Pet Semetary visits
Movie Haus
Page 9
Vol. 28, No. 2
it the right one, baby?
Candy Franks
Capital Times Staff
Penn State recently said "uh-huh" to a
ten year, $l4 million partnership with
Pepsi.
Six million dollars will be apportioned
to building the new Academic/Athletic
Convocation and Events Center at
University Park. University libraries will
be allocated $1 million; $500,000 will
expand the HUB/Robeson Cultural Center;
and the 21 branch campuses will divide
$500,000 among them over a 10-year
period.
Remaining dollars will aid scholarship
funds, University housing and food service
vending operation activities, and help fund
a new scoreboard for Beaver Stadium.
"We are very pleased about this
welcome news for Penn State," said
University President Joab Thomas. "We
will have new and unexpected help for the
University libraries and other Penn State
campuses across the Commonwealth."
"The partnership came about as an
attempt to procure athletic sponsorship for
the new Convocation Center," said Roger
Williams, director of university relations.
"It grew into a much larger package than
we anticipated. As a result, there is
unexpected money for campuses other than
University Park."
It isn't definite when other campuses
will receive the unexpected money or even
how much each campus will receive, but
according to Williams a decision will be
made "before too many months."
The University will receive $1.4
million per year over the ten-year life of
the partnership.
In return, Pepsi gained exclusive rights
to place its logo on the main scoreboard in
Beaver Stadium, and will be the primary
corporate sponsor on the scoreboard in the
Convocation Center. Pepsi also gained
Parking fee impending
Tim Brown
Capital Times Staff
Dr. Leventhal called it "particularly
painful."
Students will undoubtedly call it
harsher things. What is it? "It" is an
annual parking fee that may be
implemented at PSH.
Faced with a $1.3 million budget cut
between 1993 and 1996, the University
needs to come up with cash.
The university sees the fee as one way
to help bring in money to cover part of
the expected shortfall.
"The idea was presented to Dr.
Leventhal by the people on the
administration council in order to reduce
the college budget," said Dr. James South,
associate provost for administration
operations.
Part of the reason the strategic
planning meetings were held last week
was to deal with this problem.
"This idea is at a conceptual stage,"
Sh
- / Campus speed limit
V N .
Third Stream jazz
decreased picnic
o r
Page 2 Page 8
Cap
ital T
exclusive rights for managing vending
services at University Park and marketing
its products on the 21 branch campuses.
"Pepsi is equally excited about this
partnership," said Andy Cross, Pepsi's
vice president for on-premise sales. "It's a
classic win-win situation, and it gives
Pepsi an array of marketing opportunities
in connection with one of America's most
prestigious universities."
Although Pepsi controls Penn State's
soft-drink market, there hasn't been a
"huge outpouring of criticism," according
to Williams. "Some people voiced
concerns of over-commercialization and
freedom of choice, but [students, faculty,
and staff] do have a choice if they go off
campus and buy a Coke." This is exactly
how some Penn State Harrisburg students,
faculty and staff are dealing with the
change.
"I can't stand Pepsi. If I want a soda,
I'll usually bring it with me," said Joe
Belanger, a senior communications major.
"If they'd have done the same deal with
Coke, rd be perfectly happy."
"I'm a Coke drinker. I drink coffee
now," said Dr. Michael Barton, professor
of american studies. "I have friends who
sneak Coke in with them."
But for some students like Diane
Durborow, an elementary education major,
"it doesn't really matter."
And for others it isn't the Pepsi, but
the partnership, that leaves a bad taste in
their mouths.
"It's a shame that Penn State has to
rely on its money from a corporation,"
said Tom Flanagan, a senior engineering
major. "It's common knowledge that PSH
needs d new library. I suggest that PSH
install in the dorms, coffee house, and the
Olmsted building, coin-operated brew
meisters. Just imagine the revenue that a
biding war between the major breweries
could elicit."
said South. "Our job is to see if this is a
reasonable idea for the Provost to submit
to the University's Future Committee."
Since this is still at conceptual levels,
there is no set cost yet or plan on how it
will be implemented.
"We are looking at the cost of
managing the program and the
infrastructure involved," South said. "I can
say that our fee will not be the same as
University Park's."
It won't be just the students who'll feel
the crunch of this possible fee.
This fee won't be part of student
tuition and most likely will be listed on
the bill like the computer fee is.
South said, "All money raised from
this fee will remain on this campus. This
will be an auxiliary account with all the
money being accounted for separately."
"This is part of how we will operate
the university with few dollars from the
legislature. None of us like paying taxes,
but we have to. This is something we
won't enjoy, but will have to do it."
Penn State Harrisburg
"Maybe soon we'll strike a deal with
Goodyear and have all the maintenance
vehicles only using Goodyear tires,"
Barton said.
Although a number of students, faculty
and staff don't agree with the corporate
Pinching pennies proved problematic
for Penn State University on Sept. 16.
Three of the twelve members of the
University Future Committee met in the
auditorium with Penn State Harrisburg
faculty and staff.
The committe hoped to hear some
suggestions to make the 10 percent budget
cuts that must be made over the next three
years.
Julien Biebuyck, associate dean of
academic affairs at the Hershey Medical
Center and member of the committee,
hoped to gain national and international
recognition of the University's name by
having someone who knows a division
best "make a critical evaluation...so we
can narrow our focus on areas of
excellence."
But of the 60 faculty and staff members
at the meeting, those who approached the
microphones lining the auditorium aisles
were concerned about Penn State
Harrisburg being a "metropolitan" college.
"We have a responsibility to the local
community," said Robert Lesniak,
professor of education and training
development in the master's program.
So students should work with local
industries or schools to get the experience
they need, he said.
Education is important...not
recognition on a national level.
The new Pepsi machines located in the Olmsted Building
Committee cuts our future
Stacey Simmers
Capital Times Staff
Hina Khan, a senior political science
mes
partnership, University President Thomas
said the deal will help to provide for
critically-needed and renovated facilities at
the University.
"Our students and faculty, our alumni
and others in the Penn, State family will
benefit for years to come," he said.
major at University Park and the only
student on the committee, worried about
her education as well.
There seems to be a trend toward mass
education--using satellites and videos to
teach at various campuses at one time,
Khan said.
"We need to modernize in order to keep
up, but mass education isn't the best way
to go," Khan said.
Larger classes might save some money
but they don't give students the education
they deserve, Khan said.
Committee members will report to
President Joab Thomas in April 1993.
During the two-hour discussion, the panel
heard suggestions for improving Penn
State Harrisburg.
Lousie Hoffman, associate professor of
humanities, said this campus is
underfunded.
"Even though 20 percent of graduate
students in the Penn State system are at
Penn State Harrisburg, we don't have one
graduate assistantship," Hoffman said.
Gregory Lozier, executive director of
planning and analysis, said he fully
understands the concern about the cuts.
"Nobody wants to see a program
discontinued. We need input from
everybody so we can give the president
some suggestions," Lozier said.
But the people who addressed the panel
weren't defending individual programs.
"Everybody was there to help the
campus," Lesniak said, "not themselves."
September 21, 1992