Open forum held for
engineering technology majors
By Joseph Kupec
This year, University Park has
allocated $170,000 of engineering
surcharge funds to the engineering
technology program at Penn State
Harrisburg, $60,000 more than the
estimated $llO,OOO paid by enrolled
technology majors on campus.
Among the concerns addressed at the
Engineering Technology Forum for
technology students and faculty, held
Nov. 8 in the auditorium, were:
spending surcharge money, lab
equipment, computer room availability
and scheduling problems due to the
faculty shortage.
When the campus opened in 1967, a
state grant was used to purchased new
lab equipment. After 21 years, most of
the original equipment is wearing out or
is obsolete.
An equipment survey, conducted in
all labs last summer, estimated that the
University would have to spend about
$1.5 million for up-dated equipment.
Dr. William Welsh, said that
program chairmen are responsible for
determining what equipment would be
purchased with surcharge money.
Money has been allocated for the fall
and spring semesters. Each department
is receiving a portion of the total
surcharge fund for 1988.
The fall semester spending breakdown
for each program is: electrical
engineering technology, $65,000;
mechanical engineering technology,
$46,000; and structural design
construction engineering technology,
$40,000.
Remaining engineering surcharge
money will be spent in the spring
semester.
Both EET and SDCET programs are
"loaning" the MET program $lO,OOO
which will be "repaid" next year.
Dr. William Aungst, mechanical
engineering technology chairman, said
the MET program is trying to buy a
CNC lathe and software package that
will cost between $55,000 and $60,000.
Some students asked about rumored
plans for turning W-255 into a computer
lab.
Welsh responded by saying that, at
the present time, there are no definite
plans for that room.
The division is looking for a general
purpose computer room and Welsh said
that the MET program has a room for its
Polly Gunsallis, head of circulation
in the Heindel Library, has a sure-fire
way to relieve stress which may be
caused by end-of-the-semester exams
and/or papers.
Stop by the library to meet her
friend, the "Dammit Doll."
The following poem will explain its
purpose.
Give it a try!
When you feel you want to
Throw the phone, or kick
The desk, or shout,
iere's a little dammit doll
You can't do without!
ust grasp it firmly by the legs
# find a place to slam it,
nd as you whack it -- yell -- Polly Gunsallis, head of circulation in the Heindel Library, shows off her
•
P ammit! Dammit! Dammit
--Author unknown "Dammit Doll."
computer-aided design (CAD) system and
the EET program has computers in its
electrical labs.
"What is needed is more space,"
Welsh said.
He also said that technology majors
would have exclusive use of computers
bought with surcharge money.
When Dr. Shoup, EET program
chairman,was asked why some courses
were unavailable, he said that there is a
faculty shortage in the EET program and
they are juggling courses to get
everything covered.
During the last strategic planning
meeting, members of the engineering
technology program requested four
additional faculty positions and recieved
one. This year, the program members
will request more faculty positions.
Shoup agreed to consider a student
petition for an evening section of EET
420 if they could sign up enough
students for it.
"The University policy is that a
course is under-enrolled if there are less
than 15 students in a 300-level course
and 8 in a 400-level course," he said.
Students also raised questions about
the extra social science-humanities
credits that engineering technology
majors are required to take
Shoup said that the national
accreditation board had decided that
increasing the social science-humanities
requirement by three credits would make
a well-rounded person.
•Previously, engineering technology
majors had been required to have 21
credits in English, speech, humanities
and behavioral sciences.
Now, ET majors must have 24
credits to graduate.
The format of this year's Engineering
Technology Forum included SGA
engineering technology senators and
representatives from the American
Society of Mechanical Engineers
(ASME), Institute of Electrical and
Electronics Engineers (lEEE) and
Pennsylvania Society of Professional
Engineers and Contractors (PSPEC).
Students could ask questions directly
or submit them in writing to their SGA
senators.
Senator-at-large John Nagengast then
read the questions to the faculty panel.
About 100 students and faculty
attended the Engineering Technology
Forum.
Students react to
ET forum
By Sondra Kinsey
Student and faculty reaction to the
Engineering Technology Forum held
Nov. 8 ranged from very enthusiastic to
"nothing ever gets changed."
"A major problem in the department
is lack of communication and
participation," said John D'Ambrosia,
senator-at-large for the Student
Government Association.
"This forum will stop some of the
rumors that get everyone excited."
The main concerns discussed were
surcharge appropriations, the necessity
to complete required courses in five
semesters, and scheduling difficulties.
Mark Greenholt, a junior majoring in
structural design and construction
engineering technology, suggested that
Penn State should have more actively
sought out grants or industry donations
if they needed so many large-ticket
items.
"I don't even have a mason jar to do a
concrete test."
He also said that the science and
technology lab has no compressed air to
run the equipment.
Students who go to school and hold
jobs voiced frustration.
"Nobody tells you that you have to
take 18-19 credits a semester to do it in
four years," said Dave Portner, a senior
electrical engineering technology major.
"And you can't get a good job with a
2.0 GPA."
Several students who declined
identification have a wait-and-see
attitude. They thought the forum itself
was a good place to let off some steam,
but it probably wouldn't make a
difference.
Jerry Shoup, chairman of the EET
department, said some of the individual
problems that came up should have been
handled by advisers beforehand.
David Schon, a senior and chairman
of the campus Institute of Electrical and
Electronics Engineers (lEEE), said this
forum had gone better than the first one
last year.
D'Ambrosia estimated an attendance
of 140 more than last year. He felt that
a good faculty turnout had contributed to
its success.
Dr. William Welsh, the engineering
technology division head, said there are
about 550 students majoring in
engineering tectnology.
Capital Times, November 16,1988, Page
Poets Sought
for APA Contest
A trip to Hawaii for two is the new
grand prize in the American Poetry
Association's latest poetry contest.
There is also a $l,OOO first prize.
In all, 152 poets will win $ll,OOO
worth of prizes.
Contest entry is free.
"Students have been winners in all
our contests," said Robert Nelson,
publisher for the association.
"So I urge students to enter now.
Later they may be too busy with
exams."
Poets may send up to five poems, no
more than 20 lines each, with name and
address on each page to American
Poetry Association, Dept. CN-74, 250
A Potrero Street, P.O. Box 1803, Santa
Cruz, CA. 95061.
Poems are judged on originality and
sincerity.
Every poem is also considered for
publication.
In the last six years, the American
Poetry Association has sponsored 27
contests and awarded $lOl,OOO to 2,700
winning poets.
Poems postmarked by Dec. 31 are
eligible to win.
Prizes will be awarded by Feb. 28,
1989.
Attention Capital Times
Beat stories are due
now. To be a success,
this system must
operate on more fre
quent deadlines.
r 1
'Don't Forget! it's
Hunger Aware
ness Week!
A table will be set up in the
main lobby so you can
drop off your canned or
boxed food products to •
feed the hungry.
There are contests to enter
and prizes to win. Drop off
your products Wed. or
Thurs. from 2 -4 p.m.
Help is needed in loading
the collected food to be sent
to the food banks.
Sat., Nov. 19 at 9 a.m.
I Fore more info., contact I
I Janet Widoff in Student I
I I
I Activities. I
L . ,j
staff members*