Volume 32, No. 3
New vehicle registration fee causes grumbling
Renee B. Jackson
Staff Writer
Penn State Harrisburg's new
Vehicle Registration Program has
caused some grumbling on campus
because of the added fees for students,
staff and faculty, but PSH officials say
the program was necessary as part of
the campus' long range plans.
For example, junior Joy
Gross complained of the new fee,
saying "There needs to be something
done at the Harrisburg level to give
additional funds to college and
universities so they don't have to nickel
and dime students to death."
Faculty members have
concerns about the vehicle fee as well.
"It seems a little high for the
fact that parking doesn't seem to be a
problem, " said Eugenia Fernandez,
assistant professor of Information
Systems. "I wonder why there isn't a
distinction considering faculty pay
more than students."
As for the Penn State system,
the Harrisburg campus is somewhat
unique in having what is typically
referred to as a separate "parking fee."
In fact, on the majority of Penn State's
campuses, the fee does not exist as a
charge outside the tuition.
Aside from University Park,
only three campuses in the Penn State
system, Penn State Harrisburg,
Hershey Medical Center, and Behrend
campus, have vehicle registration fees,
Racial
York leads to unity
Renee B. Jackson
Staff Writer
Penn State York
experienced incidents between Oct.
19 and 20 that turned into a very
emotional and highly publicized
racial episode for the campus, but
that seems to have ended in bringing
the campus together in unity.
"We're trying to move
forward from it—trying to make sure
it doesn't happen again, - Barbara
Dennis, Public Information and
Media Relations Specialist for the
York campus, said.
Dennis said the incident
involved all white students when it
began. On Wednesday, Oct. 19, a
white female student kicked the
bookbag of a white male student. He
responded by striking her with a
physical blow. A male student
intervened and in the course of the
struggle, another female student was
struck. The female students brought
this problem to the attention of the
Student Government Association
president, Aaron West, who is an
African-American Business major.
"This is a campus where we accept peoples'
differences whether it's race, ethnic background—
whatever.We're trying to learn more about cultural
differences." Barbara Dennis, public information
& media r elations specialist.
West took the problem to
campus administration and the police
were called. The campus decided
not to press charges in the situation,
but to use the campus disciplinary
system, Dennis said.
The next day, Thursday,
Oct. 20, racial slurs directed at West
were found written on the sidewalk
in front of the main classroom
building and on the wall outside of
the student center.
Within a few hours, the
school had the graffiti removed. The
campus did file charges with Spring
Garden Township police about the
graffiti. That same day, a meeting
was held at the campus that was
attended by over 200 people, Dennis
said. The administration's message
according to Douglas
Holmes, manager of
University Parking at
University Park.
Robert Finley,
Assistant to the Vice
President for Business and
Operations at University
Park, said the 17 Penn
State campuses considered
to be Commonwealth
campuses do not pay a
separate charge as a
vehicle registration fee.
He said that at the
Commonwealth
campuses, their fees are
incorporated into their
tuition charges. According
to Finley, this arrangement
could not be applied to
Penn State Harrisburg
because tuition rates were
already 100 percent of the
University Park rate.
But at Harrisburg -
Olmsted parking lot awaits improvements from vehicle registration fees.
where the vehicle registration program about the charge were involved. Those facilities for students, faculty, staff,
has been in place since spring semester issues were: determining an amount and visitors. Included also is the re
-1994, extensive planning went into based on other charges within the coating and resurfacing of parking
the decision, along with considerations university, deciding what seemed lots, curb installation, line painting,
of long-range goals for the campus. reasonable, and trying to decide on an the usage and replacement of vehicles,
The plan for a vehicle amount that would generate the snow removal and landscaping.
registration fee began with the necessary revenues. Last year, the vehicle
University Futures Committee, The Rules and Regulations registration funds went into work such
according to Dr. James South, of the Vehicle Registration Program as the upgrading of lighting throughout
Associate Provost for Administrative explain the program's mission to be the campus, and the changing of the
Operations. In considering the the enhancement and maintenance of tennis courts into parking spaces,
implementation of a user's fee, issues walkways, roadways, and parking South said. Sidewalk construction
incident at PSU
at the meeting was that no acts of
racial intolerance would be tolerated
on the campus. The students were in
agreement, Dennis said.
The following Thursday,
Oct. 27, the campus held a unity rally
that was organized by Penn State York
student Cathy Darling. Speakers at
the rally included Aaron West, Michael
Walker, president of the Black Student
Union, Donald A Gogniat, Ph.d.,
Campus Executive Officer, and
Darling. The event was held in the
school's courtyard and the public was
invited.
Penn State York tried to deal
with this incident as a campus
community, Dennis said. The school
talked with the newspapers as there
was nothing to hide.
Dennis said students had
deep feelings about the racial slurs
contained in the graffiti, and did not
regard it as something to overlook.
"Because the slurs were so
personally directed, people really
rallied behind him," Dennis said of
West. "This is a campus where we
accept peoples' differences whether
it's race, ethnic background—
whatever. We're trying to learn more
about cultural differences."
"I think it was a confined
incident, involving maybe a few
people, " Bic Fetters, an engineering
student at Penn State York, said. "It
doesen't reflect the campus attitude."
"I felt the thing was blown
out of proportion," Ali Naqui, a liberal
arts student at Penn State York, said.
"I don't think anybody on this campus
is really racist. I don't think we have
a serious racial problem."
West said that he was "very,
very startled and shocked" by the racial
aspect of the incident that focused
directly on him. He pointed out that
on a campus of a little over 1800
"Race Tension" continues on Page 2
New staff hired in Education department
Kimberly R. Roach
Staff Writer
Dr. Colleen Willard-Holt
was recently hired as an assistant
professor of education at Penn State
Harrisburg.
"I was looking for a position
like this, in an education department
that was relatively small, because I
like personal contact with my
students," Dr. Willard-Holt said. 'The
other instructors gave me the
impression that they were very
concerned and caring for their students.
That is very important to me."
Two assaults occur on campus;
Unrelated incidents revive concerns of campus safety
Two Penn State Harrisburg
students have been assaulted on
campus this semester in unrelated
incidents, according to Police Services.
On N0v.19, at approximately
2:30 A.M., a resident senior marketing
major in Meade Heights reported she
was changing for bed, when she heard
a noise at her bedroom window.
When the student went
outside to investigate, she said she
saw a man, who claimed he had a gun.
The student then ran back
inside her house, and called Police
Services
The assailant is described as
a white man in his thirties, with short,
dark hair and a moustache. He is
approximately 5'7" tall, with a
medium build. He was wearing a grey
pullover sweatshirt and a dark jacket.
The student said she saw no gun.
The student, who spoke with
The Capital Times on condition of
anonymity, said that, initially, she was
told by Police Services to simply call
back if the assailant returned.
The student then called some
friends to pick her up. After she left,
her roommate called 911. The Lower
Swatara Twp. police and Police
Services then responded, coming to
the house to take a police report on the
incident.
. . IL
Cathy Nolan
Staff Reporter
Because Willard-Holt has
only been here for a short period, she
is not yet familiar with all aspects of
the Education department. She does
know, however, that she would like
the department to focus more on a
specific aspect of the courses.
"One thing that I'm
concerned about is educational
measurement," Willard-Holt said. "I
don't see a lot of emphasis, at least not
as a specific course, on educational
measurement and evaluation methods
at elementary schools, at the bachelor's
level."
Willard-Holt has done
The student said that, even
though Police Services was courteous
when they arrived, she found it
ridiculous that they were not going to
come out to investigate the incident,
until the Lower Swatara Police were
involved in the incident.
University police Chief
Charles Aleksy disagreed with the
student's version of events. While he
agreed most points coincided with the
official police version, he disputed
her claim that Police Services did not
respond to her call immediately.
"They may have told her to
call right away if anything else
happened, while at her house," Aleksy
said.
Aleksy said Police Services
arrived at the same time Lower Swatara
Twp. police. Police Services checked
the grounds around the house, and
continued spot sweeps throughout the
night, he said. A composite picture
will also be made, and surrounding
municipalities have already been
informed of the incident, Aleksy said.
Director of Public
Information Steve Hevner said he was
not informed of the incidents until
contacted by The Capital Times , and
will discuss the situation with Police
Chief Aleksy. Hevner said that, in the
past, Police Services and the Public
Relations departments haven't worked
closely, and that that practice must
change.
between the
Capital Union
Building and the
Educational
Activities
Building was also
done, South
added.
However,
some students
complain that
they see no
evidence of
changes in the
parking services
from the new fee.
"I want to
know where the
questioned
Jennifer Collins,
Erik Hein
parking lots
weren't plowed very well and
sidewalks weren't salted. It's either
park there or walk.
"Why is it that students living
on campus must pay a parking fee
along with tuition?' she added.
Looking toward the future, a
"20 year Life-Cycle Funding Concept"
has been adopted, South said. This
concept looks ahead to maintenance
and replacement. A "Physical Plant
Master Plan" that involves ideas for
significnt work with gifted children,
as a teacher and trainer in Indiana, and
as a consultant in gifted education.
She is also interested in, and has done
work with disabled children.
"My undergraduate degree
was with special education and my
dissertation study involved students
who are physically disabled and are
also gifted," Willard-Holt said. "So I
try to talk to the 'Powers that Be' and
get them to understand that a visable
disability does not mean that there's
an intellectual disability as well."
Willard-Holt received her
Ph.D in Educational Psychology in
"I am concerned and I will
pursue this," Hevner said. "I'm as in
the dad( as anybody. If I'm to respond
to concerns about incidents on campus,
I need to be informed of what is
happening."
The other incident on campus
occurred on Nov. 1, according to a
letter sent to campus residents by
Residence Life Coordinator George
Young. In the letter, Young stated
November 28, 1994
additional parking, sidewalks, and
roads is also currently being updated,
he said
"This program looks at a
longer time-line," South said. He
explained that it allows the resources
to be used as they are needed.
The Vehicle Registration
Program has an advisory board made
up of students, faculty, and staff, South
said.
Sandra Jackson, Manager of
Business Services, administers the
Vehicle Registration Services and is
responsible for police services.
"My role in the Vehicle
Registration Program is really to
coordinate the issuance of the permits
whether it be visitors, students, faculty,
or staff," Jackson said.
Her office receives the fees,
keeps account of them and what is
done with them, as well as handles
administration of traffic citations that
money's going?"
senior
psychology
major. "Last
winter the
campus police issue.
"We got feedback from the
community," Jackson said. "That's
how we put this program together."
Jackson said her department
met with the Student Government
Association in forming the program's
rules and regulations. A faculty senate
committee on human resources and
business services reviewed this
process, along with a few
administrators.
"Parking Fee" continued on Page 2
1993 from Purdue University. She has
been teaching for approximately 15
years, in classrooms ranging from
kindergarten to graduate school.
Originally from Wisconsin,
Willard-Holt lives in Philadelphia with
"Willard-Holt" continued on Page 3
that a female resident of Church Hall
reported to Police Services that she
was sexually assaulted on two
occasions in October by an invited
guest.
After an investigation and
consultation with the Dauphin County
district Attorney's Office, the male
was charged with aggravated indecent
"Campus Safety" continued on Page 2
Dr. Colleen Willard-Holt