Open Forums Provide Avenues for Change ? By John Yagecic Students will once again have the opportunity to effect how their division is run. Beginning in early to mid March, each division will have an open forum meeting to discuss problems or possible changes within that division. The Open Forum meetings, which were started by the Student Government Association in the 87-88 school year, give students the chance to directly communicate with division heads and faculty members, and to let them know how the students feel about the state of the division. Commentary: Execution is No Laughing Matter By C.W. Heiser When I first began this piece it was to be a flip throwaway about Ted Bundy. You can guess what would follow: "So, do you know how they cured Ted Bundy's insanity? . . . Electro-shock therapy" . . . Real funny stuff. But something happpened--I realized that I was denying the humanity of Ted Bundy, and, by extension, the humanity of his victims. Humor is a human defense against the pain and injustice of this world, but there is no joke that can mitigate the horror those women and girls suffered at Bundy's hands. As I reflect on Ted Bundy's humanity I am in no way attempting to defend his actions; in acknowledging his humanity, I lay full responsibility for Ted's crimes at his feet. Society is not to blame, nor is, as Ted self-servingly claimed, pornography. Ted did it. Ted chose his victims, just as Patrick Purdy chose to kill school children at the Cleveland Elementary School in Stockton, California. To say that these men were driven to commit these atrocities is to say that we are all machines incapable of choice; if Ted and Pat were incapable of distinguishing between good and evil at the level of life and death then how much free will could any of us have in our mundane daily lives? I know that there are some who would argue that these men were insane and not in control of themselves. If this were true then why didn't Wh o broke ou+ ? The meetings have been plagued in the past by low attendance. "If one or two students bring up a problem or suggestion at a meeting, that problem won't be taken as seriously as it would if there were twenty or thirty students complaining about the same problem," said SGA President John Nagengast. "Students don't realize that they do have the power to change policy here at Penn State Harrisburg." Provost and Dean Dr. Ruth Leventhal said, "I think it is important that there exists a communication flow between Purdy mow down the first people he encountered? If Bundy was out of control how was he able to commit so many murders with such precision? These men were human and they chose evil. I support the death penalty--not for vengeance, and not as a deterrent. It is my belief, as should be apparent, that every person is responsible for his or her actions. Any person who would premeditatedly kill another gives up all rights in human society, and society need not continue relations with him or her. That person should be removed from society--removed entirely. But Ted's death became something else. The veneer of civilization cracked in Florida. The mob waiting for Ted's death screamed for blood--as if his death would somehow stop the violence which pervades our society. At this point, it could be said that that mob was only the concrete representation of society rising up to expel Ted from its midst, analogous to white blood cells attacking invaders of the body, but it would be wrong. To argue thus is to fall into the same trap as saying that Ted was driven. Those people chose to revel in Bundy's execution. Violence and other injustice will not stop until we acknowledge our own humanity, and the free will which that humanity entails. Every day, each of us must make the choice, and it is no laughing matter. One of the 9 uor 85. the students and the faculty." "We can't make changes unless we know what is important to the students," Leventhal said. "I need that feedback; I need to hear what is important to students, otherwise I'm just guessing," she said. "Instructors don't know if they are doing something right or wrong unless they get feedback from the students," Nagengast said. The SGA has not finalized the dates for the Open Forum meetings , but Nagengast said they hope to resume the meetings by the second week in March. FACULTY-STUDENTS-STAFF Joint Lenten Service of the Word - r I=ii 101 l i- 14 ; A iii 1 Seruices Led By- Father Robert Panza, Roman Catholic Chaplain 'astor K. Robert Schmitt, Lutheran Campus Ministry, Middletown, PR Feb -un g 2:0 nr uorg° R om in -331 Come Worship With Us On Campus During This Lenten Season every Wednesday, 12:00 Noon, BCAC Lounge. Roman Catholic Mass every Sunday, 7:00 p.m. in the Dinin 1 Hall . Sponsored by Middletown Interfaith Council, LCM, CCM. History Month . By Donna K. Holmes Black History Month is coming in February and Penn State Harrisburg's Black Student Union (BSU) has planned a number of events to celebrate. With the entire student body, faculty and staff in mind, BSU's programing should prove to be enjoyable as well as educational to all who attend. The events are as follows: February *lB - Jr. High School Recruitment (All day with participants) *2O - Dr. Fuget, BOAC 1:00 p.m., (Tenative) Nommo Dancers CUB at 7:30 p.m. Prouost's Lecture Series Susan Sontag Thursday April 13, 1989 8:00 p.m. In the C.U.B.
Significant historical Pennsylvania newspapers