The Capital Times, December 9, 2005
Culturally Inept; a bi-monthly pontification
Oscar Beisert
By Oscar Beisert
Columnist
oeblo2@psu.edu
Well, after hearing Olmsted gossip
on the topic of impeachment, I
was compelled to comment on
the prospect. However, I will try
to do so in a professional OP/ED
writer's manner without any of my
emotive chow chow; yeah, right!
Number one, in response to a
recent newspaper address given
by President Edwards, wherein I
From your vice pres.
Erin Moskal
By Erin Moskalczak
SGA Vice President
eemsool@psu.edu
Let me first start out by
introducing myself, I'm Erin
Moskalczak, your Vice President
of Student Government. I first
became involved in SGA as a
freshman senator of Humanities.
I am a sophomore majoring
in telecommunications and
business. I was born and raised
in Scranton, PA. I chose PSH
because of its close location
to Hershey. Ever since I was a
newborn. I have been attending
the Hershey car shows with my
family. I was born into a car-buff
household and well, it stuck. Not
only am I into cars but I also enjoy
swinging my golf clubs when I
State of
By Michael Edwards
SGA President
mlesooo@psu.edu
With the semester coming to a
close, I felt the need to look back
at the past semester and see what
this SGA has accomplished,
Now before you snicker to
yourself and say that we have not
accomplished anything, let me
stop you and say you're wrong.
So far this SGA has accomplished
part of my goal.
I set out this year to add on to
the brilliant work of the presidents
who came before me. However,
I felt the need to change a few
things that they have already
done and add on some of my
own visions and help the overall
welfare of this campus.
My goals for this year include
three very broad and highly
set goals. The first includes
restructuring.
As some of you may or may
not know, Penn State Harrisburg
is going through a restructuring
phase. Penn State Harrisburg,
The Capital College, once joined
was given a slight probe or two, I
will just say, if it's garbage, don't
dignify it and, if it's not, then
confess and you will be forgiven.
However, our President's passive
aggressive "poor me" attempt to
exonerate himself or, at the least,
make me look ridiculous—with
his confession of being caught
as a participating member of the
soccer team —was unworthy of an
individual capable of winning an
election as a write-in candidate.
Unfortunately, in matters of
representation, there are always
those who come off as one thing
and end up another.
No, Mr. Edwards, you're wrong!
While you were caught being a
member of the soccer team, that
wasn't really the point; now was
it? The unavoidable truth was that
instead of being present for the
budget portion—hello, student
body this is your money—of the
Student Government Association
(SGA) meeting you choose
to leave early and attend the
have time
One of my major concerns on
campus is student apathy. If you
are active in campus activities
chances .are you are in many
clubs. There are a handful of
students that seem to be in the
majority of the clubs on campus.
Don't get me wrong, that group of
students does have great ideas
but how can a specific group of
students represent the entire
student body?. ‘ Why can't more
4Mia‘kiiiMl,malimkAlap4stacuAt.that
Penn State pride you have while
you watch the football games?
Join a club or two and you will
be surprised how much fun you
have with people you would
have never met if it weren't for
that club. If you do not have an
interest in any clubs, start your
own! It could be anything from
a sporting club to a daily mail
checking club. Just get active!
Because there is a limited
amount of very active students
on campus, the ideas for new
events can be challenging. That
handful of active students will
eventually run out of ideas. What
events would you like to see more
of? Clubs offer everything from
speakers on diversity to arts and
crafts to Stuff-A-Plush. But what
do you, the typical student, want
to see on campus? I can only ask
with Penn State Schuylkill, has
now broken apart, in my opinion,
for the better.
Also, the addition of first-year
students and intercollegiate
sports has created the need for
this campus and SGA to undergo
some serious and drastic
changes.
These changes include the
need for amending the Student
Government constitution.
So far we have done part of my
mission to amend the constitution
so that the SGA will no longer
be an activity manufacturer but
instead an active and leading
government that appropriately
branches into the different
educational schools of Penn
State Harrisburg.
The second of these goals was
to incorporate a better system
of clubs and activities which
somewhat ties into the first goal.
This second goal included part of
the financial amendments recently
adapted to our constitution.
SGA should be taking on a more
centralized position in helping
organize campus activities
practice of your club sport.
While many of you may see my
jibe at his soccer practice as a
slur against sports, I assure you,
this is not the case. Instead I
am merely pointing out that our
president apparently values this
commitment over the one he
made to the entire student body.
In regards to our president
attending the meetings, I didn't
run for office in the Student
Government Association. In
fact, I have no interest in being
a member or contributor in any
capacity at formal association
functions. However, my curiosity
would most likely compel me to
attend the meetings if they were
in the evening rather than during
my nine-hour work day. Because
I can't make the meeting, I voice
my opinion here!
Because of an obvious lack of
SGA presence on this campus,
I am able to see the inaction
without been seen. Just because
citizens expect politicians to
my roommates so many times.
You have a voice, and I want to
hear it
Not only do I want to know what
events you would like to see on
campus, but also what problems
are you facing here? We as the
Student Government are here to
help you. Every academic school
has senators to help assist you
with your problems. We cannot
do our jobs without your input.
Stop in the SGA office and let
us know how we can make your
college experience here better.
If I am not available in the office
please feel free to e-mail me if
you have anything you would like
help with. I will not only look into
your problems but I will help you
as much as I can. If I do not have
an answer for you, I will find out
who can help solve the situation.
Whether it be concerns about
when the construction of Ziegler
Commons is going to be finished
or Stacks being opened more
hours let us know!
If you have anything wrong
with me personally or my job on
campus, let me know. I welcome
negative feedback. Let me know
what you like or dislike. It gives
me the opportunity to know what
students want me to change. No
one can really succeed without
negative feedback. Bring it on.
the
through clubs and organizations,
not through SGA itself.
I hope to adopt a plan to help
decline the "apathy" on campus.
As most of you had read in my
article I strongly disagree with
the word "apathy" as it is not all
the students' fault but our fault for
why they do not attend events.
We need to do our part in finding
what students want to do so that
they will get more involved,
The third of these goals is to
introduce more Penn State Pride
onto the campus of Penn State
Harrisburg.
I have been working with Dr.
Holtzman into finding alternative
funds to produce new Penn State
banners that will be hung from
every parking light on campus.
Along with these banners, I
hope to propose a unique mural
onto the walls of Olmsted for
all to see that we here at Penn
State Harrisburg are proud of our
campus.
Finally in the Pride campaign,
I hope to help the Alumni
Department into finally bringing
an outdoor Lion shrine to the
Opinion
represent their constituents
and uphold their commitments,
doesn't mean that every citizen
has to attend government
meetings. Our officials should
be able to execute their duties
without the entire student body
present—thus the reason while
officials are officating and other
citizens are not. And for those
who are knowledgable about
communications, an infrequent
presidential address may seem
like public relations, but it certainly
isn't filling the innumerable
vacancies that exist in our SGA.
As for getting involved, I
applaud every student who is
simply a student because as a
student at this University you are
contributing; thank you!
Without confusing my column
with the article I wrote on fashion,
what we have here is a question
of wool. Did Edwards pull the
wool over the voters' eyes or was
it that the voters were his fellow
freshman that really didn't care
S G A
campus. The project is currently
funded to 60% and we hopefully
can bring the other 40% around in
time for the next academic year.
Lastly, I ask for the SGA's help
into finding new ideas to express
our pride around campus.
Before I draw to a close, I'd
like to thank a few people who
have made this semester such a
success.
Augie You have the privilege
of my position last year, and
have done a terrific job getting
new computers in the office,
rebuilding relations between
SGA and the IT Department, and
also your awesome work on the
SGA website. While hopefully we
haven't made your position too
daunting, you can be assured that
you will never be a "flyer boy."
Jeremy—For guiding me, helping
me, and always keeping me in
check, thank you. Oh, and also
for putting up with Steve (O'Holla)
and me singing in the office.
Paul Fogle—While you scared
us when we found out that you
were sick in the hospital for a
week, you still found a way to get
whether they actually got their
money's worth? My inference
is that the wool was pulled and
that while some of his votes
were his fellows, many of them
were innocent bystanders being
patronized into parktaking in
student government and the
election process. So if the subject
of impeachment ends up being a
reality, I say tallyho!
P.S. For this year's Freshman,
don't just vote your fellow; do
some research and vote for the
(Wo) man who's gonna get the
job done!
Look for more
pontification from
Oscar Beisert in
the spring semes
ter right here in
The Capital Times.
Add
your job done. I look forward to
working with you on the "Paws
Here" project to improve the
relationship between Penn State
Harrisburg and the surrounding
community.
Maruja —Best THON committee
chair ever. What an amazing job.
Last year, the SGA bailed THON
out; this year hopefully Harrisburg
will raise the most money out of
all the campuses!! Keep doing
the great work, but remember it's
FOR THE KIDS.
Setev (Steve O'Holla)—For
organizing and helping make
the minutes as well as the
ANGEL website a better and
more accurate system. And yes,
contrary to belief, the president
must, does, and will always read
the minutes.
Erin—For always reminding
me when to book rooms and
for organizing a more efficient
system of clubs and activities;
thank you. Hopefully I didn't
wake you up too many times with
those 2 a.m. meetings on Instant
Messenger.
Ariel-1 can't stress what an
S.IEIE+
Society of Environmental Engineering
410 Penn State Harrisburg's
only environmental club
VP Be a part of Earth Day
in April 2006
rProfessional and
career development
in environmental fields
Meet people who share
similar interests
Contact Jim Elligson. SEE President
jcel4l@rxsti.edu
ress
amazing job Ariel has done for us
this year. She has by far put up
with the most crap from anybody,
and still seems to have a smile on
her face and the time to decorate
our office (Jeremy's is the best
snowflake). You are truly a great
friend and a great person and I
can't stress what a vital part you
play in this year's SGA.
And although 2 of them aren't
here today, I'd like to thank the
nice ladies from the Student
Activities office. Without their
hard work and massively amount
of guidance, we would never be
here today.
And lastly, I'd like to thank the
rest of the SGA. Without your
help, nothing would ever get
accomplished, literally. Thanks
for making this semester so great
and I can't wait to start working
with all of you again in January.
SGA 200-06: Helping better the
future and pride of Penn State
Harrisburg, one paw print at a
time.
Thank you.