The Capital Times Make a Run for It with SGA Continued from Page 1 dents and that department’s direc tor, and the Student Court, who are appointed by the senate. Student representatives sit on most of the faculty committees and attend Fac ulty Council meetings. The SGA also oversees funding for the more than 30 on-campus clubs and organizations. It also gets the fire going under recreational, cultural and entertainment pro grams in conjunction with the Stu dent Activities Office. According to SGA President Roderick Lee, “As a part of SGA, we have a lot of in fluence in the decision making pro cess of the campus. We can enhance campus life by making it an excit ing learning experience for every -11 one. From listening to concerns that students had when he was running for President last spring, Lee says, “The students have addressed con cerns that after class is over, there is nothing to do on campus. In ad dition, they report that campus life is absolutely boring.” He also mentioned, "Non-tradi tional students complain that all of the activities take place during the day, while they are at work. They tend not to be really involved in campus activities.” One potential idea to be addressed at future SGA meetings, Lee says, is “having a pilot SGA meeting once a month in the evening to allow them to voice their concerns.” Lee says that as a start, the SGA potentially can “cooperate with other organizations to create week end entertainment in the form of a bus trip or maybe a picnic with WPSH playing music. We can also urge the clubs to provide more pro gramming that will meet the needs of the entire student body, not just their individual clubs. It is some thing we are going to have to work with as we go.” By becoming actively involved with the SGA, you also have the opportunity to develop leadership and governance skills and gain fu ture workplace experience. The SGA conducts these activities as well: sponsors leadership work shops during the year, supports the Four Diamonds Dance Marathon, underwrites the SGA Awards Cer emony to recognize student leaders and club advisers in late spring, and provides refreshments for students during finals week. If you are thinking about run ning for an office, pick up an elec tion packet at the Student Activi ties Office in Room 212 Olmstead Building, starting August 31. Elec tions are scheduled for September 28 and 29, so you will want to put up signs and campaign to the stu dent body. Last fall, only 64 out of the more than 3,000 students voted, possibly because of student body cluelessness about what the SGA was all about and weak campaign ing on the part of candidates. Ev eryone is urged to vote, because some positions may not be filled if there are not enough votes, some thing that frequently occurs. Since the SGA is not just another club, it represents everyone on campus and you do not have to be a member of the SGA to vote for officers. Elec tion ballots will be in the main lobby outside of the library. For questions, contact Roderick Lee at rll 142@psu.edu or phone the SGA office at 948-6137, located within the Student Activities Office. Also, come to the first Gallery Live event on Wednesday, September 1 featuring the alternative acoustical sounds of the Tony Perry 3. Spon sored by the SGA, you will be able to meet SGA members, ask ques tions and also receive a free lolli pop! The September elections are held for junior senator offices, while the spring elections are held for senior positions. The following vacancies exist for Juniors and a Graduate Student: - 2 Junior Senators, at large; - Junior Senator, Behavioral Sci ences & Education; - Junior Senator, Humanities; - Junior Senator, Public Policy; - Junior Senator, Science Engi neering & Technology; - Junior Senator, School of Busi - Graduate Senator. In addition to the elections, there will be opportunities for students to be appointed as: - Executive Secretary; - Committee Secretary; - Chief Justice; - Associates Justices on the Stu dent Court; - Senior Senator at Large; - Senior Senator Public Policy; - Senior Senator School of Busi ness; - Senior Senator Behavioral Sci ences & Education. This year’s officers, elected last spring, are: - Roderick Lee, President; - Savita Mukhedkar, Vice Presi dent; - Michele Myers, Treasurer; - Jeremiah Sensenig, Chair; - Timothy Osborne, Senior Sena tor at Large; - Kristy Pipher, Senior Senator NEWS Humanities; - Amy Costabile, Senior Senator Science, Engineering & Technol- The first SGA meeting will be held on August 31, 1999 at 12:30 p.m. The SGA meets every Tues day at the same time in Room 216 Olmstead Building. The meetings are open to all Penn State Harris burg students; however, you must be an SGA member to vote on is sues at the meetings. Even if you do not want to actu ally participate, you should find out who your department representative is and talk to them about whatever ideas, thoughts, concerns, or gripes you may have - just like our “real” government! Unfortunately, there are no scandals to report at this time. Apartment-Style Housing to be Built on Campus Continued from Page 1 phase will accommodate 280 stu dents, said Hevner. Once those units are occupied, the second phase will begin and another 200 apart ments will be built. In addition to the apartments, Hevner said, a community center, similar to the one in Meade Heights, will also be built. The idea is to “bring students to the core of the campus,” said Hevner. In fact, stu dents who live on campus will be within walking distance of all tlje campus’ main buildings and to downtown Middletown. “These new apartments will change the transit flow on campus,” Hevner continued. Many current Meade Heights residents still drive to the parking lot behind Olmsted Building. That should change once the new housing is completed since students will easily be able to walk to classes. Residents will park their cars in the seldom-used parking spaces at the east end of the park ing lot behind Olmsted Building. In addition to new housing for the traditional college student, new plans also call for 40 townhouses to be build for non-traditional stu dents and their families. Hevner said they will be built where the current baseball field is located south of the Capital Union Build ing. The opening of the residences is still a year to a year and a half away since the proposal still has to be fi nalized by the university board of trustees. Wednesday, August 25,1999 3 Feeling the Tuition Squeeze By Cathie McCormick Musser Capital Times Staff Writer Tuition is on the rise, but maxi mum federal loan amounts have not increased. An increase in loan maxi mums requires federal reauthoriza fion according to Student Aid Ad visor, Carolyn Julian. Recent ef forts in Washington toward reautho rization have stalled. First and second year students face the biggest discrepancy be tween tuition and the maximum loan amounts. The challenge for students and the financial aid office is finding alternative loans to bridge the difference between federal loan amounts and expenses. Julian added that the goal of the financial aid office is to minimize student overall indebtedness. “Al ternative loans carry higher inter est rates, the pay back schedules are different and they are harder to ob tain,” Julian says. Julian reports that independent students are often in a better posi tion for low cost alternative loans. Dependent students may be ineli gible and their parents may need to seek funding from private loan sources. Julian hopes federal reauthoriza tion will soon close the gap. She feels the federal loan program is the soundest source of financial aid. Don’t Forget to Read the Fine Print By Cathie McCormick Musser Capital Times Staff Writer Students who referred to the Sum mer/Fall 1999 Course Schedule to plan their fall expenses were sur prised by the tuition increase ac cording to Bursar’s Office staffer, Sharon Blouch. Fees printed in the Summer/Fall Schedule each year predate the July board decision on tuition hikes. Students unaware of the July de cision scrambled to find the addi tional 5 percent after receiving their bill. The disclaimer, “The University reserves the right to revise tuition and charges without further notice” follows the list of fees, but stops short of mentioning the July meet ing to determine fall tuition rates. CAMPUS POLICE NEWS By Kristy Pipher Capital Times Staff Writer August 3, 1999 10:50 p.m. Vandalism and dam age to university property at the Capital Union Building. Un known person (s) uprooted plantings from the flower gar dens. August 4, 1999 2:21 p.m. Hit and run accident at College and Route 230. An un known tractor-trailer struck the guide rail and the driver left the August 4, 1999 4:00 p.m. Auto accident outside Olmstead Building. There were no injuries. August 9, 1999 4:05 p.m. Traffic stop at Univer sity and College. Citation issued for speed-related violation. August 9, 1999 4:20 p.m. Traffic stop at Univer sity and College. Citation issued for speed-related violation. August 11, 1999 8:30 p.m. Traffic stop on College at O Street. Citation issued for failure to stop at a posted stop August 13, 1999 8:23 p.m. Traffic stop on College. Citation issued for a speed-re lated moving violation. August 17, 1999 11:45 a.m. Report of damage done to the volleyball net in the People’s Park in Meade Heights. The investigation is continuing. August 18, 1999 1:59 a.m. Traffic stop at College Avenue and Route 230. Motor cycle was stopped with an inop erable tail light and it was found that the driver was operating the vehicle under the influence of al cohol. August 18, 1999 5:06 p.m. Traffic stop on College Avenue. Citation pending for a speed-related moving violation. August 19, 1999 1:50 p.m. A group of students were observed with open beer bottles on Weaver Avenue. A verbal warning was given.
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