EPennsylvania State University at Capitol Campus
MC. re al
Volume 11, No. 2
Update
Faculty
Over Di
By Joan H. Klein
The C.C. Reader reported, on March
6 that a consolidation of divisions is
planned for July. The administrative
view was that "changes should have
minimal effect on the student body." It
was also stated "there has been resis
tance to the plan on the part of
individual faculty members . . . howev
er,. . . objections can be overcome."
Objections have not yet been over
come. Faculty Council reported, March
12, on the results of ballot returns on
the proposed divisional structure. The
ballot was set up with an "approve
disapprove" format with an invitation
to comment.
Seventy-one persons voted. That
was little more than half of those
eligible. Of those, 44 approved, 21 dis
approved, and 6 abstained. There was
significant disapproval in those• who
voted in the Science, Engineering and
Long Lines Anticipated
Over Parking Policies
Students applying for a parking
registration sticker this term found to
their dismay that it was necessary to
fill out--again--a complete vehicle regis
tration card, the same as was done at
the beginning of the fall term. This is in
contrast to the recent method whereby
the registration form filled out in the
fall term was good for a one-year
period, with a new sticker being issued
for each succeeding term merely on
presentation of the registration stub
and payment of the parking fee.
The reason for the change was
explained by Mr. Jim Paul, Safety and
Police Specialist (and Vehicle Regis
trar). According to Mr. Paul, Univer
sit Park has issued a new policy for
lEME=E3
Please print, using a ball point pen and complete
red Items on both sides of first card
Local ....
Address
City & State
Summer S
Shown above is the form currently in use for vehicle regis- number. The result of this change would probably cause
tration. Unless Capitol Campus is granted an exception to a students to wait in very long lines to register their vehicles
new University Park mandate, this vehicle registration fall term
form will be replaced by a similiar form with a serial
• • •
ones Opini
sion Chang
was made to uncover their authors.
The C.C. Reader sought to deter
mine whether faculty morale is at a low
ebb at Capitol Campus and if the
proposed changes would affect stu
dents. As far as affect on students, the
general consensus is that it will not
except that "what affects teachers
affects students."
"Faculty are demoralized," said one
professor. "They are frustrated. Those
comments on the ballot are screams for
help. The tally indicated only six
abstentions, but many more elected not
to vote." Not voting, in his view, was a
protest.
A professor in favor of the changes
saw the abstentions as an indication
that many feel the consolidations are,
primarily, of administrative interest.
He could foresee no difficulties with the
proposal and, . in , fact, thought there
were some plus factors to be consid
ered:
Technology Division.
The overall results indicated ma
jority approval. The comments, how
ever, suggest other possibilities:
"Voting on a decision that has
already been made serves no useful
purpose. I will abstain . . ." "This ballot
is, literally, preposterous. Decisions . . .
were made with faculty consultation
more that six months ago." "This is a
stupid question!" "A very unimagina
tive proposal!"
"Oh! How administrators like to
build bureaucracies!" " 'Technology'
will be lost . . ." "There is no real sense
to this 'merger' except maybe admin
istratively."
Some comments were favorable.
One respondent wrote, "I will be happy
in this division." Another felt, "This
structure will provide us with vast
opportunities for the future ..."
peoveeetive eomments invited
further inquiry. An unsuccessful effort
vehicle registration foi• all Common
wealth Campuses, to become effective
with the 1980 Fall Term. This new
mandate would require that the vehicle
registration form be filled out at the
beginning of every term, and in a much
more complicated fashion than is pres
ently the case.
Mr. Paul has been conducting time
studies in the course pf the current
registration period in an attempt to
justify Capitol Campus' request for an
exception from the proposed new pol
icy. According to Mr. Paul, the method
which has been used at Capitol Campus
requires only 5 1 /z minutes the first
term, and less than a minute each
'following term to accomplish the regis
MIMI=
Additional violations may be listed on the back of this form
===l2l
VIOLATIONS
D SP.'S II on
tration. In addition, Mr. Paul stated;
"To process the parking stickers this
way necessitates only an annual compi
lation of alphabetical and numerical
files, with an updating of the alphabet
ical file each term thereafter."
Paul noted that, this program
has usually met with student approval
when used in the past, but as required
by University Park this term and
every term hereafter, the vehicle regis
tration card will have to be completed
and processed every term.
Students having experience with
either system of registration are in
vited to write a note to Jim Paul or
Jerry South expressing an endorse
ment of either program.
L=l::=lM:3
The Pennsylvania State University
CERTIFICATE OF
Ina MOTOR VEHICLE REGISTRATION
Name
ECE=I:I3
Make of Vehicle
This' card must be in your possession
whenever driving on campus and also,
when re•regtstenng your motor vehicle
with the University
SUMMifil
10 Aprill9Bo
"Combined faculty have mutual in
terests; there can be a crossover of
faculty expertise. Both areas will be
aided through cooperative efforts, e.g.
funding opportunities will be greater
through combination."
The term "funding" triggered crit
ical responses. One detractor felt fac
ulty could accept these and other
financially relevant changes if the
administration were honest and admit
ted these are tough times and we,
along with other colleges and univer
sities, are in financial difficulties.
"What we are promised," he said,
"is that this campus is going places --
that we are developing. What we get is
second class status in comparison with
faculty at University Park. We have a
history of improvising and scrimping,"
he said, "and the consolidation of
divisions is another instance of cutting
back."
Effect on students will be indirect
according to one professor. "We are no
longer working with the traditional
academic model, i.e. to provide stu
dents with an optimum learning envi
ronment in which to get the best
education possible. Instead, we have an
industrial model where the bottom line
is finances," he said, "and the industrial
model generates industrial results.
"Faculty members feel harassed.
There is an overload of courses and an
increase in the number of students per
class. Individuals, teachers and stu
dents lose their identity as the admin
istration becomes more impersonal.
Program heads are chosen, in this
industrial model, because they are
good managers. Fine teachers are
denied tenure; others leave for greener
pastures where their excellence will be
recognized. continued on page 2
Oswald
Update
Dr. John W. Oswald, president of
Pennsylvania State University, has
been on a normal work schedule since
March 31. He was released from the
Milton S. Hershey Medical Center on
March 27.
According to Mary Dunkle, asst.
Manager of the News Bureau at Penn
State (U.P.), Oswald's discomfort was
diagnosed as "deep muscle pain, the
result of his strenuous exercise pro
gram."
- Oswald, who was in the area to
attend the Pennsylvania State Univer
sity Board of Trustees meeting, was
taken to the hospital on March 22.
Next Issue
The C.C. Reader is going to have a
special SGA election issue next Thurs
day, April 17, 1980.