Administration
insight into park
By Carol Meiser
Because of a recent petition pro
testing the $lO/term parking fee
that was signed by 225 students
who commute to Highacres, the
Collegian decided to undertake
the task of finding out whether or
not these students really do have
a just cause in complaining about
the standard fee.
Many students have the
misconception that all of the
money that is collected from the
selling of the tickets is used solely
for this campus and in an unjust
manner. Both of these
statements, however, are invalid.
First of all, the Hazleton campus
does not set the required parking
fee; instead, officials at Universi
ty Park have made it mandatory
that all branch campuses have
students pay $lO/term (or less if
in a carpool with other in
dividuals) if parking their motor
vehicles at the designated cam
puses. The total amount that each
campus collects is then distrib
uted as follows: University Park
receives 90% and the branch
campus receives 10%. For
students to say that this small
percentage is used unjustly is tru
ly incorrect. This money is utiliz
ed mainly for the upkeep of the
student parking lots; for exam
ple, repairing, "striping," plow
ing, and cindering them. The
funds also provide for the
salaries of personnel including
those on maintenance and
patrolling traffic. A portion is
also used to purchase parking
stickers, registration forms, etc.
According to Mr. Paul Cerula,
Business Manager at Highacres,
we are actually in the hole
because employees have had to
work overtime hours r in order to
alleviate the current excess of
student vehicles on campus. Help
from outside agencies has aided
this situation, but has also had an
adverse effect on the campus
budget.
Another quibble that many
students have is "Why aren't
faculty _and administration re
quired to pay a fee to park their
vehicles?" Paul Cerula answers
this question: "Parking for both
faculty and ... ninistration is con
sidered a fringe benefit of
employment here, just as in
dustry provides for employees
elsewhere. The maintenance fees
for their upkeep comes out of a
G.E.D. class tours Highacres
On Tuesday December 9th, fif
teen students from the G.E.D.
adult class at Hazleton High
School took part in a tour of the
Hazleton Campus of the Penn
sylvania State University.
Mr. Charles. Gallagher, a
guidance counselor at West
Hazleton High school and instruc
tor of the G.E.D. class; was
responsible for making the ar
rangements for the tour of the
campus, which was well received
by the students.
Mr. Gallagher stated that there
were three reasons why the
students were taken on the tour of
Penn, State: To acquaint the
students with a college at
mosphere; to make the students
aware of a higher education
facility in their area; and most
importantly, to encourage the
offers
ing fee
different plant budget." Cerula
also noted that students with
medical permits are allowed to
park on the visitor/faculty park
ing lot, a lot which is reserved on
ly for this group.
To give an example of what it
costs for Just the construction of a
parking lot, Cerula cited Parking
Lot B, previously known as the
"Freshmen Lot." Paved in 1970,
this triple level area cost $198,000
for its clearing, cementing, etc.
Consequently, each student's
contribution allowed for the con
struction of this lot; without it,
that lot may never have been
built. Theoretically, instead of
walking from Lot B to classes,
you may have had to park your
car at the Laurel Mall (or
elsewhere) and walk even further
to classes!
Many students argue that many
other colleges and universities do
not require a parking fee. This is
probably due to the simple fact
that the state of Pennsylvania
issued them funds, whereas Penn
State University does not receive
any outside aid from the state.
They, themselves, must acquire
funds from students attending the
campuses and distribute this
money accordingly.
Consider this analogy. If you
were to park your vehicle
downtown Hazleton, for eight
hours, you would be required to
put money in the nearest parking
meter for those eight hours, the
average amount of time a student
spends on campus. Now, a few
calculations. For eight hours (at
.10/2 hrs.), you would have to pay
forty cents. In one week that
amounts to $2.00, and in ten
weeks, one term, twenty dollars.
As you can see, Penn State is only
charging you half that amount
and even gives you a "bonus"
when you park your car during
final exam week.
Will the $lO/term increase?
Students may be protesting
again, for with the proposal for
150 additional spaces at
Highacres, a slight increase may
occur in the near future. Students
must remember, however, that
the current mandatory parking
fee provides various services
which enable Penn Staters to
have a much safer and enjoyable
stay at this university.
students to continue with their
education.
Dr. William David, Director of
the Hazleton Campus spoke to the
group on the value of an educa
tion. Mr. Paul Lenhart, Asst.
Director of Continuing Education
at the Hazleton Campus spoke to
the group on the opportunities
open for continuing education at
the Hazleton Campus.
This is the first time students
from the G.E.D. class took part in
a tour to a college campus. Mr.
Gallagher said the students were
very pleased with the campus
and impressed by the faculty.
With such a favorable reaction
received on this first tour of the
Hazleton Campus, Mr. Gallagher
foresees other 'tours to the
Hazleton Campus of Penn State
in the future.
UPDATE:
Drought problem increases in severity
By George Yanoshik, Jr
Reservoirs were brimful
throughout the nation after a wet
spring of 1980. The rains stopped,
though, in June, and July and
August were hot and dry. At first
the lack of rainfall instilled no
alarm in the residents of Nor
theastern Pennsylvania; but,
when water conservation plans
were imposed several months
ago and people had to curtail
their water consumption, the
severity of what is now a nation
wide drought was finally realiz
ed.
As of mid-December, the reser
voirs which supply Hazleton with
water contained only approx
imately 20 per cent of their nor
mal capacity. Since then the
reservoirs have dropped to less
than 12 per cent of their capacity
it seems that the Hazleton area
is literally going dry.
A happy solution to this problem
would be a lot of rainfall,
although by now the amount of
rain needed would probably be
enough to cause flooding. The
early freeze, which prevented
moisture from soaking into the
ground has aggravated the
drought problem.
To date, 103 municipalities in
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Loans
change
as of 'Bl
This past summer former
President Carter signed an
Education Amendment of 1980,
which will affect student loans
starting 1981. National Direct
Student Loan's (NDSL) three per
cent interest rate and nine month
grace period will change to four
per cent interest and a six month
grace period. The Guaranteed
Student Loan (GSL) with a seven
per cent interest rate and nine
month grace will change to an in
terest rate of nine per cent with a
six month grace period.
Also, loans will be available to
the parents of students. These
loans consist of a maximum of
3000 dollars at nine per cent in
terest with a grace period of sixty
days after the loan is taken out.
Maximum amounts per year
and total scholastic duration are
as follows. Yearly maximum for
independent students is 3000
dollars, and a total maximum is
15,000 dollars. Dependent
students yearly maximum is
2,500 dollars with 12,500 as total
maximum. Graduate students
have a yearly maximum of 500
dollars and a 25,000 total max
imum. Parent loans are
restricted to a 15,000 dollar max
imum.
These changes will only affect
those students who are first time
borrowers. Students; then, who
have received scholastic loans
prior to 1981 will not be affected
by these alterations.
Pennsylvania alone have impos
ed mandatory water-rationing
plans, and more and more areas
seem to be added to the list every
week. In some areas violation of
the rationing plans is backed by
stiff fines.
Conservation efforts in the four
state region (Pennsylvania, New
York, NeW Jersey, and
Delaware) have cut water use,
but not by enough. Officials in
Pennsylvania and New Jersey
had hoped to reduce consumption
by 25 per cent; the actual cutback
has been closer to only 10 per
cent.
Several weeks ago television
and-poster campaigns which
intended to transform
youngsters, in particular, into
drought-detectives, timing their
parents showers and their sisters
baths among other things
made appearances in the New
York City area. Although it is not
likely that residents of Penn
sylvania's Northeast will go
thirsty soon, restrictions on in
dustrial water use even plant
closings are a possibility for
the summer of 1981.
Highacres is aware of this
111111111111111 1 11111111111
Aid Center training set
Women's Aid Center, a counsel
ing and referral service for area
women, is planning a series of
hotline volunteer training ses
sions for February.
Sessions will be held Feb. 13, 20
and 23, from 9:30 to 11 a.m. at the
Center's office, United Way
Building, 21 N. Church St. Ses
sions are designed to train
volunteers to provide crisis in
tervention counseling, emotional
support, and information and
referral services to the caller in
need.
The Highacrea Collegian-
severe problem. Since the begin
ning of the winter term, the cam
pus swimming pool has been clos
ed. Recently, unnecessary use of
cafeteria dishwashers on cam
pus, among other water
consumption curtailments, has
forced students to give up such
things as lunch trays, etc. Such
minor inconveniences, though,
are of great help to the overall
conservation effort.
With the National Weather Ser
vice forecast for the remainder of
the winter being "cold and
drier than normal" a collective
conservation effort is mandatory
throughout the Hazleton area, the
Northeastern United States, and
the nation.
A note of interest concerning
the water-shortage crisis should
make us realize just how little we
are sacrificing here on campus:
students at the Panther Valley
High School had to make use of
portable lavatories in the halls of
their building during the water
emergency. Students did have ac
cess, though, to the regular
lavatories during the lunch
periods, after which they had to
make use of the portable toilets!
INNIMIIIMMIIIIIIMIIMENIIIIIIIIIIMMI
Because of the importance of
the hotline, volunteers will be
asked on weekdays to be respon
sible for the hotline from 5 p.m. to
9 a.m. the following day. The
center also is hoping to find
volunteers who would be willing
and able to keep the hotline open
on weekends.
Anyone interested in becoming
a hotline volunteer is asked to
call the Center at 455-9972 or go to
the office any weekday from 9
a.m. to 5 p.m.