New provost looks to future...
L 4, UARM
The students of Penn State
University's Capitol Campus have
"the opportunity to participate in
the blossoming of an institution,"
according to Dr. Ruth Leventhal,
who will assume the post of Pro
vost/Dean on July 1.
Leventhal, who said she was
"absolutely delighted" about her
move to Capitol, said recently
that she was pleased about
"working with the quality of
faculty, staff and students" at
Capitol, and the opportunity to
"move Capitol Campus forward
and make it as famous as Joe
Paterno."
Capitol Campus' low percen
tage of minority and women
faculty and students is
"something that clearly needs im
mediate attention. " said
Leventhal.
"We need to put immediate at
tention into recruitment and
retention of minorities and
women." She said the campus is
in need of "positive role models"
for women and minorities to pro
vide students with a balanced
perspective.
"My past activities and my
future activities speak for my
committment to minority and
women's issues," she said.
First attracted to Capitol by
"the kinds of educational pro
grams offered" and by what she
perceives to be the educational
philosophy of the campus, Leven
thal anticipates a continuing
growth at Capitol.
"Campus beautification and
unification" are important to
Leventhal's immediate plans for
Capitol Campus. She said it is
"necessary to build a real campus
feeling" here for Capitol to
progress.
"I want more students to have
an active part in the activities
available on campus,"she said.
As far as long-range plans are
concerned, Leventhal said im
provements in the facilities will be
necessary to support future needs.
She cites Penn State University
President Bryce Jordan as being
"very supportive" of Capitol's
goals for the future.
During a recent press con
ference she said those goals in
clude "establishing (Capitol Cam
pus) as a cultural center in the
Harrisburg/Hershey area."
Leventhal noted that she felt
student involvement will be
helpful in the forward progress of
the campus.
"Commuters have special kinds
of needs, as do resident
students," she observed. "I
would like to meet with students
and listen to their ideas and needs
Dr. Leventhal explores art studio while Linda Ross, Dr. John Patterson and Dr. Troy Thomas look on
for the campus and their educa
tion."
Noting that there are "many
areas that have not been broach
ed," Leventhal said she would
like to "work directly with the
department heads to make signifi
cant efforts into outreach." She
said both the Lancaster County
and Harrisburg areas could prove
to be very supportive of Capitol
if the school improved its
outreach in those areas.
The notoriety of being the first
female provost in the Penn State
system, Leventhal believes, will
soon die down and allow her to
proceed with her plans for the
campus.
"At the University of Penn
sylvania," she remembers, the
fact that she is female was not a
significant factor in her
achievements.
"Intelligent people are looking
for competency and once you
have achieved that you become
part of the team."
For the moment, Leventhal is
"feeling very welcomed," and is
"getting letters from all over the
country" supporting her. She said
she feels the faculty is probably
"anxious to get started" now that
a new provost has been selected
and is herself eager to begin.
"What I like doing best," she
said, "is helping people do what
they do best."
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Dr. Leventhal meets with several segments of the campus community in
preparation for her new position.
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