!—The Highacres Collegian, Monday, December 19, 1977
'THE CHRISTMAS COMMERCIALIZATION PAYOFF'
Tax Hike Necessary?
The Pennsylvania Law makers are trying for a tax increase in the
Keystone State to balance the spending request. They are doing a
good job of it also. After weeks of deliberation the House passed a
bill. If approved by Governor Shapp, both the personal and business
income taxes would increase. .
This new bill if made law would raise the present personal income
tax from 2 percent to 2.2 percent and the corporate income tax from
9.5 percent to 10.5 percent. This increase in the personal income tax
would mean paying an extra 20 to 40 dollars over a two year period.
The question the taxpayer must ask now is will it ever end?
Colleges today are in operation to make money. They are BIG
BUSINESS” oriented and if increases are allowed to continue in all
facets of the higher educational system, they will eventually price
themselves out of business.
To implement a law of this nature is ludicrous. Why should the
taxpayer time and time again suffer the burden of mismanagement
of funds by higher officials? The answer is not “TAXES” . Our entire
educational system should be revamped and competent budget
controllers employed to seek out and formulate ways to cut foolish
excessive spending.
Let’s put emphasis right now on tighter controls! If future budgets
are allbwed to continue to increase we will never see an end to
unacceptable and dishonest taxation. Also by raising corporate
taxes to help subsidize the state colleges, Pennsylvania now
becomes the second highest state in the union for taxing industry,
the backbone of the state’s economy. #
This corporate tax will force industries, that are already paying
high taxes, to disband and the prospect of outside industries settling
in Pennsylvania will be virtually eliminated. The effect will be
disastrous for the economy of the Commonwealth and employment
figures will rise substantially.
It is time to revert back to the traditional college setting, where
the educators role was in the correct formation and molding of the
individuals character. All sense of empathy has been removed fro
fact that the educational system today is in the field to
make money and many times standards lowered to up enrollment to
fulfill their quotas.
Unsigned editorials represent the official view of THE
COLLEGIAN. Views expressed in bylined articles are those of the
individual contributor and do not reflect the official view of THE
COLLEGIAN. Responsible comment is invited. Letters To The
Editor should be signed and mailed or delivered to THE
HIGHACRES COLLEGIAN office.
EDITORIAL OPINIONS
Eight Week Drop
The “eight week drop” is a prime example of academic folly; it is,
at best, unnecessary. If it were only another useless exercise in
bureaucratic red tape the matter would be laughable. But the
concept cannot be dismissed lightly, it contains a dangerous
potential for undermining the future of the students.
Students occasionally confront uncontrollable situations which, if
not corrected, could adversely affect their scholastic careers. Some
students, for example, find themselves enrolled in a course which
they should not have taken. Other students discover a personality
conflict with their instructors frustrates their interest in the course.
At times personal problems such as a death in the family or illness
prevents a student from finishing his other course work by the end of
the term. Justice demands that the student should have mechanisms
for correcting each of these situations at a minimum academic cost.
The “eight week drop,” however, is not necessary to protect
students caught in such predicaments. The drop-add period provides
the escape mechanism for students who enrolled in courses they
should not have or who find themselves locked in a personality
conflict with their instructors. The deferred grade allows ample
time for those students who, for valid reasons, are unable to com
plete their course work within the term.
The only purpose of the “eight week drop” is to protect students
from adverse grades. The rule enables a student to maintain a high
grade average by dropping any course in which he or she may have
a C 6r lower two weeks before the final. As a grade protective
device, the “eight week drop” is ineffective; a more efficient and
equitable protection could be achieved by a University Senate rule
prohibiting grades lower than B.
But grade inflation, whether arrived at by an efficient manner or
by the clumsy “eight week drop,” is a disservice to the student. In
the long run, Penn State grades will become so meaningless that
employers and graduate schools would not consider applications
from this University.
In the short run the “eight week drop” encourages behavior that
undermines a student’s opportunities. Under the rule students are
encouraged to keep a high grade average bysubstituting a C or D or
F with a WO. Yet the only grade I had to justify (and I had several
F’s) was a W(P). I quickly discovered that many personnel and
graduate school officers viewed the WO as demonstrative of a
flawed character. They interpret the WO as an indication of a
person who quits when the going gets rough. Usually this is exactly
the type of person they do not want!
Everyone associated with Penn State has a vested interest in
maintaining the integrity of its grading system. The “eight week
drop” undermines the integrity of that system and, in so doing,
jeopardizes the future of the students. It is an extreme piece of folly
that should be repealed at the earliest possible moment.
THE HIGHACRES COLLEGIAN
Board of Directors
David Kraft ..
Cathy Rusinko.
James Dino ...
James Ferry
Craig Oswald
Patricia Marsh
Keller Taylor
Michael Hutchison ■ ■
Barbara Calabrese ..
Dr. Michael Santulli.
General Staff
Brad McNab, Lesa Bagley, Sue Ringes, Paula Koestner, Paul Sullivan, Sue
Janosky, Willard Donner, Robert Dougherty, Lisa Sonner, Jim Lyman.
The office of THE HIGHACRES COLLEGIAN is located on the ground
floor of the Highacres Commons. Office hours are 11-12 a.m. Tuesday and
Thursday and 2-3 p.m. Monday thru Friday. Other hours can be arranged by
appointment. Telephone 454-6551. If no answer call 455-9597.
By Professor
Harold Aurand
Collegian Guest
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