PENNSTATE
Harrisburg
I 8 5 5
CAPITAL TIMES
Vol. 25, No. 5
Students Express Concern
about Four- year Plan
Jon Fleck
Capital Times Staff
Penn State Harrisburg students have
expressed some concern over the idea of
joining University Park and Behrend
College as Penn State's third four-year
graduate school, but at the same time,
most students generally liked the idea.
Concern over expanding the size of the
school specifically land, housing,
classroom space, enrollment, and
coursework was in the front of some
students minds.
"They definitely have to buy the
Fruehauf land," said Chile Kienzle, a
Humanities major. "Where else are they
going to go?"
"I also think most teachers don't like
the idea of teaching basic courses to
freshmen and sophomores," Kienzle said.
Some students like the idea of having
most of the same professors for four
years.
"At a four-year school I think the
advisors would give the students more of
the time they need," said Sean
Prendergast, Electrical Engineering
Technology (EET) major .
Beth Pincher, an Elementary Education
Pennsylvania State University at Harrisburg
major, wished that as a student who has
switched majors, she would have had the
same professors for four years to help
her make sure she was going into the
right major.
Another concern raised was breaking
up the existing atmosphere at PSH.
"With all of the older students here,
there is a more mature atmosphere,"
Rich Zimmerman, an EET major, said.
"Plus there's more concentration on
education than at some four-year
schools."
Cheryl Beers, an Elementary Education
major, said she enjoys the small
classroom situation and that would
probably change as the school increased
enrollment.
Many students saw some advantages to
becoming a four-year school, especially
EET majors.
PSH, the only accredited EET program
in the Penn State system, makes
engineering majors repeat some basic
courses they had already taken their first
two years caused by having to transfer.
As a four-year institution this would not
occur.
See Four-Year on 2
Thomas visits PSH
Expansion Depends on Legislators
Victoria Cimino
Capital Times Staff
Penn State President Joab L. Thomas
talked with students about such issues as
racial insensitivity and the proposed plan
of expanding PSH to a four-year
institution on his visit this past
Wednesday.
Thomas emphasized that racial
insensitivity will not be tolerated at any
of the campuses.
"We have put together a series of
procedures that are enacted vigorously for
incidents like these."
Thomas assured students that
measures have been taken against any
persons guilty of participating in racial
events.
A final decision about PSH
expanding to four years "is dependent on
funding from the legislature," Thomas
said.
Penn State does not possess the
necessary resources to expand without
additional funds, so PSH cannot become
a four-year institution until state
legislators decide whether to build a
university in Harrisburg or to give
additional funding to an existing
instition for expansion and
improvements.
"There is a real need and opportunity
for economic development in the
Harrisburg area that could be gained from
SGA Implements
Controversial Policy
Victoria Camino
Capital Times Staff
In an attempt to unify student clubs
and organizations, the Student
Government Association (SGA) recently
passed several motions which for the
most part were met with resistance
instead of cooperation.
Next semester club presidents cannot
miss more than one Presidents' Council
meeting or the Finance Committe will
freeze the club's funds for one month--
until the next council meeting.
"This rule is to emphasize
communication," said Andrew Hilt,
SGA President. These meetings provide
an "informal way of exchanging
information between clubs and SGA."
November 16, 1990
a significant four-year institution,"
Thomas said.
Thomas also asked students what
they liked best about the PSH
atmosphere. "I need to know what you
like best about various things so we can
perhaps duplicate these elsewhere."
"This college is different, because
you have some very interesting
advantages that don't show up
elsewhere."
Thomas said in agreement with
students that the small number of
students in each class provides a better
learning experience.
Thomas also addresed other student
concerns about minority funding
programs and future plans for the
commonwealth campuses. The black
incentive programs are not being phased
out, but merged together, Thomas said .
The resources will still be there and,
anyone being funded under these
programs will still receive the same aid.
"We did not eliminate any funding.
We are just trying to streamline and
merge programs."
Thomas said he plans to visit all of
the commonwealth campuses within the
next year in order to seek ways to
improve their status in the Penn State
system.
President Thomas also met with
administration, faculty and staff during
his sessions at PSH.
SGA also passed an ammendment to
this rule, stating that clubs may submit
written excuses to the Presidents'
Council.
"Excused absences will be for any
activity that requires all club members,"
said Melissa Major, Vice President of
SGA.
One student cannot represent more
than one club at Presidents' Council
meetings and no more than one member
from each club can attend because of
voting reasons, Major said.
She said that when the presidents
vote on awards, for example, one club
should not have an advantage over
another. Presidentc' Council files contain
See SGA on 3