Anniversary Issue
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VolJ 20, no.l
Did you know?
Dr. George Wolf was the first
faculty member appointed in
1966. The fiifst class otstudents at
this campus consisted of 18 peo
ple.
The prelir
campus i
graduate si
ainary plan for the
[ailed for only a
ahool.
ird Heindel, for whom
[was named, was the
>f faculty.
graduating class of 12
]1968 had commence
eaver Stadium at the
>us.
Dr. Richa
the library i
first dean ol
The first {
students in]
ment in Be
main camp]
The first {
Harrisburg]
June 13,196
graduation held at the
[campus was Friday,
snt make-up at Penn
isburg has traditional-
From Harrisburg Area
College, 1/3 from
campuses, and 1/3
sources.
The stude
State, Harrii
ly been 1/3 fi
Community
other PSU
from other a
opposition to the SGA
ling body, a group of
Formed the Free
t survived less than
In 1987, in
as govcrri
students
Assembly..!
one semeste
all 1983 the academic
ed of three 10-week
r than two 15-week
Prior to Fi
year consis ;
terms rathe
semester.
The firsts
pus consist*
Globe Secur
10 pm to 6 a
scurity force on cam-
d of one man from
ity who worked from
i 1971 a Sumo Wrestl
maent was held on
In October
ing Tournai
campus.
(contin
med on pg. 5)
Name Change a Mouthful
It’s a little like a newly married
woman, no matter how many
times she reminds herself of her
new name, she still, without
thinking, blurts out her maiden
name.
So it is with Penn State Univer
sity at Harrisburg-Tbe Capital
College. An informal chat with
the students-at-large reveals they
still attend Capitol Campus.
What’s in a name anyway?
Right?
Actually t
significant ai
cording the F
Ruth Levent
"the first pai
The Peni
University-a
to give our
strengthened
ty within the
-reinforcing ti
part of the Pc
Capital Colli
campus’ lonf
an academic
calaureate
degrees.
The concec
le name change is
id long overdue. Ac
rovost and Dean Dr.
Iml (Currents 3/86),
‘t of the new name—
isylvania, State
t Harrisburg-seeks
academic unit a
and distinct identi-
Penn State system,
le fact that we are a
|nn State University,
ege recognizes the
; standing status as«
unit that grants bac
and graduate
t of a name chani
Capital Times
~~ ital College Aug. 27,1986
Provost Reflects on Campus
Dear Capital College Students:
This year we celehrate the 20th
anniversary of the founding of
Penn State - Harrisburg, the
Capital College. Our College
boasts a protid history of having
provided high quality, affordable,
baccalaureate, graduate, and con
tinuing education programs in
Southcentral Pennsylvania. Our
accomplishments and the
strengths developed over the
years include:
♦More than 13,000 alumni,
among them corporate and
community leaders, physicians,
attorneys, government officials,
teachers and college professors,
elevenlinMto^^degxS^and^w^
doctoral degree programs, some
with national reputations, all
well-matched to the needs of this
location;
*A student body of nearly
2,7oo—bright, mature and di
verse-eclectic in background and
interests;
*A full-time and part-time
faculty of ova: 165-experienced,
energetic, productive and com
mitted to teaching and research
as well as to professional and
community service. Ninety per
cent of the full-time faculty hold
the highest degrees or certifica-
is not sudden. In 1972 the Black
Student Union, commenting on
the need to attract more black
students, said the identification
of Capitol Campus as part of
Penn State Unvierity was a pro
blem and a name change should
be considered. Following up on
this, in the fall of 1974, rumors
circulated around campus that
the school administration was
thinking of changing the name to
Penn State University in Har
risburg or Penn State Institute of
Technology.
Dr. Robert McDermott, then
the provost, verified the discus
sion to the student newspaper
saying, “we want to emphasize
that we are not just an extension
of Penn State, but Penn State in
Harrisburg, able to offer a unique
program of courses to fit the
needs of the students.” However,
the idea of change was dropped
soon after because of lack of in
terest at the time.
Dr. Theodore Gross, provost in
April 1979, also tried to revive in
terest in a name change. “We are
developing academic admission
The Ca
lion in their fields.
*A strong and growing reputa
tion for quality education and
quality student life at com
munity colleges, the Penn State
Conrynonwealth campuses, Uni
versity Park, and at senior col
leges and four-year colleges for
quality education and quality stu
dent life;
♦The second largest library col
lection in the Penn State sys
tem, with more than one mil
lion holdings; also, the second
largest library in this area second
only to the State Library in Har
risburg;
♦Recognition by community
and corporate leaders that we are
crucial to the economic develop
ment! ofSouthCgntral Pennsyl
vania.
On the occasion of our 20th
anniversary, we can point with
pride to these and numerous
other significant accomplish
ments and, during our celebra
tion year, you will recognize
those individuals who played
key roles in making them
possible. On May 12, 1986~the
anniversary date of our founding
-we honored Dr. Eric Walker,
the Penn State President who
was instrumental in the devel
opment of the campus. At
Spring Semester Commence
ment. we recognized the original
standards and when that is final
ly done, we will talk about a
change. I can tell you the wort
“campus” will come out of th<
name,” he told the student
newspaper. ~
However, be May 1980, a
survey of name preference
among faculty, staff, & students
produced mixed results. The
issue was sent to the Board of Ad
visers, who recommended retain
ing “Capitol Campus” as the
name becuase no clear cut alter
native could be agreed upon.
In April, when Leventhal
became provost, she said her ma
jor aim was to move “Capitol
Campus” forward and make it as
famous as Joe Paterno.” In order
to keep her promise, she
demonstrated her desire to move
this school in a new direction by
again pushing for a name change,
giving PSU at Harrisburg its own
identity. Finally, eleven years
after it was first proposed, the
Board of Trustees voted on
March 14, 1986 to officially
change the name.
faculty of the College, and dur
ing the September 13 Alumni
Homecoming celebration, we
will recongize the first graduates
of the College.
Concurrent with our celebra
tion of a proud history, we will
use the anniversary to announce
an ambitious agenda for the
future-some facets of which are
already in place or are being
implemented. In all cases, the
efforts are part of strategic plan
that includes the input of stu
dents, alumni, community lead
ers, faculty, and administrators.
> The College's new name-The
Pennsylvania State University at
Harrisburg, The Capital College
(or "Penn State, Harrisburg" for
• ahb»tM»eiiefr reflects our status
as a senior-level baccalaurate
degree-granting college and grad
uate center. Moreover, in its
abbreviated and more common
form —Penn State, Harrisburg
-the new name reinforces the
fact that we are Penn State, and
offer the nation-ally known
Penn State Quality education.
A major component of our
plan for the future is to enhance
the academic programs of the
College. Environmental scan
ning has indicated that growth
opportunities exist for the Col
lege because of its location and
because of new regional eco
nomic development efforts, and
that now is the time to invest
resources into new and existing
programs of promise.
To this end, the College has
added three new degree programs
-bachelor's degree programs in
criminal justice and computer
science and a master's degree
program in recreation and parks.
Last year we added a master's
degree program in training and
development and the D.Ed.
degree in adult education. All of
these were developed as a result
of strategic planning analyses
that indicated significant job
market opportunities for
graduatess of these programs.
In addition, 13 new faculty
haave been recruited to the
College this year along.
Among physical developments
to support the academic curricu
lum are a computer aided design
lab developed for engineering
technology students, an upgraded
television studio for mult-media
students, and new computer
equipment latest in computer
languages, Ada. We are currently
investigating strategies for reno
vating the Mechanical Engineer-
Growth
ing Technology Laboratory
Building, have established a task
force to explore our need for a
new library, and have begun
work on a campus Physical
Plant Master Plan that will
guide the overall growth and
development of the campus
through to the next century.
Future additions and improve
ments will hinge to a great de
gree on our ability to attract pri
vate support for the-College.
Outside funding must be sought
for scholarships and research
endowments that will enable us
to attract the highest caliber of
faculty and students. We also
must attract private support for
the physical development of the
campus as well as for year-to-
projects. During our
anniversary year, the College
/will aggressively continue its
effort to secure this support
from the community, alumni,
business, industry, and individ
. uals who have come to know
the value and service of Penn
State, Harrisburg.
We have chosen for our anni
versary theme "20 Years Toward
the 21st Century" to underline
the fact that our accomplish
ments of the past 20 years have
prepared us well to undertake our
ambitious plans for the future.
The stage has been set, and the
College is poised to take a
major and visible leadership role
in education, research, and
public service that will benefit
all of Southcentral Pennsylvania
and the Commonwealth.
Ruth Leventhal, Ph.D., M.B.A,
Provost and Dean
Professor of Biology