pennState Thursday, September 15,1988 "Last Temptation" Controversy Hits Campus by James Martin The Last Temptation of Christ, a movie which has sparked controversy, boycotts and petitions across the country, may make its first local appearance at Behrend. The Round Table Society, a Behrend English-literary organization has made inquiries into the possibility of bringing the movie to Behrend, but have met with financial and ethical opposition. New Lot Built, Opened by Laura A. Weaver Collegian Staff Writer With the great influx of students onto the Behrend Campus this year, one of the greatest needs has been that of those persons who require parking space. Struggling to meet that need for parking space, a temporary parking lot has been constructed north of the apartments and south of Lawrence Hall. The parking lot was constructed to meet the needs of the multitude of students who have been forced to park illegally and will accomodate approximately fifty cars. The lot is open to. residential parking only. • Built at a cost of around 56,000, work got underway on Labor Day and was completed September 13. Due to the rain factor on Monday, there was a-slight delay in initial construction. When asked if there were any permanent parking facilities in the near future, John Ream, director of operations said, "We have made requests for some permanent parking lots." Hopefully these requests will come through and bring relief to commuter and resident students alike. Opening by Steve Decker Collegian Staff Writer The new book store, scheduled to open on October 6 and the recently completed Winter Garden are just one part of Reed Building renovation plans. The new book store has been plagued with delays that prevented a planned summer opening. "A book could be written on the delays that have taken place," said book store manager Robert MacDonald. The latest and, hopefully, last delay involves the store’s lighting system. The lights can't be finished until a supportive stem to hold them is delivered and installed. When the lights arc installed, MacDonald hopes to make the move on the weekend of September 17 and 18. The grand opening on October 6 will begin with a ribbon cutting ceremony and will include an autograph party featuring Bchrend authors. V° o sS> <? <*■ P ¥ ¥* ¥ v ■vp A ** The Behrend Jm College nm&r BHHm V J“JH MMI nu The movie, directed by Martin Scorsese, has been the subject of national controversy since its release by Universal Pictures. Based on the novel by Nikos Kazantzakis, Last Temptation has drawn the wrath of Christians across the country by painting Christ as a weak human plagued with doubts. Specific complaints concern Scorsese's love scenes between Christ and Mary Magdclinc, a prostitute who, according to the Bible, became a follower of Jesus. if . Us!? OH WHAT A FEELING! No this isn’t a Toyota are participating in Playfair activities. Playfair is an advertisement. These freshmen, and orientation leaders icebreaker that encourages new students get acquainted. ¥\ "I lounge, and a studio for WBCR, S 1 A 1 "V" O Behrend's radio station. The rub Desk and MAC The new book store, which is ™ c t hin * b * movcd t 0 , lhe two and a half limes the size of the Wulter ° ard< T n ’“ da present book store, will have a larger ‘ e . n *F housing Career Placement, gift line, more Penn State apparel, Dlv,Slon of Undergraduate Studies, and a trade book section with books P e / f SOnal counseling, Minority by Bchrcnd faculty and optional Affairs, and an interview room will reading material. In spite of all this, occupy their place. . MacDonald docs not expect a price ™ " ,th P nvate increase on any book store goods. Nicies will be built m the area near In addition to the new book store and Winter Garden, plans call for a£l I—. * 1 total renovation of the Reed flipl G Building's first floor, including new 11 U club offices, a counseling center, a At J study area, and commuter student ill O ¥“1 T mailboxes, are planned. 1/ U. V*- V/ JLJL 1/ "All the plans are drawn and we must now wait for University by K en Anderson funding, said Dean of Student Collegian Staff Writer Services Chris ' Reber. Since construction could begin thirty to sixty days after acceptance, the Dave Shields has been named as renovation could start by Christmas. Penn State-Behrend's new Assistant If the plans are accepted, the Dean of Student Services, replacing existing book store and lobby will Jamie Grimm. be transformed into office space and Shields graduated from a work area for student Youngstown State University in organizations, a new television 1983 with a bachelor's degree in criminal justice. He originally wanted to work for the FBI. However, as an undergraduate, Shields worked as an assistant to the coordinator of student organizations and activities at Youngstown State, and developed an interest in the field of student services. After receiving his masters from Bowling Green College in 1985, Shields began his first job at Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, as Director of Greek Life. After three years there, he decided to return to the field of student STATION ROAD, ERIE, PA 16563 The movie also paints Judas, the disciple who betrayed Jesus, as the strongest and best of the apostles. The apostle Paul is also cast in a negative light The primary criticisms, however, concern the movie's unfavorable presentation of Jesus. "They make him seem like a wimp,” said Sister Maria O’Connor of Campus Ministry. While Erie City Council has recommended by a 4-2 vote that the movie be boycotted, their decision 4 >N *>'- activities. Shields said he was looking for a good professional c pporlunity at a well-respected university and was happy to apply here at Penn State- Behrend. "From the moment that I drove through the (Behrend) gates... I fell in love with the campus," he said. . "I really want to make sure that whatever programs we provide, we meet the needs of the students* carries very little weight, according to Dr. Dean Baldwin who advises the Round Table Society. "It's a joke, considering there aren't any movie theaters in Erie (within the city limits)," said Baldwin. Some Round Table members feel that whether or not people want to see the movie, they should have the opportunity. "If the delusions of a few narrow four to six months from Swank minded people in the community Pictures, a company which releases arc going to stop others from seeing movies to schools at a lower cost. the current television lounge. Finally, a few walls will be knocked out near the Back Room to make room for commuter mail boxes. All commuter students will receive private boxes to keep them better informed of school activities. This area would also contain a new Collegian office and a remodeled, more arcade-like, Back Room. Joins Services That's the key," he said. Shields has several ideas and plans in mind. He feels one way of meeting student needs is to move programming back into student hands. For example, Student Programming Council will become the programming segment of the campus, taking on a greater amount of responsibility. Councils and leadership groups will be involved in more hands-on learning experiences, applying their academic learning to student activities. Shields is excited about the upcoming renovation of the ground floor of the Reed Building, especially the planned leadership library, which student groups and others can use. Shields hopes to see the Student Information Service (SIS) rc instituted on campus. The SIS is a television network system with various monitors around campus informing students of campus activities, cancelled classes, and other pertinent campus information. In planning the future of student activities at Behrend, Shields utilizes a five-year development plan. He hopes this plan will prevent stagnation of Student Services’ yearly activities by encouraging a positive direction with distinct goals to help make advances and improvements each year. this movie, then it is up to the broader minds of higher education to give everyone the opportunity," said Rob Prindle, a member of the Round Table Society. Prindle reports that the film could be rented for a short run from Universal Pictures at a cost of $22,000, a cost the organization feels is far too great. The movie will be available in Rifkin Appears by Dawn Davis Collegian Staff Writer Author, activist, and philosopher Jeremy Rifkin was the first speaker in Behrend's Speakers Series. More than two hundred students, faculty, and area residents attended Rifkin's lecture on Tuesday, September 6. Rifkin discussed the transition in world history and alternative futures for the 21st century. Rifkin spoke of the transition from fossil fuels as the energy base of civilization to renewable resources (both biological and genetic). He suggested an approach based on a balanced ecological "budget" to the next stage of history. He went on to say that if we fail to balance the ecological budget and Dave Shields, Assistant Dean of Student Services photo by S. Inman Volume XXXVII, No. 1 Current costs for renting Swank movies are between $5OO and $l,OOO. Both Round Tabic members and Chris Reber, Dean of Student Services belive the movie will come' to Behrend as soon as it becomes available at the reduced rate. Prindlc explained that when the movie becomes available Round Table will solicit the help of other groups to fund the Behrend presentation. Despite the delay, Behrend may still cam the distinction of being the first local organization to show the movie. While the national. General Cinemas chain, which includes the nine Millcrcck Mall theaters, has made a corporate decision not to show the movie, no other local theaters have announced plans to show Last Temptation. Reber indicates he would not have a problem with showing ihe movie but favors having discussion groups before and after the movie. While a sampling of students indicates the majority belive the movie should be shown, campus ministry and a number of students are expressing different view's. Rev. Ray Sines, a student and a member of both Campus Ministry and Round Tabic voted against bringing the movie to Behrend. "It’s blasphemous,” said Sines, who reports he is not against seeing Christianity challenged, but feels the movie isn’t a challenge but is fiction. Sister Maria O'Connor has a similiar view. "I am offended that it is offensive to Christians in the same way that I am offended by a movie that misrepresents blacks or Jews," said O’Conner. - Td like to see people ask warn s the best movie wc can get about Jesus- then get that one." Despite such protests from Round Table members and members of the religious community, various student groups, including the Student Programming Council, have expresssed an interest in co sponsoring the presentation of Last Temptation at Behrend College. end up owing against the ecosystem, the next generation will end up paying the bill. The greenhouse effect is the final bill for the industrial age. He explained that because of the momentous volume of fossil fuels that we bum, the level of carbon dioxide being emitted cannot be recycled. Climatologists say that, as a result of the greenhouse effect, there will be a global rise in temperature of five to fifteen degrees within the next forty years, the greatest temperature increase since the ice age. This will radically disrupt our ecosystem. For the first time, Rifkin said, we have affected the temperature and climate of the Continued on page 2 Sk I IT"'
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