residence halls and bus tours through a variety of State College area rental complexes at 10:00 am, noon, and 1:30 pm. WRSC will broadcast live from the HUB Ballroom 11:00 am to 1:00 pm with prizes being awarded during the show. Housing Fair 'B7 is sponsored by the Student Services Division of Campus Life's Off Campus Pro- the computer center, mainframe. For the computer-literate at both Behrend and University Park, the mainframe provides a double bonus: access to both facilities at any time. But the main impact of the IBM 4381 on Penn State-Behrend comes from local business' and industry's use use of similar mainframes, as well as their need for an education resource center in the Erie area. Of Penn State's 22 campuses, the Behrend College was selected for pages. Its author, Alex Haley, will visit Behrend March 28 as part of a week-long cultural event. Spunsored by the Association of Black Collegians, the program, "Afro-American Culture: Here and Now," will consist of lecturs , Roots television series. Said ABC student director Greg Goldsmith, workshops and a viewing of the this is the second in a series of black culturalevents that began last year with Maya Angelu and the symposium on women and blacks. "A lot of peole are ignorant about black culture and we hope this pro gram will make people more aware... We want to enlighten and educate (the public)." Dr. Pearl Primus, international ly recognized scholar, dancer and anthropologist, will begin the week with a press conference March 22. The foremost authority on African (lance, she will lecture on the grams, with OTIS (Organization for Town Independent Students), ARHS (Association of Residence Hall Students), CCSG (Com monwealth Campus Student Government) and the Center for Assistance and Information Stu dent Counselors. For further information, See P.J. Brown in the Student Affairs or your Student Government Association Representative. the installation of the 4381 system because of the range of degree pro grams it offers and its emphasis on engineering, technology, science, business and research. Considering the collge's current T-1 Carrier two-way teleconferenc ing capabilities and the new main frame, Penn State-Behrend has the potential of becoming a major high-tech training source for Erie area business and industry. In addi tion to providing students with the training they need to land positions heritage of African culture in America after conducting a workshop that afternoon. Roots will be shown March 23-27 at 9:00 pm. Behrend professors (soon to be named) are scheduled to lead a discussion on the series Wednesday, March 25 from 7:30-9:30 pm. Haley's visit March 28 will cap what Goldsmith hopes to be a successful week. The author will discuss the role of blacks in America--the past as compared to the future and how much progress has been made. An emphasis on occurences since his best-selling book was written is ex pected to be included. Goldsmith explained the reason ing behind this massive project. "ABC felt we needed something like this because Behrend doesn't have black cultural events." What began as a vague idea (screening the Roots series) gained definition as club members brainstormed toward their goal: a clearer, more Inside this issue Congressman Ridge p. 2 Bookstore Addition P. 3 Let's Talk p. 4 Bury the Dead P. 5 Music Review P. 5 Behrend continues a tradition of giving p. Endless Summer P. 7 Behrend's Best P. 9 VOLUME XXXV, NUMBER 8 in top corporation, the college is focusing on the continuing educa tion needs of individuals who are already employed by these firms, "Our faculty wanted to give our students hands-on experience to take to their careers in business and industry," explained Burke: "So in addition to meeting our own research and educational needs, the IBM 4381 is allowing us to better meet the needs of Erie's business community. photo by RicA BrooAs See "Bury the Dead" page 5 precise understanding of black heritage and its place in today's society. Although ABC is the sponsoring club, additional funding was sup plied by the Minority Retention Fund. Haley and Primus' visits were arranged through Lordly and Dame, an agency which handles speakers and entertainers. The two were selected because they best represented the ideals club members wanted to stress and would lend a certain amount of authority to ABC's black awareness effort. "Since we had originally wanted to show Roots, Alex Haley was ob viously the best choice to explain what he was trying to communicate (through his book)," Goldsmith stated. As for Primus, they felt ,he would introduce new ideas and topics for thought which could, perhaps, broaden limited perceptions. continued on page 3
Significant historical Pennsylvania newspapers