The Fourth Wall page 3 On Oct. 27, four members of the University Faculty Senate visited Mont Alto. Fourteen students were present to voice their complaints and to make suggestions on how to improve our campus. Issue: The need for the establishment of a four-year Forestry degree. Campus Response: For it to even be considered, a four-year program needs at least eight faculty; Mont Alto currently employs three Forest Technology instructors. The campus ten-year Program Statement includes the addition of either an Arboriculture or Natural Resource Management Baccalaureate Degree. Issue: Facilities on campus need to extend their hours. If there were more wage jobs on campus, there would be more people available to keep facilities open longer, more students would stay on campus rather than go home every weekend, and students would have an income, giving them the ability to further assert their independence. It is difficult for a student without a car on campus to earn a paycheck. Campus Response: Currently, the Millstream, Residence Life for night assistance, and the Information and Technology department offer wage jobs — all other jobs are work study. Currently the possibility of coffee machines in buildings next to the soda machines to be available 24/7 is being researched. Issue: The food quality in the Millstream 1s poor. Campus Response: Alicia Henderson, Assistant Director of Housing and Food Services, asks any student with a complaint or recommendation to speak to Housing and Food Services. The Millstream has not changed their recipes or the people producing them; they have not changed their equipment. They have created more options with the display station three days a week. Smaller portions are presented and replenished more often to ensure the freshness of the food. Issue: The Millstream is not student-oriented. For instance, it is not sensitive to the religious needs of students and there are too many limitations on posters and displays allowed in the Millstream. Campus Response: The Millstream may not be aware of your needs; if notified, they will try to accommodate you. Students are encouraged to prepare, if possible, by taking something back to their room to have to eat if the Millstream doesn’t open early enough for you. In fact, not all posters and displays are banned. Due to problems in the past, the Millstream has set guidelines so the staff is not left with a mess to clean up. Students are allowed to paint the windows for an event, but they must also clean them. Cork strips are available for students to post signs. Issue: Lack: of trans- portation. Campus Response: We are doing more activities off campus this year. We did trips to UP this year but with low student participation. An intern is currently asking students what they want. For the personal needs of students with no transportation, no solution has been found. There is not enough funding to meet every student’s needs. Transportation to the Harrisburg bus and train station is provided every time the halls close for break. There are more trips to the movies and the mall this year. Amy Cotner- Klinger in Student Affairs is interested in hearing what students want and is willing to try anything within reason. Issue: Information is not Veterans Affairs at University Park. They need make sure that students with questions can get in contact with the appropriate people who can help them. Campus Response: Kathy Swope is the Veterans Affairs representative for the Mont Alto campus. She encourages students to direct any questions or concerns to her. If ‘she doesn’t have the answers, she will gladly find them for you. There are currently 27 vets on the Mont Alto campus. Kathy has suggested that interested students establish a Veterans Club’on campus; she will be an advisor for the club. A club would connect the students and open communication about common issues and questions. Issue: We need to find a way to get commuters more involved in on-campus activities. Too many come here only for class; they are missing a large part of the college experience. Campus Response: The bulletin board at the commuter lot will be used more to let commuters know what’s happening on campus. After meeting with the students, the Senate members met with the faculty, and then with the executive board. The Senate turns in a report to President Spanier about any recommended changes that need to be made. The Faculty Senate visited two other campuses this semester before coming to Mont Alto. The chief complaint from them was the cost of tuition. The last campus they visited only had two students in attendance; the increased turnout at Mont Alto (14 people) shows a greater student interest. 814-231-9000 Fully Furnished Efficiency One & Two Bedrooms Grate Rates Study Lounge Fitness Center Laundry All Utilities Except phone & internet Stop by and visit us . Thanks Meridian?! Corey White The benefits of the Mont Alto campus library may be underestimated by some students. As a Penn State facility, our library has one of the most expansive libraries in the country. Mont Alto has approximately thirty-five thousand books and access to approximately four million books within the Penn State system. Additionally, Penn State participates in the interlibrary loan program which allows students to borrow books from other colleges and universities; this provides access to almost any book you want. The library alse has about two hundred hardcopy periodicals and journals, and over fifteen thousand available electronically. Lisa White, Peggy Angelovich, Tom Reinsfelder and Carol Maholtz comprise the library’s very friendly and helpful staff. They want students to know that the library is designed to be helpful to students by making research easier. The library has small, independent study rooms which are ideal for group projects and meetings that may require a quiet atmosphere and study space. Head librarian Lisa White says, “We try to accommodate both individual and group study.” Many people aren’t aware of the library’s popular DVD collection and wireless connection. There is also a popular best-sellers book section in the front of the library. Recently purchased books of all genres are displayed near the Encyclopedias. There are instructional sessions on how to use the library available on the internet, or personally with a staff member. Visit www.ma.psu.edu/%7Elibrary/ mahome for Mont Alto’s library office hours, staff contact information, etc. or, for all of Penn State libraries, visit www.libraries.psu.edu.
Significant historical Pennsylvania newspapers