pennState CAPITAL TIMES Vol. 25, No. 9 Counselor resigns after 18 years John Rudy Capital Times Staff Edward S. Beck is resigning this month after more than 18 years of counseling and teaching at Penn State Harrisburg, moving full-time into the private sector as a counseling professional. "I felt that my responsibilities were limited and it was no secret that I was looking for more responsibility," Beck said. "I felt that the college's administrative climate did not allow me to maximize my potential. "It was a tough call. I have a great affection for Penn State Harrisburg. I enjoyed the job, but felt that if I was going to grow professionally, I'd have to leave," he said. Beck submitted his resignation Feb. 27, which will become effective March 31. He left the campus this week to use up his vacation time. Beck will move to the Susquehanna Institute for Mental Health, Education and Consultation, supervising and administering a group practice of psychologists, social workers and counselors. He had been operating at Susquehanna Institute, located on Linglestown Road in Harrisburg, since 1984 on a part-time basis. Beck said that what he had been doing and was being asked to do at the college did not really fit his training and experience, and felt that it was time to move on to better utilize his College conducts personnel searches Elin Marcel Capital Times Staff Looking for a job? Anyone seeking a faculty or administrative position in higher education would be well advised to investigate Penn State Harrisburg. The university is presently conducting 25 personnel searches, seeking 15 faculty members in six divisions, five academic administrators and five support personnel. Ernest Dishner, associate provost and dean of the faculty, said this is an unusually high number of searches for one year, but there is no specific problem or reason. Retirements, terminations, and new positions explain the large number of searches, he added. The search process is costing the university approximately $75,000, Pennsylvania State University at Harrisburg Edward Beck supervisory, administrative and leadership skills. "A number of transactions occurred which led me to believe that I was not necessarily in the college's future plans for leadership,” he said. "I basically felt very underemployed and underutilized." When Beck started at Penn State Harrisburg, the career center, counseling See Beck, page 5 Dishner said. Most of the cost goes to advertising in scholarly publications, such as the Chronicle of Higher Education, a weekly higher education newspaper. The university spends $BOO-1200 per ad, Dishner said. "It’s important that your ad be seen by people who would possibly be interested in that position," Dishner said, adding that good candidates are often suggested by a colleague who spotted the ad and feels they are qualified. Dishner said the university makes a concerted effort to recruit women and minorities into the applicant pools. "I want to be sure that we have done everything that we can to be sure we have sought out...highly qualified women and minorities," Dishner said. The college places advertisements in Vartan contributes $2.7 million to school Pat Byers Capital Times Staff Penn State Harrisburg recently received $2.7 million from Harrisburg entrepreneur and Penn State alumnus John Vartan. According to the Patriot News, the gift is the largest in the history of the campus, and one of many previous gifts made by Vartan to the school. It is the first part of a $5 million donation expected by the Vartan family. Penn State President Joab Thomas told the Patriot that he is delighted to receive "this impressive vote of confidence from the Vartan family." He said that the gift will create an endowment at Penn State Harrisburg. He said the entire amount will be invested with the interest used to support various selected projects and programs. Penn State Harrisburg Dean and Provost Ruth Leventhal called Vartan "a primary patron of this institution," and noted that he has been a crucial figure in the growth of the campus during the 1980 s. Vartan is chaiman of Vartan Enterprises Inc. of Harrisburg and chairman of the board of directors of Dauphin National Bank. He is a founding member of the Penn State Harrisburg Board of Advisors, a affirmative action publications, such as Black Issues, or Affirmative Action Register, Dishner said. Any advertisements state that Penn State is "an affirmative action/equal opportunity employer," and "women and minorities are encouraged to apply." If enough females and minorities don’t apply, the search may be reopened, Dishner said. The search process is an extensive one. While Dishner is responsible for the academic and administrative searches, division heads or acting division heads are in charge of faculty searches. The division head recommends to Dishner a "search and screen" committee, mainly composed of members of that division, with at least one member from outside the division for a different perspective. March 15, 1991 leader in campus fund raising and a member of the alumni society. Vartan received his master’s degree in engineering from Penn State Harrisburg in 1973. Charles A. Cole, chairman of the graduate program in environmental pollution control knew Vartan as both a student and co-worker. Cole said Vartan was one of the first graduate students he ever taught and was a "very focused person who knew where to go and set about a plan to do it.' Cole worked with Vartan on consulting jobs in the mid 1970 s and called the future entrepreneur "hard working and very determined at both school and work." Cole said that following graduation Vartan started his own environmental engineering company and expanded his interests in properties, real estate and construction. Vartan was named Alumni Fellow at Penn State Harrisburg in 1987, and is an esteemed member of the Mount Nittany Society, which recognizes the highest level of philanthropy to Penn State. Vartan, who could not be reached for comment, was responsible for donating $194,000 for the Center of Technology, $61,000 to the major gifts campaign, a $250,000 gift to the Penn State Harrisburg Downtown Center, and $lO,OOO to the Renaissance Scholarship Fund. The number of applications depends on the field. For two management openings in the School of Business Administration, 105 people applied. A position in writing in the humanities division received about 60 applications. Before the actual interview process begins, committee members have already put in many hours, said John Patterson, acting humanities division head. They attend at least ten meetings in addition to time spent reading numerous applications on their own time. "Reading applications is clearly work," Patterson said. After they receive applications, the committee reviews them and recommends to the division head a group of individuals to be interviewed, usually See Searches, page 4
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