THE CAPITOLIST
Vol. IX, No. 1
`New Directions'
Program Review
(A State of the Campus report)
by Mike Dini,
President
Student Government
Association
As a candidate for SGA
President, I pledged to "commit
myself to work with you in a
responsible, yet flexible manner,
to continue the progressive
thrust of our Student
Government Association toward
the enhancement of the
student's status and the
betterment of education on our
campus." I also proposed a
Seven Point Program from which
I hoped our SGA could
reorganize and develop our
student organization into a more
responsible organization through
which we could articulate and
implement the needs and desires
of all campus members. The
following is an evaluation and
review of our "NEW
DIRECTIONS" Program.
The Seven Point "New
Directions" Program
encompasses:
1. Student Academic
Concerns
2. Expanded Student
Representation
3. Campus/Community
Service Programs
4. Collegiate
Friendship/Exchange Programs
5. Educational/Orientation
Programs
6. Expanded Campus
Communication
7. SGA Organization and
Administration
In addition, and most
importantly, was a pledge to
continue to make and keep
Capitol Campus "STUDENT
ORIENTED."
1. STUDENT ACADEMIC
CONCERNS
Some of the most important
concerns of any student are
those relating to advising,
registration, scheduling,
teacher/course evaluations,
curriculum evaluation and design
and other academic matters.
Your SGA continues to make
strides in its effort to evaluate
and consider academic matters
of importance to the entire
campus community. These have
included new registration and
scheduling techniques (worked
out jointly with the Academic
Services Office and the faculty).
SGA supports the Academic
Services Office efforts to
maintain student records at
Capitol Campus instead of
University Park. This would
alleviate the problem of
requesting official and/or
unofficial transcripts from the
Park. The Senate unanimously
adopted a resolution urging
Capitol Campus Division Heads
to prepare and submit the Spring
and Summer course program
offerings as soon as possible in
hopes of simplifying registration
and advising in the interests of
the student body as well as the
faculty and staff.
SGA has made an all out
effort to articulate the needs of
campus members in evaluating
and making needed
recommendations with reference
to the Reoriented Penn State
Academic Calendar. We continue
to support and accept the
University Park (Term) Plan A
(with modifications which are
deemed most beneficial to
Capitol Campus). An ad hoc
Student Academic/Campus
Concerns Committee of SGA has
been established through which
SGA can review and determine
the academic needs of students
in such vital areas as the
feasibility of a campus name
change (a proposal to change the
name of Capitol Campus to The
Pennsylvania State University -
Harrisburg was passed by an
overwhelming 73% in a recent
SGA Special Election). Other
areas include: consolidation and
name changes of degrees, and
procedures to simplify
registration.
The Student-to-Student
Advising Program has the all out
support and encouragement of
the Student Government
Association. What is now needed
is a concerted effort by both
students, faculty and
administration alike to plan,
develop and implement a
workable planning and training
program to insure that correct
and essential academic/campus
information is provided new
students to our campus. SGA
looks to the feasibility of such a
program being funded by the
University as a vital service and
arm of both the faculty and
administration in conducting
( registration/scheduling/orientation
programs).
Teacher/Course Evaluations
continues to be a priority
program of SGA. Although it
was not carried out during the
Fall Term (due to administrative
problems) we look forward to an
expanded evaluation program
coordinated by both student and
faculty. SGA also supported the
affiliation of our Graduate
(continued on page 6)
"All The News That Fits . . . . We Print"
CAPITOL CAMPUS - MIDDLETOWN, PA.
Fall Commencement Held
Seventy-five students were
graduated in the first fall
commencement ceremonies held
at Capitol Campus on December
13. Previously students from the
fall, winter, and spring terms
were honored only at the annual
spring commencement.
Fifty-eight students who
completed their requirements
for degrees at the end of the
summer term were also
recognized during the
ceremonies.
Included among the 75 were
ten candidates for graduate
degrees. Master's degrees were
awarded in Administration,
Education, Engineering,
Humanities and Regional
Planning.
Baccaluareate degrees
awarded included Bachelor of
Business, Bachelor of
Elementary Education, Bachelor
of Humanities, Bachelor of
Social Science and Bachelor of
Technology.
Most of the baccalaureate
degree candidates attended
Pennsylvania community and
junior colleges and other Penn
State branch campuses prior to
enrolling at the Capitol
Campus Campus--an upper division
college with undergraduate
programs beginning at the junior
year level.
Ten of the undergraduate
students graduated with honors,
having attained at least a 3.40
average out of a possible 4.00
average during their two years of
study at the campus.
Dr. Robert E. McDermott,
Provost, presided at the
ceremonies. Harry R. Ulrich, a
member of the University's
Board of Trustees, assisted in
conferring the degrees.
Candidates for the
baccalaureate were presented by
Dr. Richard H. Heindel, dean of
the faculty, Dr. Daniel M. Poore,
Head, Division of
Administration and Business; Dr.
John D. Antrim, Head, Division
Michael J. Dini, SGA President
of Engineering and Technology;
and Dr. George D. Wolf, Head,
Division of Humanities, Social
Sciences, and Education.
Dr. Robert J. Brown,
associate dean or faculty at
Capitol Campus presented the
candidates for the graduate
degrees.
A complete listing of names
and addresses of those who
graduated or were honored at
the December ceremonies is
available upon request at the
CAPITO LI ST Office, W-104.
Every month, Capitol
Campus is highlighted on a local
radio program.
Station WMSP-FM,
Harrisburg, 94.9 on the dial,
conducts a program "Campus
Candids" which is an interview
program featuring guests from
four colleges in the Harrisburg
area. Capitol personalities are
present the second Tuesday of
the month with air time at 7p.m.
As of now, four programs
have focused on Capitol
Campus. Dr. Roger B. Saylor,
recently honored for 25 years
service with Penn State, was the
program's first guest last
September. In October, Dr.
Robert E. McDermott was
featured in advance of
ceremonies formally installing
his as provost. In November,
Marc Cohen, Station Manager of
WZAP and Bob Bonaker,
Co-editor of The Capitolist
voiced their opinions of the
campus in the wake of the
abduction of the Lion. And in
December, Dr. Jay Anderson
was the guest, conversing on his
favority topic of American folk
lore and food mores.
[XXXI
Capitol on the Air
January 11, 1-973
New Term Begins
One-hundred and forty new
students will arrive this week for
orientation and registration at
the Capitol Campus of The
Pennsylvania State University.
Registration also will be held for
the 1,650 returning
undergraduates and 500
graduate students who are
continuing their work toward
advanced degrees.
Classes began on January 8 in
the 213 courses being offered for
this winter term at the
upper-division college.
Thirty-nine courses are being
offered in the evenings to
graduate students. Students may
register until January 17 but
must pay a late fee of 10 dollars.
Tuition for a Capitol Campus
course unit is $124 for
Pennsylvania residents and $340
for others. Tuition for part-time
students is $3l per credit for
Pennsylvania residents and $B5
for non-residents.
CIZZI
SGA Election
Results
During registration last week,
the Student Government
Association conducted a special
election concerning approval of
a new SGA constitution, a
proposal to change the name of
the campus and a sample
indication of seniors who plan to
participate in Commencement
ceremonies in June.
With over 50 percent of the
campus voting, the constitution
was adopted, receiving 83% of a
total of 862 ballots cast. 719
voted in favor, 66 were opposed.
77 did not vote, but were
considered part of the total in
arriving at voting percentages,
according to SGA sources.
The proposal to change the
school's name from the Capitol
Campus, the Pennsylvania State
University to the Pennsylvania
State University-Harrisburg
passed by a vote of 636-202,
with 24 not voting, for 73%
approval of the total vote.
Obviously, the SGA has no
power to change the name of the
campus, but decided to sample
student sentiment if such action
was initiated.
A more interesting outcome
was achieved on the question of
participation by seniors in the
June Commencement. 344
expressed that they would
participate while 224 indicated
they would not. Only 66 percent
of those sampled who plan to
graduate in June planned to
participate.