Rate cap removal might
change tuition
BY JENNA DENOYELLES
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
JHDSO3S@PSU.EDU
The decision to remove
rate caps on electricity by
the Pennsylvania Utility
Commission starting January
2010 means higher electricity
bills for Penn State Harrisburg.
At the moment, the removal of
rate caps only affects Penn State
University Park.
By 2011 all rate caps in
Pennsylvania will be eliminated
unless a delay in cap removal is
approved. It is anticipated that
electricity rates will rise after the
rate caps are removed. According
to Edward Dankanich, director
of business services, electric
utilities have been under a rate
cap for a number of years.
The rate caps hold the price
of electricity below the market
rate. PPL utilities, the electricity
provider for PSH is changing its
rates. Every utility company
has a different rate and all rates
much be justified according to
the PUC.
In 2007 PSH spent $700,000
on electricity which was lowered
to $650,000 in 2008, said
Bruce Smith, energy program
engineer for University Park.
The consumption of electricity
is a big variable in the utilities
`Bible Greg' preaches, stirs campus masses
BY VINCENT DANGOLOVICH
STAFF WRITER
VIX/Dsoo6@psu.EDu
Students were surprised on Nov.
17 when Baptist minister Greg
A Davis, also known as Bible
Greg, began walking campus
starting around 11 am. He stayed
throughout the afternoon to
preach the gospel
"It's a proclamation, not a
protest," said Davis in an
interview with The Capital
Times. "A proclamation of the
bible, preaching the gospel," said
Davis
According to his pamphlet,
"From Hollywood to Happiness."
Davis is a former actor/director
who was "born again" when a
suicide attempt was stopped by
a tract called "New Eye Opener."
Since that time Greg has served
as a campus missionary with his
budget. Right now, PSH is on a
fixed price for 2010 paying only
.8 cents a kilowatt-hour. When
rate caps expire this January
PSH anticipates a 15 percent
increase rate jumping the price
of the kilowatt-hour to .924
cents. There will be at least a
$lOO,OOO increase in electricity
prices for PSH, according to
Dankanich.
The question as to whether or
not students and faculty will be
affected by the rate cap increase
has yet to be determined. Any
increases in tuition go through
University Park first and are
looked at by the President as
well as all the directors there.
University Park determines the
tuition of PSH.
"Tuition might not go up," said
Dankanich..
When the rate caps do expire,
PSU plans on shopping for the
best rate for electric utilities.
After the expiration, customers
will be able to choose a company
with a better rate. Though, PPL
will deliver electricity through
their power lines, the provider
may be different if PSU shops
for different electric rates,
according to Dankanich.
Conserving resources is
important to Penn State. The
Energy Savings Program's goals
are to reduce the consumption
of water and electricity by
wife Amy. He travels the East
Coast 365 days a year preaching
to Churches, at events, and
campuses. He also preaches on
Bourbon Street during Mardi gras
in New Orleans, on Halloween at
Salem, Ma, and St. Patrick's Day
in Savannah.
Because Penn State Harrisburg
uses federal funds, it is considered
public property. The traveling
minister was able to preach to
any who would listen. His "trust
in Jesus/get to know the God of
the bible sign" raised eyebrows,
but was also allowed.
"We're still a public environment,
he's well within the guidelines
of the University to share his
message," said Officer Sherwin.
While Davis is considered within
his First Amendment rights, he is
no stranger to brushes with the
law. According to his website,
Davis won over $20,000 in
damages and legal fees when
conservation,
awareness,
management, monitoring, and
procurement. A few ways PSH
takes part in efforts to reduce
the consumption of electricity is
by using more efficient lighting,
buying products with the Energy
Star label, as well as keeping the
lights turned off in unoccupied
rooms.
Penn State's Take Charge Web
site informs students, faculty,
and other visitors on how they
can conserve energy. Students
are encouraged to unplug cell
phone chargers, turn off the
lights, computers, TVs when
objects are not being used.
"We continually look to save
energy which converts to
money," said Daniel Barlup,
utilities supervisor.
As for University Park, they are
the only customer of West Penn
Power to have a tariff written
especially for that campus. The
University is the first customer
to come off the rate caps, two
years earlier than all the other
Pennsylvania customers. The
removal of rate caps affects
University Park greatly, said
Laura Miller, Office of Physical
Plant senior energy program
engineer.
The removal of the rate caps
does not only affect students,
"It affects everyone," said
Dankanich.
Ulster County Community
College infringed upon his free
speech. Schenectady County
Community College lost a similar
case against Davis when they
attempted to charge him with
criminal trespassing.
Despite his rights to preach
on campus, the students of PSH
are taking exception to Davis's
presence.
"They're obnoxious," fumed
Dustin Hoepfer, 20-year-old
undeclared student. "I would
not be able to do this with my
beliefs."
Communications major James
Couche, 27, was unconvinced of
the legality of Davis's camcorder
and methods.
"Seriously, they shouldn't be here.
This is no better than soliciting
and not getting permission to film
people," said Couche.
Aubrey Clark, another
Communications major, was
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their children to special pediatric
surgical suites to an outpatient
pediatric cancer pavilion,
this hospital will advance the
extraordinary care that has made
Penn State Hershey Children's
Hospital a leader in pediatric
medicine."
Currently, Penn State Hershey
Children's Hospital primarily
occupies the Medical Center's
seventh floor. While the care
provided within the currentfacility
has earned national recognition,
the facilities originally were
designed for adult patients rather
than children and families. Many
of the existing patient rooms do
not accommodate parents who
wish to stay overnight with
their children. Areas such as the
Pediatric Intensive Care Unit
(PICU) have become cramped,
offering minimal privacy and no
room for growth of services.
Payette and Associates, the
more sympathetic.
"It's really not that big of a
deal," said Clark. "If people
were advocating gay rights or
marching with a sign that says
`feed homeless people' would
people be mad at it? They're
trying to promote the good they
think is good."
Others understood the intention
of Bible Greg but disagreed on
his methods.
"I'm a Christian, but I'm not
going to go out and do that,
yelling and screaming and
pushing my beliefs on someone,"
shared Communications major
Amy Kirby, 24.
Elyse Bell, Information Systems
Major, 21, agreed.
"I'm all for religion and god
but you shouldn't be out here
screaming at people," Bell said.
GideonAbror, also an Information
Systems Major, 23 embraced the
sign wielding campus preacher.
students take
in ceremony
Boston-based architectural firm
that designed the new Penn
State Hershey Cancer Institute
facility, created the designs for
the new Children's Hospital. L.F.
Driscoll Co. of Bala Cynwyd,
Pa., will serve as the construction
management firm for the project.
The Medical Center plans to
seek LEED certification for the
Children's Hospital, inrecognition
of its environmentally-friendly
design.
Site preparation will begin in the
next few weeks, with excavation
and construction expected to start
in February 2010. The completed
Children's Hospital is scheduled
to open during fall 2012.
The Children's Hospital
groundbreaking ceremony was
sponsored by several individuals
and organizations -- Jeanne
Donlevy and Edward H. Arnold;
Suzy and Jim Broadhurst; Peter
and Marnie Carlino; Eat'n Park
Hospitality Group; Hershey
Entertainment & Resorts;
Highmark; Penn National
Gaming, Inc.; and PNC.
"I think this is great. First of all, it
gives us the opportunity to know
Christ," said Abror. "Being 'born
again' you know how you're
supposed to live your life and
preach the gospel and just gives
hope."
Davis continued his self
described proclamation, of
the bible for approximately At
University Park, Davis has spent
7-8 hours wherein he has had an
audience of 400-500 students.
Campus police were on hand
to monitor events. According
to Lt. Gelgot, no incident was
filed. Davis did not obstruct
pathways, speak loudly or create
a disturbance to the campus so he
was allowed to preach and leave
as he saw fit.
Davis said reactions to him
are mixed. Some students yell,
curse, give the middle finger, but
he by the end of the day, they're
shaking hands, he said.
PSU-