—The Highacres Collegian, Tuesday, May 16, 1978
Wasted Money?
As we look back on this past academic year we ask ourselves if
we have made the right choices to contribute to the development of
our career. Have we made a worthwhile contribution to the Hazleton
Campus? Activities have been held and complaints have been made
concerning involvement. This issue has been brought up time and
time again. At this point students as well as faculty and ad
ministration are tired of hearing these same old complaints. Money
is spent to keep the campus functioning on an academic as well as on
a social level to provide additional outlets for recreation besides the
daily class routine but is it spent wisely?
The campus clubs and organizations are an excellent example of
established recreational outlets but have they been used to the
fullest? Student involvement is not necessarily the only problem.
Clubs such as the Politics and the History Club have been inactive
during the course of the year, but funds have been allocated and
remain stagnant. Special consideration should be given to those
organizations who are necessary for the campus to remain active.
The Student Government Organization President-elect for next
year has outlined in his goals the need for campus communication.
Money is planned to be spent on additional video communications
equipment. What better medium to convey information to students
is there than a newspaper. A campus newspaper is designed for this
purpose but the students have not been using it to its fullest poten
tial. The newspaper staff is responsible for collecting and publishing
news blit what good is the paper if the students will not use this
medium. The clubs and organizations argue that a lack of com
munication exists at Highacres but they do not realize that a
newspaper is that means. The campus newspaper should be placed
on a higher level of the hierarchy when monies are allocated.
Another commonwealth campus has received over $4,000 for
newspaper publication, while the Highacres Collegian received only
$BOO.
The financial problems of the University directly affect the
general campus allocation but should additional money not spent by
clubs be used to sponsor a party when other organizations are in
trouble financially?
The campus financial allocation committee should take into
consideration the importance level of certain clubs and re-evaluate
the allocation procedure. A more conscious attempt can be made to
excavate the campus population from a pit of apathy and eliminate
the consequences felt due to decisions made without taking all
variables into consideration.
Unsigned editorials represent the official view of THE
COLLEGIAN. Views expressed in bylined articles are those of thel
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 COLLEGI AN office.
EDITORIAL OPINIONS
~ V X7
Letters To The Editor
Headline Misleading?
Editor’s Note: According to the Random
House College Dictionary, the definition of
boycott is “to combine in abstaining from,
or preventing dealings with a person or
organization as a means of coercion." A
boycott does not necessarily deal with a
picket line or other means of forceful
action.
To the Editor
In reading the front page headline and
story in the last issue of the Highacres.
Collegian, one might expect to see a picket
line of sign-carrying faculty members at
the next Awards Banquet. The headline
and the story were incomplete and quite
misleading. I am taking this opportunity to
set the record straight—at least from my
viewpoint.
Presently, the faculty does not have any
role in the planning of the Awards
Banquet. It should not expect to have one
in the futurer Surely, it has no desire to
have such a role. The Awards Banquet is
an affair sponsored by the Student
Government Association in conjunction
with the Office of Student Affairs and as
such it is planned, rightfully so, by
students. Furthermore, it is an affair for
the students, and the large attendance
over the years is proof of its success.
Through the courtesy of the SGA, mem
bers of the faculty, administration, and
staff have always been invited to attend
the banquet. Certainly, there is no other
obligation on the part of the students.
One simple fact is, that except for ac
tual participants in the program, at
tendance at the banquet by members of
the faculty, administration, and staff has
become practically nonexistent. Whether
this is symptomatic of a change in attitude
of faculty and staff or evidence of a
disenchantment with the program is not
important. Let them stay home! The
students attend in large numbers, they
enjoy the program, they enjoy the
evening—and that is what counts.
Some faculty are concerned however,
with the academic awards presented at the
banquet. Customarily, these awards have
been a book or journal subscription. A
committee, chaired by Mr. Biacchi, has
recently studied the academic awards and
has made its recommendations. It is un
fortunate that the Collegian did not follow
my suggestion and interview Mr. Biacchi.
My understanding is that the committee
recommendations include replacing the
THE HIGHACRES COLLEGIAN
Board of Directors
David Kraft . ■
Cathy Rusinftn.
James Dina ■..
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Crait! Oswald
If illtirtl Danner
Patricia Marsh
heller Tavlor
Michael Hutchison .
liarhtira Calabrese . .
I)r. Michael Sant alii
(rt'lHTill Staff
Le.sri llftfilev. (Jirisnniic ('.astollani. Paula Kot'suwr. Jim l.vnmn. linul \lr\ab.
Site Hi ayes. I.isa Sonner.
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
book or journal subscriptions with Nittany
Lion statues, a more permanent keepsake,
and increasing the number of academic
awards presented. One obvious problem
will be the increased costs of these awards.
The Office of Student Affairs has always
paid for these awards in the past, but since
they are academic awards it is
questionable whether that practice can or
should continue. The expectation, of
course, is that the money will be found in
some budget in some office on the campus,
and that the' recommendations of the
committee will be adopted. What if that
doesn’t happen?
It is true that some members of the
faculty have discussed alternative plans
should the campus and university say they
are unable to fund the academic awards.
One of these plans calls for the faculty to
finance these awards themselves, and
conduct an Academic Awards Convocation
on campus. If that is a plan for a boycott—
so be it. At least it is a well intentioned
boycott. I hasten to add, once again, that
no one expects the adoption of such a plan
to be necessary.
If I choose not to attend the Awards
Banquet this year, it will be the first one I
will have missed in my twelve years at the
Hazleton Campus. I am realistic enough to
know that my absence will sadden only
myself. Enjoy!
M. Leonard Shaevel
Associate Professor of Physics
Eat And Run
To the Editor
On the evening of April 17, the Student
Union Board sponsored a free Splash
Party with a Pizza Party and film after
wards in the Commons. I was unable to be
at the pool myself but was told by those
who had attended that approximately
twenty-four students participated; the
majority were my fellow members of the
SUB.
However, when pizza was served in the
Commons, a number of additional students
appeared. They came to “eat and run.” I
had never seen many of them at any ac
tivity before, and they did not stay for the
film. They just came to “pig out.” The
pizza was devoured and several of the
continued on page 3
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