PSH: What College Could Have Been
Continued from Page 1
kept his fingers in campus activ
ities by remaining president of
the Photo Club, and teaching
classes whenever needed.
His emeritus rank, meaning he
retains his office, phone number,
mailbox, and fax number even
after retirement, keeps him in
touch with the campus.
He remembers times when the
campus was much different and
shakes his head in disbelief at
how much better the campus
could look today if only a few
things went differently.
It was only a year and a half
into his teaching service when
Trunk decided to start a soccer
team. The organization grew
well and the Capital Campus
played other branch campuses.
“The competition was great.
The students really enjoyed play
ing the other campuses and it
was something for students to do
outside of class,” Trunk said.
He did this until six years ago
when the campus decided to drop
its varsity sports program.
Bud Smitiey, Recreation/
Athletics Coordinator at Penn
State Harrisburg, believes there
were numerous reasons for the
stoppage of varsity sports.
“Our budget was very limited.
We were devoting 85 percent of
the budget to 15 percent of the
students. Penn State Harrisburg
is not a typical college campus.
The average age of undergradu
ates attending is 28 years old.
Therefore, participation in varsi
ty sports wasn’t very high,”
Smitiey said.
Smitiey also stated that the
money saved by dropping varsity
sports went into fitness and aero
bic areas in the Capital Union
Building.
“The fitness programs were
more appropriate for the students
attending this campus. Partic
ipation in the CUB is much bet
ter now and I believe it was a
good idea to drop the varsity
sports program,” he said.
Trunk really wanted a film
making club, but in 1972 the
Photo Club needed a new presi
dent and he decided to take that
job over. The club took off.
There were approximately 10 to
20 members each semester.
Originally, the dark room was
in what is now the third floor
women’s bathroom of the
Olmsted Building. The third
floor was rarely used and so the
Photo Club chose to make it their
From there, they were bumped
to the Swatara Building, then to a
building that stood across from
the Swatara Building.
The maintenance department
built a photo lab in the building
just for the Photo Club.
“We loved that building. The
lab was beautiful. We had a new
boiler put in, new restrooms, new
carpets, and fresh paint. It really
did look like a new lab,” Trunk
commented.
According to Trunk, Dr. James
D. South, provost, had the build
ing tom down a few years ago
due to “deterioration.” Trunk
argues to this day that he was
wrong.
As a result, the Photo Club
moved into the Olmsted Building
and was forced to use the
Humanities Department’s equip
ment. All of the Photo Club’s
equipment is still locked up in
storage and not being used.
“It’s such a waste to leave all
of that great equipment in stor
age. We are really praying for a
new dark room,” Trunk said.
When PSH officials decided to
do work on the CUB, there were
a few key decisions to be made.
Ed Trunk was right in the middle
of these decisions.
The options being considered
were: swimming pool, martial
arts center, racquetball courts, or
a bowling alley.
Trunk agreed to drop the ideas
of a martial arts center and a
bowling alley but pleaded for the
Smoking Debate Continues
Continued from Page 1
Stoehr agreed that when it is a
nice day smoking is not usually a
problem. People will move away
from the doors. Stoehr also stated,
“At this point I don’t think there
are really any plans to do anything
different as far as another area
being built for smokers.”
Various suggestions were dis
cussed including the possibility of
more ventilation in the entrance
way, perhaps with the use of fans
to compromise between smokers
and non-smokers. Most people
who smoke in front of the
Olmsted Building are upset over
the no-smoking policy because it
is the only place that has a cover-
ing over it.
SGA President Roderick Lee
said, “I talked to a lot of the smok
ers in front of the Olmsted
Building and they suggested that
construction of a swimming
pool.
The racquetball courts went
up but the swimming pool fell
by the wayside. According to
Trunk, officials thought it
would force their plan over bud
get. After the operation was
complete, they realized that the
swimming pool would have, in
fact, kept them under budget.
“A swimming pool would
have really added a big attrac
tion to this campus. It would’ve
drawn more students here. The
talk of a new swimming pool is
that they are going to make it
community-oriented, but I don’t
think that’s fair. There just isn’t
enough time or thought devoted
to the student body on this cam
pus. Build the pool for them,
not the community,” stated
Trunk.
Trunk also believes that the
campus professors need to
become closer to their students.
“Research takes faculty away
from the students. They’re the
ones that matter, devote that
time to them,” Trunk said.
He truly believes that teach
ers today aren’t encouraged
enough to advise. “Unless
advising is a motive for their
future, there’s no reason for
them to do it,” Trunk said.
Sometimes the best way to
get a glimpse of a college cam
pus’ history is to see it through
the eyes of a professor who
spent his life with his finger on
the pulse of it.
the space by the mailboxes be par
titioned off or lined off in order for
them to smoke there.”
Stoehr replied, “I think the
thought was to just eliminate
smoking from that whole area all
together. What would be better, I
suppose, would be to have some
one study that. If we were willing
to make an accommodation, we
would have to look into these
things. When the no-smoking
policy took effect, if it was rain
ing, people would smoke in the
rain, or they wouldn’t smoke at
all.”
Dr. Wayne Lammie, Associate
Provost for Administration and
Executive Officer for the
Schuylkill campus, confirmed that
no enforcement of the smoking
policy has been put in place.
He said, “If students and SGA
are concerned about the issue, we
will definitely look into it.”
CAMPUS POLICE REPORT
September 3,1999
12:03 p.m. Criminal mischief.
On August 19 between the
hours of 8:30 a.m. and 2:00
p.m., unknown individual(s) are
suspected of causing damage to
a 1991 Acura Legend that was
parked at the rear of the
Olmsted Building. The damage
was done to the driver’s side
door handle, bumper, and fend-
11:02 p.m. Traffic stop on
University Avenue. A traffic
citation was issued for a speed
related moving violation.
September 7, 1999
9:00 a.m. Institutional vandal
ism at the Olmsted Building. A
plastic box that housed school
pamphlets was damaged.
11:40 a.m. Traffic stop on
College Avenue. A citation was
issued for a speed-related traffic
violation,
12:08 p.m. Traffic stop on
College Avenue. A citation was
issued for a speed-related traffic
violation.
10:08 p.m. Traffic stop on Penn
State Way and College Avenue.
A citation was issued for a stop
sign violation.
September 8,1999
1:53 a.m. General assistance on
Jones Street. Repossession of
vehicle in Meade Heights.
6:13 p.m. Traffic stop on
College Avenue. A traffic cita
tion was issued for a speed
related moving violation.
6:16 p.m. Traffic stop at
College Avenue and O Street. A
traffic citation was issued for a
speed-related moving violation.
9:17 p.m. Traffic stop at Penn
State Way and College Avenue.
A traffic citation was issued for
a stop sign violation and a writ
ten warning was issued for an
equipment violation.
September 9,1999
7:39 p.m. Traffic stop at
Olmsted Drive and O Street. A
written warning was issued for
not having current registration
card or a current insurance card.
By Kristy Pipher
Capita] Times Staff Writer
7:41 p.m. Parking complaint at
the soccer field. A report was
filed that a vehicle was parked
on the grass in the ball field. A
warning was given and the
vehicle was moved.
September 11,1999
2:15 p.m. Traffic stop on
University Drive. A citation was
issued for a speed-related mov
ing violation.
September 13,1999
5:03 p.m. Suspicious person in
the Swatara parking lot. A
request was made to check a
white male that was drinking
from a bottle in a bag.
5:29 p.m. Community relations.
Participated in an interview
conducted by PSP Liquor
Control regarding PSH alco
hol/drinking on campus poli
cies.
7:41 p.m. Motorist assistance. A
jumpstart was provided for a
vehicle at the Olmsted Building
parking lot.
September 14,1999
12 noon. Motorist assistance on
Nelson Drive. A jumpstart was
provided for a vehicle.
12:30 p.m. Campus community
relations. Chief Stoehr attended
the Student Government Assoc-
iation meeting to discuss vari
ous safety issues.
2:30 p.m. Traffic stop on
College Avenue. A citation was
issued for a speed-related mov
ing violation.
10:59 p.m. Motorist assistance
in Upper parking lot. A jump
start was provided for a vehicle.
September 15,1999
10:25 a.m. Motorist assistance
in Swatara parking lot. Gained
entry for student who locked
their keys in their car.
10:49 p.m. Fire call on Kirtland
Avenue. Leaves on tree set on
fire due to arcing of wires.
Lower Swatara Fire
Department and M & O staff
responded to the scene. M & O
turned off the power and made
necessary repairs to the power
lines.