A view of the new Susquehanna Nuclear Plant as seen from the Council Cup
Overlook shows the great size of one of the two cooling towers to be built at the site
near Berwick. The plant is expected to be in operation by 1980. (Photo by David
Kraft)
Nuclear Power:
Closer To Home Than You Think
At the center of today’s Energy controversy is nuclear energy.
Nuclear energy is the power produced by fissioning, or splitting
atoms of elements such as uranium.
Those who oppose nuclear energy claim tne risks of using
nuclear energy are too great. The process of fissioning produces
radioactive wastes which take many centuries to de-contaminate. A
major problem is where to place these wastes so that no one or
anything will be harmed by the radioactivity. There is also a risk of
a “power plant accident” which means something would go wrong in
the process and radioactivity would escape.
Advocates of nuclear energy claim that these risks have been
minimized due to advanced research into the best designs for the
safest plants. They claim the benefits outweigh the risks. Nuclear
energy is easy to produce because the United States has an ample
supply of the basic elements needed. Therefore, the cost to con
sumers would be approximately what gas and oil cost before the
energy shortages sent prices soaring.
THE COLLEGIAN is investigating the nuclear energy question.
Using the Susquehanna Nuclear Energy Plant, which is located
approximately twenty minutes from campus, near the Council Cup
overlook, as a major source of information we will present the ad
vocates’ view of nuclear energy in the December issue and the op
positions’ view in January.
Nuclear energy is closer to home than you think
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Evaluation by Police Services
Committee Completed
During the 1976-77 school year the
Student Government Association, in an
attempt to evaluate the Police Services of
the Hazleton Campus, formed the' Police
Services Committee. The need to evaluate
the Police Services was brought to the
attention of S.G.A. by several student
inquiries into the adequacy of the
protection received at the Hazleton
Campus.
The Committee chose, as their
evaluation procedure, to send an
evaluation questionnaire to the directors
of security forces at all Commonwealth
Campuses. The questionnaires asked the
directors several questions pertaining to
their security operations. The content of
the questions dealt with things such as the
size of the campus, the duties and powers
of the student personnel, type of training
available to personnel, etc.
Some of the general information that
relates to the security of the Hazleton
Campus is: the Campus consists of 97
acres, with 13 major buildings and one
residence hall housing approximately 210
persons. Over 900 students attend classes
during the day and approximately 300
attend night classes. The Police Services
Department of the Hazleton Campus is
headed by Mr. Paul Cerula, who is also the
Business Manager of the campus. Three
full-time officers are employed in the
Department and a number of part-time
student employees. Their official duties
are: to protect the life and property of all
who are associated with The Pennsylvania
State University, to serve as a com
munications service on campus, and to
assist in any investigation of outside police
agencies as they relate to the campus. The
department also directs and manages
traffic and occasionally does odd jobs
DO
YOUR
THING
Take Out Final
Frustrations On
The Highacres Collegian, November 12,1977 -ll
when called upon by campus personnel.
One of the officers has completed a twelve
week police course and another has safety
training.
The results of the questionnaires were
compiled into a chart and compared with
the Police Services of Highacres. The
Committee reached this conclusion, based
on the comparison:
“We have come to the conclusion that
security on our campus is adequate, but
not ideal, and there is much room for
improvement. In comparison to other
Commonwealth Campuses, our security
protection is about average.”
The quality of Police Services personnel
was found unquestionably adequate. The
Committee felt that they do as well a job as
can be expected.
Some deficiencies were discovered.
There is a lack of twenty-four hour
coverage. Only sixteen hour coverage is
maintained on most days, with no security
protection after midnight. The portable
radio equipment issued to security forces
is in poor condition and has no direct link
to outside police, fire, or other emergency
departments. Uniforms are in poor con
dition and they are in short supply.
It was realized by the committee that
many of the improvements are unat
tainable at the present time because of thp
financial difficulties the University is
experiencing.
Some improvements are already being
made. A new radio has been installed in
the Business Office and is in the process of
being connected to the portable units.
Uniforms have been ordered but have not,
as of printing date, arrived yet.
The evaluation was not meant to demean
the campus’ Police Services but merely to
find areas where improvemeptJs needed.
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