Page 2 Tough Job But Somebody Has To Do It By Denise Reinas Resident Assistants have a job which is more difficult than many people know. Aside from being on duty in the residence halls and Mead Heights, and also enforcing rules and regulations, RAs must endure a very hectic and difficult two weeks of train ing before the school year even begins. Resident Assistants perform five major roles. They are the source of information for students; they answer questions such as where to go and who to see about different problems. They plan educational programs; each must plan two programs per semester which pertain to things that the students are interested in “Harv” slaving over a hot grill in the Lion’s Den Times EDITOR: Jan Travers Tom Boyle Julie Larson Ray Burkett Jean Mettz Mike Camitli Sharon Olmstead Thalia Cook Alan Pincus Luke Hess Denise Reinas Vicki Koon Bob TRs ADVERTISING MANAGER: CARTOONIST: Kris Hansen j oe Kupec BUSINESS MANAGER: Diane Fitzgerald PHOTOGRAPHERS: Todd Hammaker ADVISOR: Sylvia Johnson Joanne Smith Printed at the Press and Journal, Middletown. The Capital Times is published by the students of Penn State at Harrisburg. Concerns about content of any issue should be directed to the editor in Room 212, Olmsted Building. Any opinion expressed are those of the author and are not representative of the college administration, faculty or student body. The Capital Times does not endorse its advertisers. The Capital Times welcomes signed letters from readers. Unsigned letters cannot be printed; however a writer’s name can be withheld upon request such as breast cancer, Three Mile Island, career services, time management, etc. They handle emergencies such as first aid, C.P.R., and fire safety. They en force rules and policies such as quiet hours, drinkinbg alcohol, parties, etc. And lastly, they per form the duties of a counselor; they have skills in interpersonal communications, basic counsel ing and crisis intervention. Two weeks before school begins, RAs must attend a leadership training program which lasts three days and takes place at a camp off-campus. Then they attend a residence liv ing programs with RAs from other branch campuses of Penn State. This also lasts three days and its purpose is to find out what it is like being an RA on Capital Times other campuses, within the next week, RAs must meet with the different departments on cam pus, such as campus police, the housing and food services, the counseling center, health ser vices, career services, arid finan cial aid. The purpose of these meetings is to learn how to work along with the different depart ments. RAs also attend a session on policies, ■ rules and procedures where they learn how to discipline people who break the rules. They also meet with Dave Doaty, who informs them of how to take care of and help the students with special needs. Besides the two weeks of train ing, RAs must be on duty for two nights weekly and every third weekend in the residence Behind The Scenes: By Sharon Olmstead Mary Alice Pittman, better known as “Harv” at Capital College, believes in having fun while she works. She jokes and laughs as she talks. “If my hus band reads this, I want a new red convertible for Christmas,” she says. klarv is the petite daytime grill cook'in the Lion’s Den at Capital College. She says her husband, who is an electrician, is “laid back” in contrast to her. “I get excited,” she says. “I want something finished right away. I want to know Penn State won before the game,” she adds. “I hate to wait!” She is a busy, active person, she says, playing racquetball on campus and hiking, cross country skiing, and tent camping with her family. On weekends and week nights she judges United States Gym nastics Federation (USGA) and high school class three and four gymnastics. She doesn’t have much extra time, but she hurries home to watch a favorite TV program, “St. Elsewhere.” Harv worked two years as a nurse after graduating from nur sing school in Pottsville, but DISABILITY SUPPORT GROUP FORMING Several students have express ed an interest in establishing a new support group at PSU, Har risburg. We would be very in terested in establishing a group of students, faculty and staff from the campus who may have concerns or special needs concer ning their disabilities or disabilities of family or friends. This support group would gather either on a personal basis or perhaps converse by telephone in the event schedules do not match. Although you personal ly may not need additional ser vices or need support, you halls and Meade Heights. There is one RA living on each floor in the dorms and one on each street in the Heights. Even when they are not on duty, if something goes wrong or rules are being broken, they still must be there to react and take care of the situation. Also, throughout the year there are weekly staff meetings and every two weeks there are in service training sessions wfyich cover topics such as substance abuse, suicide, depression, death and dying, time management, In order to be a Resident and whatever else the RAs want Assistant, a cumulative average to learn. of 2.0 is necessary. Also, In February there will be qualities such as leadership, advertisements posted for those maturity, responsibility, and who would like to become RAs. commitment must be present. An application must be submit- There will be thirteen applicants ted along with three letters of selected to be RAs. MARY ALICE ‘ ‘HARV’ ’PITTMAN didn’t like it, she says. “It was my mother’s dream,” she says in a serious moment. Choices for women were more limited then, and you did what was expected of you, she says. “It was later on that I got rebellious.” She should have become a physical education teacher, she says because she’s an outdoors person who is always active. “I could never have a job sit ting. I’ve got to move!” She says she is happiest in sneakers, sweatshirt and jeans. At home, Harve likes making family meals special with gourmet food and pretty dishes. They usually have candlelight, expecially in winter, and white wine with dinner-her favorite is Blue Nun. Fifteen years ago Harv moved to Middletown with her husband and two daughters, now ages 15 and 17, from Mahonoy City, PA. “It’s coal country between Hazelton and Pottsville,” she replied. Harv is a nickname after her maiden name, Harviletz. Harv says she has many friends, but doesn’t have any “close” friends. “People here regulations. perhaps could be an individual to We are very interested in get help others find ways to make ting this group organized. If their lives easier, anyone is interested in becoming If you do have a disability and associated with such a group, you have learned to cope with it please contact Dave Doaty, and have overcome obstacles, Room 200, Olmsted Building, certainly you could be a strength 948 1 6 017. I for the group. If you have a We perceive this group doing disability and have some pro- a number of things. This can in blems, the group could help you dude guest speakers from the learn to cope with situations and state, University Park, or a to overcome the barriers you multitude of other areas. The may encounter. The group also group really would go in the could work as a unit to make any direction that it would determine needed changes not only within to be the most useful and most the university but also perhaps productive. The group can only with some of the state be as successful as you make it. Oct. 29,1986 reference. In March, George lYoung, coordinator of residence life and Leslie Eames, assistant coordinator, conduct interviews with the applicants. There will be a group interview which consist of general questions, a group project to see how well the ap plicants perform in a group, and role playing to see how the ap plicants act in certain situations. Then individual interviews are be conducted. These interviews are in deeper detail than the group interviews. are friendly, but they keep to themselves,” she explained. Peo ple in Mahonoy City, where her parents and younger sister still live, are easier to get to know, ac cording to Harv. Her older brother lives in Harrisburg where he is manager of the City Market. Harv has experience as a waitress, and had become manager of a pizza parlor. But after the TMI accident, she quit the job to be home with her daughters more. The accident really upset her then, and it still does. She memorizes faces of people with standard orders using association, she says. “Oh, you’re a grilled ham and cheese,” she says, “but I don’t know their name.” She and the other two women on the daty shift name sandwiches and dinners after people for fun. There’s the Mike Behney sand wich, a lunch special of whole wheat toast, fried egg, bacon, cheese, lettuce, and tomato. Humanities Chairman William Mahar has a sandwich named (continued on pg. 6)
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