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*Z~ Collegian
April 28,1988
Freshmen Survey Results
by Maria Plaza
Collegian News Editor
The average Behrend freshman
wants to make a lot of money, likes
to drink beer, and feels Penn State’s
academic reputation is important
These are just a few results from a
survey taken of last fall’s entering
freshmen.
The survey was taken by first
time, full-time freshmen during
orientation last fall. This is the
twelfth year that Behrend has
participated in the survey sponsored
by the American Council on
Education and the Graduate School
of Education at the University of
California at Los Angeles. A total
of 562 institutions participated in
the survey this year.
"Being very well off financially"
was essential or very important to
79.9% of the respondents. Similar
percentages showed "getting a better
job” and "making more money" as
other reasons important in deciding
to go to college. Fewer students felt
the same way about "developing a
philosophy of life" (36.6%) or
"helping others in difficulty"
Local Briefs
Commission on Women A meeting of the Commission on
Women faculty, staff and student body groups will begin at 5 p.m. on
Thursday, April 28 in the Reed Seminar Room.
Erie Art Museum 65th Annual Spring Art Show now in
progress. On May 4, artist Lisa Lichtenfels will present a lecture on her
soft, sculpture figures at 11:30 run. and 7-p.ni. Admission is $4; 54.50
for lunch (following the 11:30 lecture). Call for;.more
information-. -. ' ' ' * -
Grant Deadline May 1 is the filing deadline for all students
seeking to renew their aid from the Pennsylvania State Grant Program.
Individuals seeking aid for the first time and planning to enroll in
budiness or trade schools, hospital schools of nursing, or two-year
vocational (non-transferable) programs at community or Junior colleges
have until Aug. 1 to file their state grant applications.
Keystone Games Any amateur Pennsylvania athlete is eligible
to compete at these games at one of over 200 locations. For more
informaton call toll-free 1-800-445-4559 or write to the Keystone State
Games, 31 S. Hancock St, Wilkes-Barre, PA 18702.
Legacy of Music When Juno Almhagen Geiger passed away last
year, she left music as her legacy.
Her gift of a Bosendorfer grand piano to Behrend has made the Geiger
estate one of the major supporters of the college's musical and cultural
programs, according to Dean Lilley.
"Our students will benefit in so many ways from the music created
by such a wonderful instrument," said Lilley.
Geiger was an antique collector, piano teacher, a former member of
the board of directors of the Erie Philharmonic Orchestra, a former
conductor of the State Theater Orchestra, and the director of the
Almhagen Orchestra for fifty years.
Quality Control Insitute Conference The spring
1988 conference is scheduled for Tuesday, May 17. Quality-control
specialists from companies throughout northwestern Pennsylvania will
share their insights into issues facing quality management
professionals. The conference, titled "Quality Management and
Methods," is sponsored by Penn State Behrend, the Erie Section of the
American Society for Qualty Control and the Erie Excellence Council.
The program has been developed by the staff of the Quality Control
Institute.
(49.6%).
Engineering was by far the most
popular career choice. Over a quarter
of the students, mostly males,
reported wanting a career in that
field. Fourteen percent of the males
planned on majoring in electrical or
electronic engineering. The most
popular major among females was
accounting, with 11.4% choosing
that as their probable major.
Over 70% admitted to drinking
beer during the past year and 36.2%
percent spent between six and
sixteen hours a week partying.
Refreshingly, only 7.6% claimed to
be smokers.
Thirty percent of the entering
freshmen admitted to cheating on
tests. Another survey taken of
Behrend students (freshmen through
seniors) showed that 45% have
cheated on an exam since coming to
Behrend.
Although 11.8% of the
respondents reported feeling
overwhelmed during the past year,
only 6.7% (mostly females) said
they'd been depressed. Nearly 60%
rated themselves above average in
academic ability, but only half
STATION ROAD, ERIE, PA 16563
expected to be satisfied with college
and over 90% had been bored in
class.
Fifty-nine percent considered
themselves politically "middle-of
the-road." Just over 23% said they
were liberal or far left. Eighteen
percent claimed to be conservative
or far right
.While 67% felt the government
wasn't doing enough to protect
consumers, only 15.3% considered
influencing political structure
important.
On a similar note, less than a
third knew the freedoms in the Bill
of Rights and another third had no
interest in learning them.
While most responses from
Behrend students were similar to
those of students around the nation,
there was some interesting
differences, especially concerning
reasons for choosing a college and
minority students.
For example, when asked why
they selected this college, 72.7% of
Behrend freshmen said the school’s
"good academic reputation" was
very important, and 61.7% reported
that "graduates get good jobs" was
Michaek Dukakis: He asked for
Erie's support and he got it.
Photo by Marybeth Zawistoski
Minority issues: Resignation and Assesment
by Holly Lew
Collegian News Editor
Last Fall, Vera Lee Byrd was
hired as a Minority Student
Programs Counselor. Early this
month, Byrd resigned from the
position, without warning, for
personal reasons which she has not
yet formally declared.
A search committee, including
three student representatives selected
by president of Behrcnd's
Association of Black Collegians,
Renee Stafford, has been appointed
to find a replacement before classes
resume in the Fall of 'B9.
The minimum qualifications of
the Minority Counselor are a
Master’s Degree, or equivalent, in
counseling, and student personnel
administration or related field work
27th annu
Students and Faculty Honored
by Holly Lew
Collegian News Editor
At the 27th annual Honors and
Awards ceremony held Sun. April
17 in the Reed Lecture Hall, 250
awards were presented to students
and faculty.
Over 125 Honor Certificates, 50
Scholarships, and Academic,
Athletic and Special Service Awards
were presented to students in
addition to three Faculty Awards.
The Penn State-Behrcnd Council
of Fellows Faculty Research and
Excellence in Teaching Awards
went to Drs. Archie Loss and
Robert Tauber, respectively.
The Guy W. Wilson Award for
Excellence in Advising went to
John Gamble.
important in selecting Penn State.
In comparison, average results for
all colleges surveyed showed that
only 50.4% of the freshmen selected
their college on the basis of "good
academic reputation" and only
44.3% on "graduates get good
jobs."
Behrend results also differed in
the number of minority students.
Nine-two percent of Behrend’s
freshmen are Caucasian, nearly 10%
higher than average for all four-year
public colleges. Blacks make up
14% of the freshman class at the
average four-year public college, but
only 5% of Behrend’s freshman
class.
Behrend also had a higher than
average percentage of Roman
Catholic students: 45.2% as
compared to 33.9%. When the
students were asked their religion,
"None", with 11.8%, was second to
Roman Catholicism, followed
closely by Methodist, with 11.6%
response.
Six hundred and fifty-two
freshmen, 86% of the class,
responded to the survey.
plus one to two years of effective
experience.
According to the Penn Stale job
description, Byrd's primary function
as Minority Counselor was the
development and administration of
campus programs aimed at retaining
minority and other students.
Byrd's responsibilities included
maintaining contact with students,
faculty, etc. regarding Student
Affairs for the minority Student,
serving as a primary resource for
minority student retention
programs, activities, problems, etc.,
and providing a variety of services
to assist minority students with
educational and vocational
problems.
In addition to serving as a
general advisor, the minority
see Byrd Resigns pg. 2
A complete list of award:
presented can be obtained from tin
Office of Student Services located
on the 2nd floor of the Reed Unio:
Building.
Behrend's officer Todd
Allan receives an award
from Assistant to Dean
of Student Services
John Downey, during
the honors and awards
on April 17th
Photo by Marybeth Zawisto.
JUN 2 0 2001
O&fIEND COLLEGE
library
.3%
D C C+ B-
Average high schools grades of
incoming Behrend freshmen
Jesse Jackson: Full of inspiring
rhetoric, but short on votes.
Photo by Rick Cain
by Holly Lew
Collegian News Editor
Early this month, Irvin A.
Lewis of the U.S. Department of
Education's Office of Civil Rights
(OCR) conducted a site visit here to
assess the University's progress
since 1983 in reaching goals set
forth for Equal Opportunity.
Although Penn State has had an
Affirmative Action Office since
1973, Pennsylvania passed a
desegregation act for the entire state
of Pa. in 1983.
Since the desegregation act was
state-wide the assessment conducted
by the OCR will also be state-wide,
and results may be two years in
coming. According to the Provost’s
Office the OCR conducted an
assessment in Delaware involving
Volume XXXVI, No. 14
6.6 % 6.6%
three institutions of higher
education and it took a year and a
half to compile results.
According to U.S. Department
of Labor regulations, "an institution
that is a prime contractor ... to the
federal government with a contract
of $50,000 or more and 50 or more
employees must develop and file an
affirmative action compliance plan."
An affirmative action
compliance plan is a "written
blueprint that specifies the positive
efforts necessary to achieve equal
opportunity through affirmative
action and nondiscrimination."
Penn State's Affirmative Action
Office, in University Park, is
responsible for coordinating the
development, implementation, and
assurance that the University is
See Affirm. Action pg. 2
7.6% 6.8%
B B+ A- A