Vol. 28 No. 1 Library remains priority despite finances The drive for a new library at Penn State Harrisburg continues, Provost Ruth Leventhal said recently, despite budget cuts within the university and less state support for university building projects. As part of her State of the College address on Aug. 21, Leventhal said a firm had been hired to calculate how much money might be raised locally to support construction of the college's long-needed library. The firm, Grenzenbach, Inc., advised the university on its last fundraising Leventhal reacts to budget cuts Calling the 1992-93 school year one of "threatening promise," Penn State Harrisburg Provost Ruth Leventhal, in an address to faculty and staff on Aug. 21, described a three-year program of budget cuts the college faces. The provost described how Penn State Harrisburg faces $1.3 million in budget reductions between 1993 and 1996. Various campus leaders have made Ruth Leventhal Outreach center established Matt Hunt Capital Times Staff In response to the southcentral Pennsylvania region's demand for extended research, training and counseling services in the business and industrial community, Penn State Harrisburg and Penn State York introduced a new outreach program on Aug. 3, 1992. Operating under the auspices of the Penn State Harrisburg School of Business Administration, the Business/Industry Outreach Center (BIOS) maintains three locations--Penn State York, Penn State Harrisburg's Eastgate Center and Olmsted W-355. "I hope businesses in the capital area will take notice of BIOS and our Cap ital T Pennsylvania State University at Harrisburg campaign, which closed 60 percent over its goal, Leventhal said. Leventhal noted that last year the governor's staff began to require all new buildings funded with state money to raise 40 percent of the total needed themselves. Formerly, the state funded 100 percent, she said. Leventhal said she has also appointed a steering committee of community leaders to help determine how the 40 percent required of the college could be raised locally. recommendations for cuts, but the provost stressed that she wants to collect suggestions from students, faculty and staff on how the cuts should be handled. A series of meetings has been _scheduled to collect these suggestions (see box, p. 6). Despite the budget cuts, the provost said the college is called upon to avoid layoffs, to not reduce enrollments and to improve educational quality. Provost seeks input about budget The academic year 1992-93 will be the most challenging year of my tenure at Penn State Harrisburg because of the many challenges before us. As you may remember, Penn State Harrisburg had one short rollback of temporary funds on the order of one half percent and three percent of our budget during the last two years, and this year, a state budget has been approved which, for the first time in many years, cuts the permanent budget of Penn State along with budgets of other state-owned and state-related universities by about three and a half percent. This past March, along with all other Penn State colleges and major non- resources", said Assistant Director Mary Anne van Arsdale. Along with counseling clients, van Arsdale will oversee the center's staff and mangage its day-to-day activities. BIOS offers these six programs: University Connnection -An information line where callers receive information on economic development programs, funding resources and financial assistance programs. Callers can speak directly with a counselor at (717) 948- 6069, Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. See Blos; page 6 James Mead, president of Capital Blue Cross and of the Penn State Harrisburg Board of Advisors, is chairing the committee. In addition to funding, Leventhal said the "main stumbling block" is that the governor has not yet approved the library construction. The Penn State Harrisburg library had been among approved projects in the capital budget bill passed by the legislature two years ago. But, Leventhal said, "the governor eliminated the project along with most other new building Among the steps to reduce costs is a proposal to reinstitute an annual parking fee, a recommendation the provost called "particularly painful." Recommendations also call for reductions of some student activities and leaving positions vacant in inter collegiate athletics. along with reduced operations in health and other support services. Elective courses will also be "held to a minimum," the provost said. academic units, we were asked by the president to develop a strategic plan for the next three years to result in a reduced budget and a stronger college. A university "future committee" was formed by - President Thomas to guide this process. On July 15, I met with the university future committee to present preliminary thinking based on recommendations to me from campus leadership about this process and I want to share with you today those recommendations. I also want to tell you my plan for receiving the consultation of the faculty, staff and students on these recommendations so that by Nov. 1, when we need to submit our strategic plan for cuts, for reallocations of funds and enhancement funds, I will have had the opportunity to hear the best wisdom from all of you about how to proceed. PSH student wins Any student knows hard work and time management can really pay off. But not many know it better that Bonnie Etzweiler, a Penn State Harrisburg student who recently won the 1992-93 Harsco Corporation Scholarship. Etzweiler, a junior secondary education English major, said the $2,500 scholarship will help her ease the financial strain caused by the increasing costs of tuition. "I don't have to worry about mes scholarship September 4, 1992 projects in the final round of reviews." An addition to the Pattee Library, at University Park was approved several years ago and is pursuing its fundraising campaign. Members of the Penn State Harrisburg Board of Advisers are working with University President Joab Thomas to win support for the Penn State Harrisburg library from the legislature and the governor, Leventhal said. The Heindel Library has been plagued by lack of space for books and staff. However, the provost noted that no layoffs of any current permanent faculty or staff are recommended for this year. Some of the money cut will be returned to the college "to improve quality," the provost said. A portion of this money will be available to programs on a competitive basis. An edited version of the provost's State of the College speech appears below. I also feel we're Yucky at Penn State Harrisburg because of the commitment to quality and teamwork of our internal college leadership, those who have collegially struggled to find recommendations for ways to meet our mandate to reduce our permanent budget by 10 percent. That's $1.3 million dollars between 1993 and 1996, while achieving mandates from the university future committee that we improve the quality of our educational initiatives, increase faculty research, avoid layoffs as much as possible and not plan for reduction in student numbers. A tall older. The college leadership has also developed recommendations for reallocation of funds and enhancement See Speech, page 6 money," Etzweiler said. "It frees me to concentrate on my studies." But school isn't the only thing taking up her time. Etzweiler is also the mother of four children. And if shat isn't enough, this Perry County resident volunteers for the La Leche League International, an organ ization which promotes breastfeeding to new mothers. She has also organized workshops for the organization, while leading a support group.
Significant historical Pennsylvania newspapers