PAGE FOUR Editorial Opinion Play the Role Fairly Many students—far more than we expected—were surprised to read in this newspaper that Penn State tech nically is not the state university. This has appeared in this newspaper before, and mis takingly, we thought it to be somewhat common know ledge. It appears we were wrong. Under law the University is the land-grant institution of the Commonwealth. In reality—but not under law—lt la the state university. Under law. however, it is a private corporation and a "public instrumentality" which receives state aid. The University has long been playing this dual role to its advantage. When it’s advantageous to be the state university, it’s the state university. This can be seen in its dealings with labor unions, claiming to be a state univer sity to avoid possible strikes. One such strike almost oc curred last fall, and Old Main was sweating it out. Also, when it goes to Harrisburg for funds, the University most certainly plays the role of the state university. When it’s advantageous to be a private institution, the University plays this role. This can be seen in floating its own bond issues to build residence halls, which the General State Authority, the borrow-and-build branch of the state government, will not finance. GSA will build only classrooms, laboratories and the like used for in struction and research purposes. It is also advantageous in raising its own funds for projects such as the chapel and Stone Valley. This dual role has its good points. It works both ways. Its advantageous to the University to play it, as we have noted, but It can also be advantageous for tbe state and the taxpayers that University plays it. This can especially be seen in having the University raise part of its own funds (through floating bond issues and alumni drives), which means that much less for the state and the tax payers to support. We then have no quarrel with the dual role of the University. Where the trouble comes in is how and when it is played. The closed meetings of the Board of Trustees is a current example of thfe University playing the dual role. Now' it’s playing the role of the private institution to avoid having the trustees meetings open to the public. This is in the wake of the state legislature approving “right-to-know laws" for state agencies. Since the University is supported mainly by tax funds, tbe public has the right to know how the trustees spend Its money. The public has the right to sit in on trustee meetings through the press. The trustees have this obli gation to the public. Closed meetings of the Board of- Trustees is an exam ple of the University playing its dual role unfairly to the taxpayers of the Commonwealth. Though we may give advice, we cannot give conduct.—The Farmer’s Almanac, 1802 UltariAii or* written %y tb* editor* tto ctaff aeaton •f tW Daitf CftUrfia and da sal iiwmrfly raprasamt Ska riawi at tke U amenity «v af tka •tadeat itody. A Student-Opemied Newspaper (HI)? lailu (Eolbgtatt Successor to The Free Lance, est 1887 PvUMwd mr*«gfa Satnrdaj ■•relag dirlst thf lairtnlty r«ar, T)t« D»lb OUefMB « • •tAdeM-oprrated ecwtpaper Entered Aft attend