Pennsylvania State - University at Capitol Campus CO ° ECM ire al ir Volume 15, No. 2 It's News To Many New News Is Good News By Kathy Kern Newcomers to Capitol Campus will not notice the difference, but returning students and faculty will no doubt take notice to a revamped snack bar/lounge area in the Main Building. Also renovated during the summer was the Office of Business Services, which is now equipped with self-service mailboxes for campus departments. The Finance Office was also worked on, receiving a flow-through counter ser vice. Joe Kemp, manager of the Capitol Campus Physical Plant's Maintenance and Operations, said that the idea to have all the renovations in the Main Building done by the time fall term began "has been the goal of everything," and credited his work force of approxi mately 40 people as being instrumental in getting things done. Explaining that "any work takes money," Kemp added that the project funds for the renovation funds were given by the Student Government As sociation, along with aid from University Park. One example of funds allocated was the $140,000 given for work on the Main Building's snack bar/lounge area. Kemp also noted that allocated funds for maintenance were specifically for the maintenance budget. As for the work done on the Finance Office, Kemp commented that "renova tion and costs were minimal and done by my own people," adding that only the carper.try work was contracted.. Other changes in the Main Building include sound and lighting improve ments in the Auditorium. This is part of phase one of the Auditorium's renova tions which incl des blackout shades He Teaches Good MAHAR-VELOUS! Dr. William J. Mahar, assistant pro fessor of humanities and music at Capitol Campus, is the recipient of the 10th Annual James A. Jordan Jr. Memorial Award for Teaching Excellence. "All the news that fits we print" new drapes on the windows, and in creased artificial illumination. The Psycho-Social Lab has been remodeled with carpeted seminar rooms, draped windows, and new furniture aimed at providing a more relaxed classroom atmosphere. Two-way mirrors were also installed to allow monitors to observe classroom activities. Also, the corridor walls, doors, and door trim of the Main Building's second floor received a new coat of paint. Because given prices were good, Kemp noted, the painting was contracted. The campus area itself was not without changes either, as a 900 ft. long by 4 ft. high chain-link fence was erected along the east front of the campus grounds. Eliminated were piles of rubble and fence row growth. Overall landscape beautification was also done. But the bulk of the summer's renova tion workload was the remodeling of the snack bar/lounge area, which includes the addition of carpet, wall covering, booths, and new floor tile and furniture. The area also sports a new ceiling and an improved lighting system. Four large planters with live plants decorate the floor area. A new system of food distribution will also be introduced to the students. Kemp said the new system will make it so that the patrons "will not have to stand in one line to get everything." The new snack bar/lounge area was designed by the Physical Plant Office at University Park and Ken Witmer of Capitol's Physical Plant, who designed the snack bar section. Dr. Mahar was selected by a com mittee composed of students from each academic program. The Student Government Association conferred the award during last spring's commence ment ceremony. Dr. Mahar received his A.B. in philosophy from St. Bernard's Seminary in 1960, and an M.A. in music history and musicology (1966) and Ph. D. in human ities (1972) from Syracuse University. He has been teaching at Capitol Campus for nine years and lives in Mechanics burg. "I think one of the principal tasks of teaching is to get students to participate in the learning process," Dr. Mahar says. "We should be teaching our students to learn how to learn, not just memorize facts." One of his students describes him thus: "There are very few teachers in the world today that combine an em phasis on facts and impart enthusiasm for the subject to the learner. Dr. Mahar makes learning the rewarding and en joyable experience that it should be." The award is given in memory of James A. Jordan, Jr., a faculty member at Capitol Campus who died in a boating accident in 1971. The maintenance manager said that everyone on his work force "had a role in the Main Building's renovations, including the custodians." Future plans for remodeling at Cap itol include more beautification projects and a new darkroom, but plans have yet to be approved by the campus for that. And will those brightly colored bar racks-type structures near C.R.A.G.S. Building ever be painted one subtle, matching color? "I hope so," said Kemp, adding, however, that it would be hard for him to "justify painting them just to change their color." But as money for landscape projects becomes available, anything is possible. As to how the faculty and students might respond to the remodeling done in the Main Building, Kemp feels that the work will be well received and maybe everyone will be a little surprised. A little surprised? Maybe even amazed! If you think you're good enough to write for us, stop in our office anytime next week and fill out an application. Did you take the Pepsi Challenge last Saturday? If not, you can read about it n pages 6 and 7. READER Photo by Steve Myers Photo Club 1 October 1981 MORE NEW NEWS --Heindel Library is now approxi mately 99% complete. Renovations in clude the removal of corridor walls, carpeting, and reorganization of the book shelves. The work will be com pleted before the end of fall term. --The Bookstore and the stairwells, hallways, and outside windows of Wris berg and Church Halls have all been painted. In addition, carpeting was in stalled in the first floor lounge of Church Hall. --The convenience "store" in the Student Center opened on September 28. The old snack bar was removed this summer to make room for the "store." It will be equipped with several self-serve units and staffed by students and Food Service workers to sell six-packs of soda, ice cream, chips, candy, pizza, and hoagies. --The light for the campus entrance sign was replaced and the face of the aluminum letters has been refinished to provide visibility.
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