Page 2 Editorials Welcome Back Fell ow Masochists by Jim Bollinger While recently walking thru the second floor halls one lousy day during the first week of this term, I overheard a fellow student remark to his companion, ‘I can’t believe how many new people have been suckered into coming to this place.’ Now, I don’t know what that may sound like to you, but to me it sounded like discontent (especially since it was laced with bitterness). Discontent? At Capitol Campus? Well, yes, friends, it happens even here, despite (or perhaps because of) the school’s administration and policies. I guess by now everything I write is beginning to sound like a broken record, but that’s because this school is one gigantic broken record: the same bullshit over and over again. And nobody has the decency to fix or change the record, or at least turn off the phonograph. However, the fact of the matter remains--there are a thousand and one things wrong with this place that are making students rife with disgust and the faculty uncomfortable, yet no one is doing anything about them, and few are opening their mouths publicly about them Which brings me to the main point of this editorial. Why isn’t anyone saying anything publicly? Why does almost everyone around here take all the shit that’s thrown at them lying down? Is everyone a masochist? Do they all like being made fools of? In the last issue, the READER ran an article which went into detail on all these questions-and all remain unanswered. And things seem to roll on just like before. A few people voice opinions and outrage every week in this paper, yet, upon close examination, one will find that the contributors are usually the same people week after week. Thus, relatively few people have made their feelings known to the school at large, yet, in all my contacts with students here since September, I have found no one willing to say evern onegood thing about Capitol Campus, while everyone is unanimously in agreement about the bad aspects of this school. I urge you all to make your feelings known to everyone. Write us--leave your letters in W-104-tell us all what you really think, even if it’s just to bitch at us on the paper. C’mon people, we need copy, and the best stories are always the ones that people experience in life. Let the lords in administration know you’re tired of being stepped on. Show some of the sparks that lit the fires of the sixties, so that even the Wizard of Capitol himself knows how rotten we think-you think-this place is. Why rest on your laurels celebrating a decade of decadence and waste (the 50’s) when you should be out protecting what rights you may still possess? Any rights we may now have were fought hard for-don’t let them slip away, and try to supplement them with the rights you should have. And, if you are not of this opinion, then let us all know what youthink. I leave open a public invitation for anyone to write and tell me-us-what is right about this place. Remember, as long as you keep silent, the only people you’re hurting is yourselves. A Response by Bill Matthews I want to congratulate the individual who wrote the article, ‘ls this any way to run a college?’ in the March 7, 1974 issue of the C.C. READER. You have guts, foresight and show a real concern for student problems at Capitol Campus. Your points are well taken and I’d like to lend you some support. Capitol Campus is running into a period of serious depression. S.G.A. attendance at meetings has dropped so much that we barely have a quorum. Five to six individuals run the senate and its committees. In the upcoming elections, only one student is running per office seat. Students refuse to vote in general elections. Committees go unfilled. Social events go unattended. People 'ln general no longer react or complain. Why? Have we become too concerned with ourselves and our personal lives? Are we satisfied with the campus? Are we tired of being beaten down and treated like second class citizens? Whatever the reasons, if I was a faculty member or an administrator, I’d be concerned. For that matter, I’d be damned ashamed of myself and my institution. I’d be scared to death at the lack of concern because it breeds corruption and deceit. Oh, we have a fine academic program. It’s excellent. We have fine professors (if you like people who have a tendency for being self-centered and uncaring).We have a fine administration. (I haven’t seen the Provost or his assistants at any of our SGA meetings.) We have a beautiful campus (if you like military bases; austerity, Mr. Montorana calls it). We have an excellent security force (if you waiver your sth, 7th, and 14th amendment rights). We have excellent food services (if you like food that slides in you then slides out of you). We have lots of student activity monies (approximately $25,000 for the 1973-1974 budget which is a high estimate. Thirty dependent organizations plus the SGA at a per student basis equates to 25,000 divided by 1500 FTE = $16.66 per student for a year.) Yuk it up people! We have an excellent rapport with housing (get the water bed out boy; call the SPCA; that’s $17.50 a piece from each of you for a $12.00 table you broke) I’m ashamed and I’m a student. I hope I never grow complacent or uncaring. I hope I never rest on my laurels until I’m stone-cold-dead! The faculty and the administration have embarassed me and I am shamed. If the above comments have concerned you about the con dition of this community, why don’t you consider running for a S.G.A. office? The Student Government Association is the one body where important student problems can be dealt with by students and in accord with their interests. The required petitions and rules for the upcoming elections are on the wall in the S.G.A. room, W-104. The offices of *** President, Vice President, Re cording Secretary, Correspond ing Secretary and Treasurer are open to any full time under graduate student. Each academic division (Social Science, Human ities, Engineering, Education, Math/Science and Business) has one senior Senate seat to be filled in the Spring Term elections. Please direct ‘any questions about the elections to Bob Hetzel in W-104 or at 829 B Nelson Ave., phone 944-0844. C.C. Reader WALK-A-THON On May 5, 1974 a Walk-A-Thon is being sponsored by the March of Dimes. Currently there are three Walk-A-Thons planned for the Harrisburg Area; one on the East Shore; one on the West Shore and one in Carlisle. Starting points have not yet been determined. Walkers are sponsored either by themselves or by someone else. The minimum sponsorship is 10 cents a mile. As of this date we have three students who are participating -- Lisa Yaffo, Pat Mevin and Bill Matthews. Obviously we need more people to make this work. Please come out and support this fine organization. We need your help. Interested students can contact Bill Matthews in the S.G.A. Office, W-104 or Call 787-1663. Thank You. The Pursuit of Happiness Ross Dieffenbacher We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness-that to secure these rights, govern ments are instituted among men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, that whenever any form of government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the right of the people to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new government, laying its foundations on such prin cipiies, and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness. Would people place their signature, address and current date under the above statements was the object of a recent survey by Dr. Susskind’s So. Sc. 401 class. Members of the class approached 176 individuals ask ing them to sign the petition explaining that it was a class project. The 176 individuals were from Capitol Campus, H.A.C.C., downtown Harrisburg, Dickinson Law School and various other places. A ttention Gr actuating Seniors It is important that you check with your advisor to see that you have the necessary 18 units of credit to graduate, as well as any required or core courses com pleted. Check now and save yourself a hassle at commence ment time. It would be a good idea also to check with the records office to make sure that they have the correct list of courses you have completed. A few people have run into hassles this year along these lines, so be safe and check out how you stand. Do it today! The Hot Line is presently closed, but if you have a problem or you just want to rap with someone you can call any resident assistant or: Pat Murphy - 944-64118 Terry Turnbaugh - 944-0274 Jerry South - 944-5890 Ed Beck - 533-5393 or Just drop in at the Counseling Office, W-117. * To the Editor: Charlie Holeczy’s spiritless attitude toward this years Nostalgia Week (C.C.READER, 3/7/74) is a very typical trait of many Capitol Campus students. The Marathon Dance, which was ‘cancelled due to lack of interest,’ is only one example. Recall the Organizational Keg ger? hundreds of students showed up, but just how many signed up for the clubs and C.C. READER? Is this the fault of C.C. READER,. S.G.A., W.Z.A.P., Social Committee, etc? The answer is no, just as in the case of Nostalgia Week. Despite the fact that there were only four couples willing to torture themselves for over $350 in prizes, the 100 or so students that showed up for the hop and games (not to mention beer) had a fantastic time. By the way, the dance went until 3:30 a.m. Cracker eating games are not ‘disgusting,’ but horses shitting all around the flag pole in front of the school are! The people who danced in the various contests didn’t claim to be experts in 1950’s dance styles, just as reporters for C.C. READER don’t claim to write as good as Jack Anderson and others. The point is, you do with what is available. As evidenced by other college campuses, nostalgia and grease are not poor themes for a week long activity. Charlie’s position seems to be ‘give up’ it’s useless-now that’s a ‘tired theme.’ Don Peluso Chairman Dance Committee Attention In order that the student body be informed, the various campus discipline agencies announce, each term, the cases heard the preceding term. During the Winter Term 1974, The Student Standards Board heard six cases and the Director, Student Affairs heard three cases. Of the nine students involved, one was eighth term, one was ninth term, three were tenth term, three were eleventh term, and one was twelfth term. In each of the cases the students were found to be guilty of the charges. The sanctions imposed were: disciplinary warning-eight issued; discipli nary probation-one issued; loss of privilege-one issued. The Capitol Campus Reader The C.C. Reader is published by the students of the Pennsylvania State University at Capitol Campus, Middletown, Pa., and is printed by the West Shore Times during the Fall, Winter and Spring Terms. Opinions expressed by the editors and staff are not necessarily those of the University Administration, Faculty or Students. Editor -.. . Jim Bollinger, Doug Gibboney Fred Prouser, John Langdon, Romeo Trajanus Staff Photographer John Fishgr It is by the goodness of God that in our country we have those three unspeakably precious things: Freedom of speech, freedom of conscience, and the prudence never to practice either of them." April 5, 1974 Letters Letter to the Editor: An article entitled ‘UnNostal gia Week’ appeared in the column, Reader Spotlights, in the March 7, 1974 edition of ex. reader. The writer of the article, Charlie Holeczy, made some very critical comments about the various campus organizations involved in Nostalgia Week, most of which the XGI Frater nity feels were unwarranted. Charlie wrote a section in the article concerning the XGI Keggar stating, ‘The peak of the week was the Greaser Keggar. A rowdy, sloppy, typical X.G.I. party.’ If these comments truly represent her feelings, why was Charlie observed joking around, laughing, and in general, appear ing to be having a good time at the keggar? Why did she come at all? The XGI Fraternity does not feel it is fair to criticize its 50-member organization for the behavior of an average 300-stu dent crowd of which Charlie was a part. . v Maybe Nostalgia Week is a dead subject by why ridicule and criticize the few organizations which tried to make a success of what they had to work with. As Charlie suggested, maybe, a Western Week would have a better idea, but brining up the idea after-the-fact does not help Nostalgia Week 1974 in any way. Also, throughout the article it was stated, ‘The Reader feels,’ or ‘The Reader does not feel,’ or ‘The Reader was greatly impres sed,’ I doubt that all the comments set forth in this article coincide with the opinions and/or feelings of the whole C.C. READER staff. I believe it was the opinion of one individual, namely, Charlie Holeczy. There fore, we feel the article should have been written as her opinions not as the opinions of the C.C. READER as it was implied. The XGI Fraternity also hopes that these unwarranted implica tions by Charlie Holeczy will not have an adverse effect on prospective students. That would be most unfortunate for Capitol Campus. Allen Kerchner XGI Fraternity Secretary Above remarks were approved by the past and the present XGI Executive Board. . Frank DeSantis -- Mark Twain
Significant historical Pennsylvania newspapers