By MICHAEL GREEN
Staff Writer
Student Government Association
President Lee Cutchall defines his
biggest problem as student apathy.
Lack of student involvement makes it
difficult for most organizations on cam
pus to work, but it most seriously
affects efforts to improve student life
and student issues on campus.
Cutchall, an IST senior, reports on
behalf of the entire student body to both
the administration of Capital College
and the Commonwealth Campus
Student Governments (CCSG).
Cutchall completed his first two years
at Penn State Mont Alto, and last year
he was a junior senator at Penn State
Harrisburg. His main goal is to gener
ate stronger student involvement, in
particular to improve the quality of life
for freshmen, sophomore and graduate
students.
Starting in fall 2004, Penn State
Harrisburg will begin four-year pro
grams in 26 different majors, and
undergraduate enrollment could
increase by 200-400 students.
One of the ideas suggested in regard to
the new demographics on campus
would be to bring back intercollegiate
sports to PSH.
"[lntercollegiate] sports programs cost
a great deal of money to operate,"
Cutchall said.
Other short-term plans are to hold a
Student Activity Fee-a university sur
charge to cover student activities-sur
vey to determine the desires of the cam
pus and how to efficiently fulfill as
many requests as possible.
Cutchall hopes to create a new IST
senator slot to reflect the new growth in
that area, as well as to work towards
review of IST resources from the per-
By SINEAD DeROISTE
Business Manager
The Council of Commonwealth Student
Governments (CCSG) could not reach a decision ear
lier this month on how to facilitate student involve
ment in deciding how to allocate Information and
Technology (IT) fees.
Though students want to get involved, there is no
precedent as to how this can be done. At most camus
es the dean and CEO at each campus decide how the
IT money is allocated, so students cannot make sug
gestions. Here at PSH, Robert Brinkley, lIT director,
encourages feedback from students regarding IT fee
allocation.
CCSG President Joe Curigliano and Vice President
spective of the student body.
Another focus of Cutchall's
term will be a 10-year plan for
the growth of Penn State
Harrisburg. An increase in the
number of first and second year
students and regional changes
will affect the campus.
Along with admissions growth
comes a need for new housing.
The recently completed Village
Complex on campus holds
about 280 students, the same
amount that Meade Heights
housed.
"To break even, housing needs
at least 800 students," Cutchall
said.
The construction of an addi
tional apartment building is cur
rently in the works to begin
expanding the Village Complex.
Once the project is completed,
it is likely that something will
be done with the old food and
housing areas, which are cur
rently occupied by the PA State
Data Center as well as other
Penn State Outreach services.
While there is no word yet on photo by Marko Primorac
a new classroom building, it is SGA President Lee Cutchall hands
expected that continued repairs back a baseball after taking a plunge
and renovations to the current
buildings would maintain them into the water as part of a fundraiser for
for at least the next decade. the United Way.
The current expansion work at main point of entry for international
Harrisburg International Airport will students to Penn State University.
provide an international terminal that The most recent SGA meetings were
will bring foreign flights into the air- mainly to review ongoing matters until
port. With Penn State Harrisburg's the junior senatorial slots are filled by
proximity to the airport and the new elections. Elections had to be post-
AMTRAK rail terminal, it has been poned after only one person registered
suggested that Harrisburg will be the
Kevin D' Ausilio gave a Powerpoint presentation out
lining the history of the IT Fee, which highlighted its
origination in 1991 as the $35 Student Computer Fee,
to its current rate of $l6O.
Both representatives expressed great concern in
addressing and resolving the matter of student repre
sentation. Curigliano made sure that the gallery and
those on the council were aware that the number one
priority of the IT Fee is to keep up-to-date technology
available for student use.
Curigliano also gave a Powerpoint presentation of
the Student Activity Fee (SAF), placing emphasis on
its main purpose. Although there remain some
restrictions as to what SAF money can be used for, it
was stated that the purpose of the SAF is to improve
student activities, enrich the campus and retain stu-
to run for SGA, out of roughly ten
open positions open. As of the
Sept. 22 deadline, roughly six
undergraduate students and several
graduate students have shown
interest in the open seats. A date
has not been set for the elections at
this time.
"People are busy with full-time
jobs and families, and that's fine.
We have several graduate students
who expressed interest, and that's
good," Cutchall said.
According to a report given dur
ing the Sept. 22 meeting, the exist
ing Housing and Food Services
camera system may be expanded to
fulfill the need for better security
of the campus parking lots. In
addition, the parking lot lights are
being replaced and repaired.
Recently, Penn State York demon
strated the effectiveness of a cam
era system in its parking areas.
Recent thefts have stopped since
the sytem was installed.
Penn State Harrisburg's delega
tion of Ted Miller and Sinead De
Roiste represented the campus dur
ing All-University Day at Beaver
Stadium during the football game
with the University of Minnesota.
The student activities office
arranged for a bus to transport stu
dents to the game for $lO each.
Plans for Fall Fest continue, as
SGA, student activities, and the
Programming Council work together to
organize the events.
Details will be available in the next
dents. For anyone interested in more information
about SAF, contact SGA President Lee Cutchall, co
chair for the SAF fund committee.
CCSG is a monthly forum for Student Government
Association members of all Commonwealth campus
es of Penn State as well as University Park to come
together and openly discuss the various issues that
affect the university. Two members-elected to the
governing bodies of their respective campuses-are
allowed to sit on council and vote on issues.
Remaining attendees sit in the gallery and are allowed
to speak on issues.
The next meeting will be held October 17 at
University Park in the HUB.