pennState
Harrisburg
CAPITAL TIMES
Vol. 25, No. 11
Diversity
remains up
Karen M. Putt
Capital Times Staff
The issue of whether or not to
implement a diversity requirement
remains unresolved following the facutly
organization's April 22 meeting.
A crowd ranging up to 40 faculty
members debated the issue for more than
an hour and a half, before closing the
meeting with a 30 to 1 vote in favor of
reconvening in two weeks to consider
amendments or new ideas on the
proposed requirement
At the center of the debate was the
task force proposal on diversity. The
proposal is Penn State Harrisburg's
reaction to a mandate from the faculty
senate at University Park on March 20,
1990, calling for the implementation of
a diversity requirement by the campus.
A first draft of the proposal was
written in February of this year, and was
recently altered after receiving opposition
from the faculty council at its April 9
meeting.
James Hudson, chair of faculty
council, said the amended proposal
would allow students to meet the
diversity requirement in four different
ways. Through courses taken at other
colleges, a student's previous
experiences, courses taken at Penn State
Harrisburg or through experiences the
student has while at PSH.
The proposal defines cultural
diversity as "difference or variety in
ethnicity, language, race, religion,
gender, age, differently abled or sexual
orientation, social class, global and
regional perspectives.”
In courses students admitted few the
fall 1994 semester would take at least
Tassel hassles
Dean tightens cap and gown requirements
T.J. Brightman
Capital Times Staff
Students who have been allowed to
participate in commencement ceremonies
before finishing their coursework, will
no longer be granted exceptions said
Ernest K. Dishner, associate provost and
dean of faculty.
And that has some mechanical
engineering students upset.
"I want the opportunity to graduate
after completing the majority of my *
Pennsylvania State University at Harrisburg
issue
inair
three credits of work in courses that
focus on diversity issues, or six credits
in culturally enhanced courses, courses
that contain at least 25 percent cultural
diversity material.
Starting in fall 1996 students would
have to complete at least three credits in
cuturally focused courses or 12 in
culturally enhanced courses.
Experiences that would satisfy the
requirement might include service in the
Peace Corps, community agencies, or
internships.
Faculty members focused their debate
on problems with the plan.
Calling the plan "a breath-taking
insult to students,” Michael Barton,
associate professor of social science and
American studies, asked, "who, what
and how will courses be considered
diversified-and for whom?”
Robert W. Colman, assistant
professor of social science and
psychology, said if the faculty passed
this resolution now it would be buying
"<me big pig in a poke."
Some faculty members, like Louise
Hoffman, associate professor of
humanities and history, wondered who
would teach the new courses.
"We are ill-equipped to teach these
courses,” she said, noting the weakness
of offerings in a subject like African
history. "We have faculty with interests
in different areas...but we're not qualified
to teach a course on topics we haven't
studied.”
Students too had problems with the
proposal.
Melissa Major, Student
Government's representative to the
See Diversity, page 11
courses," said Henry Reed, a mechanical
engineering major who is three credits
short of completing his coursework
before spring graduation. "Eight months
from now it won't be as meaningful,
especially not having the opportunity of
graduating with students I have spent the
last two years with."
Reed and several students want
Dishner to allow them to participate in
graduation ceremonies in May and fulfill
their remaining coursework in the
summer session.
Ex-PSH official
charged
Jeff Berrigan and Elin Marcel
Capital Times Staff
Kenneth E. Witmer, the former
manager of facilities and maintenance
operations at Penn State Harrisburg, has
been charged with stealing tools and
building materials from the university,
using them to improve his own
properties and build a house he sold for
almost $lOO,OOO.
A statement released by the
university says that Witmer allegedly
"charged and acquired building tools from
the college totaling $36,613. The
charges stem from a four-month
investigation by university police
services at University Park."
Witmer, 41, has been charged with
14 counts of theft by deception.
The alleged thefts took place between
December 1986 and November 1990,
according to court papers. Witmer
allegedly used purchase orders to buy
materials from local merchants
including, a lawnmower, tools, a stapler,
locks, a ladder, about $2OO in nails, a
storm door and accessories, decking,
roofing materials, toilet attachmehts, 50
sweatshirts, paint, and construction
materials.
Witmer, a former Londonderry Twp.
supervisor, told the Patriot-News that
the charges against him are a
"misunderstanding" and that he was "sure
well get the whole thing cleared up."
In affidavits filed with the District
Justice, Witmer said he was borrowing
the items and returned some of them.
Officials became suspicious during a
1990 audit, the affidavits said.
"The policy says that we can't do it,”
said Dishner. "In order to graduate, you
must fulfill all degree requirements."
Dishner said that exceptions in the
past became rule and their was a need to
"tighten" up university policy.
Dishner said that exceptions will be
granted only under "extenuating
circumstances," for example, a student
who will be out of the country or a
student with a parent who is terminally
ill and would like to see their son or
daughter graduate.
April 26, 1991
with theft
Kenneth Witmer
Witmer declined any comment "until
all matters have been settled.”
Witmer Allegedly used some of the
materials to build a new house, put an
addition on his Elizabethtown home, and
put new windows in his beach house in
Rehoboth Beach, Del. The new house, a
property in Conewago Twp. was sold for
$98,200, according to court papers.
Witmer was arraigned before District
Justice Bob Yanich and was released on a
recognizance bail of $lO,OOO.
Luanne Lawrence, assistant to the
director of community relations, said the
school would release no further
information until Winner's preliminary
hearing May 2.
This kind of policy does not satisfy
Reed.
"I will be out in the working world
in a few months, and if I graduate in the
fall my ties to the university will already
be gone,” he said.
Disner is concerned about the true
spirit of graduation.
"We started granting too many
(exceptions) and what we had was a
graduation ceremony, but it wasn't. "It
actually was something else,” Dishner
said.