Page Two
S ..;7F 4 ' A
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Each year at this time a certain apathy seems to arise
among students toward student government. This year is
no exception, as evidenced by the Letter to the Editor on
this page.
Nor is this problem a local one. The main campus
seems to be having the same trouble at this time.
Let us clarify the matter NOW, students, and keep
peace hereafter! To begin, you, as members of the student
body. see relatively few of the vast number of tasks under
taken by the SGA simply because the SGA does not adver
tise each and every one of its accomplishments.
The fact is that the SGA is intended to be more than
ar, initialer of social functions. Social activities sponsor
ship is only a poi Lion of the council's purpose.
Article 111 of the organization's constitution states -
not at all exaggerativelv its purpose:
a. Promote the welfare of the student body and make
recommendations to the Committee on Student Af
fairs regarding - student welfare.
b. Maintain. regulate. and initiate customs and tra
ditions of the Behrend Campus and University.
c. Initiate and coordinate social functions and acti
vities of the student body for the welfare of the
student body and the Behrend Campus.
h. Act upon any complaint or suggestion made to the
SG-4_ by any member of the student body.
The job is not as simple as it may sound. One such
"unseen" function of the SGA is the allotment of funds for
various activities and to the many clubs and student or
f2;anizaions on campus. This job is a tremendous one, for
the student activities budget is far from unlimited.
The warm welcome and fine program of events for
you freshmen during Orientation Week was made possible,
to a great extent, by the SGA.
The convenience of the SGA office in Erie Hall also
cannot be denied. True, there are times during the day
when the office is not open. But remember: The students
who keep the office open for your convenience are doing
SO <it the sacrifice of their own time! Situations may, and
often do arise to prevent them from keeping their office
schedules. Is this any reason to begin condemning the
entire SGA or any of its members? it certainly is not !
And the juke-box. Many are complaining that the re
cordirigs are changed too infrequently and that too few
are changed. Any student having a genuine interest in
SGA affairs may have noticed the juke-box committee's re
port in the minutes of the October 24 meeting of the
SGA.
These minutes, as are the minutes of every SGA meet
were posted on bulletin boards in Erie Hall for ex
amination by interested students. The final sentence of the
committee's report said: "The dealer has promised to ser
vice the juke-box with 4-5 new records every two weeks."
Nothing more than that was ever promised by any SGA
member.
What about the pool table? Before school recessed on
December 7, a contract was signed by SGA representative
Robert Williams and an Erie Businessman. That contract
called for the removal of the pool table soon after school
had ended and its return—completely recushioned, re
covered, and leveled—before January 7. Failure to carry
out that contract was due strictly to the company that had
contracted the job, and not the SGA.
By now, the light should be getting through. Possibly,
it is becoming apparent that the student body, rather
than the SGA, is the group in the dark. Communication
could be greatly improved if only YOU, as members of the
student body, would read the posted minutes of the SGA
meetings, or even question SGA members of recent develop
ments.
A recent editorial in the Daily Collegian summarizes
well your role with the SGA:
... without strong student support it can do nothing.
:Each" Person on this expansive campus can contribute to
the betterment of this university, student body and him
self in - his own way through student government.
If students are dissatisfied with the job their student
'government is doing, or if they have become uninterested
because they feel student government is "doing nothing
important," let them examine their own ideas for this
University's betterment. Let them use their imaginations.
Let them make our potentially vital student government
into the driving force that it should be.
-- In a university as large as Penn State, student gov
ernment should be a body of stature, responsibility, respect
and influence. Student government is not given to the
students, but is made by them.
We cannot condone the behaviour of students who sit
back and criticize . .. who jeer at attempts to better the
University . . . AND DO NOTHING to correct the situ-
ation.
They do not deserve a better Penn State."
AMEN !
ASLEE
-T ALL!
Bob Ropelewski,
Editor
THE NITTANY CUB
Big
Brothers
Have Big
Winter
By Me/ Ross
For many or us football fans
the end cf the world had arrived
when Florida upset our mighty
Nittany Lions in the Gator Bowl:
however, this is not the case in
other Penn State sporting circles.
for the winter sport's season is
just beginning. Such as basketball,
wrestling, track. gymnastics, and
a little known rifle team are
either continuing or beginning
their season.
The basketball team under the
tutelage of head coach John Egli
has been the dark horse team in
the East. Leading the team in
scoring is 6'5" co-captain. Earl
Hoffman, who has rippled the
cords with a 20.0 game average.
Giving Hoffman ample support
have been team-mates Ron Av
iillion, 6'6" sophomore forward,
I ball hawk guard Bob Weiss, Tom
IMalincak. 6'6", center, and the
field general Bobby Donato. The
!Lions have looked impressive in
compiling a 10-2 record with wins
over Syracuse, Maryland, Tem
!
pie, and Bucknell.
In the wrestling arena Penn
State's matmen are ably in
structed by Coach Charlie Spei
del. Although the wrestling out
look is not as bright as that of
Egli's cagers, the team has def
inite possibilities. As Coach Spei
del stated: "We're quite strong in
the lower weights, but there is
(Continued on page 3)
LETTERS
Student Questions
lictiveGovernment
When we freshmen entered
Behrend this past September we
expected a great change to occur
in regards to social activities. So
cial activities are an important
part of college life. We helped
elect leaders in the S.G.A. whom
we hoped would help make our
first year in college a memorable
one. I do not think that the
S.G.A. has stimulated this part
of college life to the satisfaction
of the student body. This past
quarter was speckled with a min
imum of activities. The fault must
lie with the S. G. A.! They are
the students' voice on campus.
But what voice of influence has
spoken out? My ears have been
open and have heard nothing im
pressive.
At the end of the first quarter
we were promised that the ancient
and badly worn pool-table in Erie
Hall would be completely reno
vated during the Holidays. But
what greets us as we return in
January? The same excuse of a
pool-table. The pool-balls seem to
shy away from the cushions. I
wonder why?
Of course, one great accom
plishment was achieved during
the first quarter. A new juke-box
was added to - Erie Hall with the
promise that the records would
be changed every two weeks. As
each two-week period approaches
we see, at the most, three or four
new records added. Are we sat
isfied?
There are other arguments I
have, such as faithful members
in the office at all times, but they
are immaterial, or are they? You
must ask yourself this question:
Do you want an active campus
with a varied social life or do you
want an empty year to look back
on? A need of improvement in
the S.G.A. is certainly evident.
ik Larry Youtz (2ml, Engr.)
AsitLooksFromHere
Ed.'s Note: In addition to his
duties as pastor of Messiah Lu
theran Church in Wesleyville,
Reverend Schweikert is also chap
lain of the Behrend Campus. He
has graciously consented to write
this and further columns for the
NITTANY CUB to add a wider
scope of view to this newspaper.
Everybody wants you educated
these days: father. mother, prof.
employer, pastor or priest, even
God—" Study to show thyself ap
proved of God, a workman that
needeth not to be ashamed, right
ly dividing the word of truth."
You have been commanded from
all sides to be educated, to know
about the formula for soap. the
influence of Plutarch on Shakes
peare, the evolution of the horse,
the cause and cure of thumb
sucking among infants, the rise
of Hitler and the rules for soccer.
Those who push you believe you
will come out a better person after
hacking through the dense jungle
of data known as a college edu
cation. Perhaps you are here in
college only because those who
are your advisors think it a good
idea.
Maybe you have other ideas
about college and couldn't care
less about social pressures and
Charter Application
To Behrend S. G. A.
The following is a copy of the charter application submitted to
the SGA by the NITTANY CUB. Each student organization on campus
was also requested to do so. The formality of the whole affair so
overwhelmed us that we could not help but be completely honest.
I.—All student clubs and organizations on the Campus of the
Pennsylvania State University must be chartered with the Student
Government Association of the Behrend Campus.
lI.—No University funds shall be allotted to any clubs or organi
zations until such time as this application has been completed, turned
in, reviewed, and been approved by the Student Government Associa
tion of the Behrend Campus.
application must consist of the following items:
A. Constitution.
1. All clubs and organizations must have a constitution.
For some strange reason, this organization does not have
a constitution. I just can't understand it. Somewhere along
the line we've become a delinquent organization.
B. Purpose of the club or organization.
Our purpose is to inform all the uninformed and misin
formed students of the Behrend Campus. (Maybe we should
change our name to THE INFORMER, huh?)
An indication of how the club or organization is going to be
financed, if at all.
We plan to declare bankruptcy if the SGA doesn't come
through with some money for us soon.
Times (s) and place (s) of regular meetings.
Every now and then we get together for a little chit-chat.
Any place will do. We're not particular.
Names(s) of advisor (s).
Our advisor(s) name (s) is William Hover (s).
Names of offices and present officers.
Editor(s)—(s) Robert (s) R. Ropelewski (s) .
Number of members
Mumber of nembers: 15, maybe.
Any restrictions as to membership of your club or organiza
tion.
We don't allow no dirty guys who don't like to write what
we tell them to; or worse yet, who don't like to write at all
or who write too much, even.
I. Any other pertinent information
Any other pertinent information. Just ask Dave Craley,
he'll tell you.
THE NITTANY CUB
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N•
‘1 % .1 855
‘'‘‘%
Editor: Bob Ropelewski; Ass't. Editor: Paula Harris; News
Editor: John Thompson; Sports Editor: Dave Craley; Feature
Editor: Pat Casinelli; News Staff: Bob Williams, Mel Ross, Mary
Gene Shea, Larry Youtz, Joanne Vogel, Barbara Duda, Alice
Bachman, Ginny Tompkins, Denise Scovel, Bill Bethune, Ed
Paauwe, Pat Coggeshall; Photography: Ed Paauwe.
Monday, January 21, 1963
hitting the books. Maybe you are
here only in search of The Good
Time: the songs, the steins, the
proms and the parked car. And
after all, if you can stay in col
lege for two or four years you will
have that much longer to avoid a
steady job. If this is your reason
for being in college, here is a sug
gestion. Talk your folks into let
ting you drop out of school and
then have them apply the money
they would have spent for your
education on a new car for you.
This will work out well for both
since you will have all the fun
with no study worries and your
parents will have something to
show for their money.
Should you decide to stay here
might it not be wise to present
your parents with something they
will cherish even more than a car
as a return on their investment:
a mature son or daughter. one
developed in personality, morality
and responsibility toward life.
College is a hit or miss proposi
tion: you can't go back and learn
later what you should learn now.
It is even possible to get a degree
without being changed a degree.
"We grow too soon old and late
too smart." Must it be? Why are
you in college, anyway?
Not too respectfully submitted.
Robert R. Ropelewski, Editor .