THE CAPITOLIST
Vol. VIII, No. 4
Calendar Change Considered
Some crucial issues were
handled by the SGA Senate at
its meeting this past Monday
night. Of foremost importance
was the problem of academic
calender re-orientation.
After the student forum
earlier in the day, the Senate
received some feedback from
students and developed a plan of
its own. The quick action was
necessitated by an abrupt
deadline placed upon those
involved here from the
authorities in University Park.
Here is a synopsis of the
events culminating in the SGA
action: During the summer,
University Park decided to
readjust the academic calender.
That plan called for the fall term
1973 to start imnediately after
labor day and finish at
Thanksgiving. The winter term
would begin after the
Thanksgiving break and continue
for three weeks, recessing for the
december holidays. The winter
term would resume in early
January and would end in
mid-March. The spring term,
thus, would end by June 1.
Capitol's Faculty Council,
working under the assumption
that Capitol had an opportunity
to develop its calender, in light
of the grant of "autonomy in
matters that exclusively concern
Capitol Campus", developed its
own system. The Council
approved the semester program
which has been referred to as
Plan 'A'.
The Council was forced to
take immediate action because
U.P. placed a deadline of
October 10 as the time when a
definite proposal had to be
fore warded. Provost Robert
McDermott, acting under the
specifications of faculty and
students had to notify Univesity
President John Oswald of his
decision as of this Sunday.
After the action taken by
Faculty Council on October 5,
the Plan 'C' (semester system)
proposal was submitted to the
Faculty Organization meeting on
October 6.
The Faculty Organization, in
an uproarous meeting, voted
down the Faculty Council Plan
`C' recommendation by a vote of
44-20. The Faculty Organization
then opted to go along with the
main campus proposal, with the
stipulation that is last for only
one year. There were only four
dissenting votes.
Several campus student
leaders were amazed and
shocked at the traumatic turn
of events. It seemed as if student
opinions had been written, they
stated. They also had
tremendous disagreements with
Plan 'A', notably the disruption
of the winter term and the
inability for Capitol to accept
transfer students for the winter
term.
SGA Senate Meeting
In order to gain some student
input concerning the crisis, the
forums and the ballots were
formed. Students were asked to
vote on each of four proposals.
Plan 'A' (U.P.'s proposal)
received only 17 votes. Plan 'B',
as proposed by Asst. Dean of
Faculty Robert Brown, an
innovative measure which
contained a "mini-term", got
only 9 votes. Plan 'C' (semester
plan) was picked by 22 students.
A proposal to remain with the
present calender (arbitrarally
designated as Plan 'D') received
59 votes. Nearly 100 students
expressed no opinion, explaining
that they were confused,
undecided, or did not have
adequate time to consider the
proposals.
Acting under pressure, the
SGA Senate reached a decision
at Monday's meeting. Plan 'A'
was defeated by a vote of 12-0
with one abstention. Plan 'D'
was turned down by a vote of
11-1-1. A restructuring (shifting
of dates) of Plan 'A' to suit all
those involved with Capitol
Campus was developed. The
following Proposal was accepted
by the Senate by a vote of
10-2-1.
The Academic Calendar
for the 1973-1974 school
year
From Aug 28 to Sep 1
(Orientation) Sep 5 to Nov
20 (11 weeks - 3 course
period)
Break: Nov 21 to Nov 29
From Nov 30 to Dec 1
(Orientation) Dec 4 to Dec
22 (3 weeks - 1 course
period)*
*This time period could
be used as previously stated
and/or combined with the
following time period
allotment to be utilized as a
Fall 3 course segment. This
should be determined and
at the discretion of the
individual Division.
Break: Dec 23 to Jan 3
From Jan 4 to 5
(Orientation) Jan 8 to Mar
2 (8 weeks - 2 course
period)*
Break: Mar 2 to Mar 13
Fram Mar 14 to Mar 15
(Orientation) Mar 17 to Jun
6 (11 weeks - 3 course
period)
We also concur with
thy Fa culty Organization
amendment that Capitol
Campus submit to the
reoriented calendar for the
1973 academic year but be
allowed to articulate the
concerns of the Capitol
Campus community and
submit a recommendation
to President Oswald for the
1974 academic year.
NOTE: The proposed
modifications were
developed and formulated
"All The News That Fits . . . . We Print"
CAPITOL CAMPUS - MIDDLETOWN, PA
by Dan Hartsock (a Junior)
and were then readjusted by
the Student Senate to suit
the needs of the Capitol
Campus community.
The Senate proposal was
presented to Dr. McDermott on
Tuesday. The final decision will
be that of President Oswald.
Another important measure
was brought up at Monday's
meeting. Gene Bryan, student
representative on the task force
on physical planning, reported
on the multi-purpose building
which is to be constructed on
campus beginning next summer. The
Immo:ling will house a basketball
gymnasium, a drama arts center,
cultural activities areas,
recreation facilities, student
offices, -- in general a student
center/ athletic building.
The building is being funded
by the General State Authority.
Pennsylvania Sec. of Education,
John Pittenger, approved the
construction of the building
only after the plans were
revamped and set up to be
multi-purpose, not exclusively
athletic. Pittenger, it was
reported at the meeting,
apparently is against any
swimming pool being
constructed within the building.
The task force apparently
intends to propose that a pool
be included. However, Pittenger
has veto power over the entire
affair. The inclusion of a pool in
the final proposal, in the face of
Pittenger's opposition, could
jeopardize the entire building, or
at least delay construction six
months. The SGA Senate voted
7-4-1 endorsing any proposals of
the task force—specifically the
inclusion of the pool.
Regressing to the committee
reports, the Finance Committee
approved a budget of $250 for
the Meade Hieghts Community
Service group. It also reimbursed
the student PSEA chapter for
$9l for a recent rip to an
educational conference. Aaron
Spicher reported that Teacher/
Course Evaluations are now
readily available.
High Cost
of Coffee Drinking
Palos Hills, 111. (CPS) -- The
staff at Moraine Valley
Community College will no
longer be provided with free
coffee because, according to
Wayne Crawford, vice president
of business services, they are
drinking $20,000 worth of
coffee a year.
According to coffee catering
services, that means about 1.2
million cups (with cream and
sugar) are guzzled by the small
college staff each year.
Does that sound right?
New Constitution
Awaits Approval
On Tuesday, the Student
Government Association will
stage fall term elections. A main
feature of the ballot is a section
designated for the approval of
constitutional revisions.
The SGA Constitution has
been virtually rewritten.
Students, as they vote, will
either approve or reject the new
constitution. However, for it to
take effect, 25 per cent of the
student body must vote.
Here is a synopsis of the
important points of the
revisions. They/were developed
by the Constitutional Revision
Committee whose members
include Max Brady, Gene Bryan,
Ron Edwards, Harry Franzreb,
Mike Dini and Mickey Wolfson.
1. All full-time students of
Capitol Campus are eligible to
vote in any SGA election
concerning "new directions" of
the constitition, balloting for
officers and senators, and
questions of referendum and
recall.
2. The president of the SGA
shall have the power to appoint
chairman of the standing
committees via the assistance of
the Election/Screening
Committee and the advice and
consent of the senate. Senior
appointees to standing
committees assume their duties
when the new officers and
senators take office in the spring
term.
3. The Election/Screening
Committee shall formulate
guidelines and procedures for
the conduct of campaigns and
elections.
4. Candidates for the offices
of president and vice-president
may run as a slate in the
campaign but may not appear on
the ballot as such.
5. It shall be the prerogative
of the SGA president to appoint
a parliamentarian, to assist the
senate legal society. The
parliamentarian may not be a
member of the SGA.
6. The President's Council
shall assist chartered
organizations, sponsered and
founded by the Senate in
planning, organizing and
coordinating their activities.
7. The Finance Committee
shall be composed of six
students. Four shall be seniors
and two shall be juniors. The
president of the SGA may
designate an additional member.
8. The Election/Screening
Committee shall screen
candidates for the Student Court
(Student Standards Board), the
Hearing Board and the Appeals
Board of the campus judiciary
and the committees of the
Faculty Organization.
9. A Campus/Community
Service Committee shall be
established as a standing
committee of the SGA.
October 12, 1972
10. The Teacher Course
Evaluation Committee shall be
established as a standing
committee of the SGA.
11. An article relating to
student representation on
Faculty Organization
commit tees listing the
committees and the available
student positions shall be
established.
12. The Student Court
(Student Standards Board) shall
be a distinct and separate body
from the Student Government
Association. The SGA will refer
any and all constitutional
questions to the Court whose
decision shall be final. No
member of the SGA shall be a
member of the Student Court.
SGA
Elections
The Election/Screening
Committee of the Student
Government Association will
conduct "Meet the candidate"
forums today and next Monday.
Today's meeting is scheduled to
get under way at 8 o'clock
tonight in the Student Center.
The October 16 meeting will
start at 12:30 p.m. in the
Auditorium.
The candidates in question
are those who are running for
junior senate seats in the SGA
Elections to be held on Tuesday,
October 17, with the polls in the
Gallery Lounge. Also on the
ballot are constitutional
revisions and a mock vote on the
national presidential election.
At ehe forums, each
candidate will be given an
opportunity to introduce
himself, present a few remarks,
then answer a few questions
posed by the , Election
Committee and the student
body.
Ten juniors will be elected
from the group of candidates on
the 17th. One each from the
academic programs: social
science, education, humanities,
business, math-science, and
engineering. Four at-large seats
are also up for grabs.
All undergraduates are
eligible to vote October 17. I.D.
cards must be presented at the
polls. Seniors, as well as juniors
may vote for the junior
senatorial candidates. When
voting for senatoi_ each person
may vote for two ,:andidates,
one in the voter's academic
program, another from any of
the remaining candidates. For
example a person may vote for
candidate No. 1 in business as
the second choice then may pick
another candidate in business as
the second choice, or may vote
for any one else in the five
remaining programs for the
second choice.