Accepts University post
Lichtig
By RICH GRANT
Collegian Editorial Editor
Benson Lichtig, the first and sole
student member of the Board of
Trustees, sent a letter of resignation to
Gov. Shapp Friday. Copies went to
University President John W. Oswald
and Board President Michael Baker.
"The major reason is that I have been
offered a full time staff position with the
University in the Student Employment
Office," Lichtig told The Daily
Collegian.
Lichtig concluded that to work for the
University while serving. as a Trustee
would be interpreted as a conflict of
interest.
"Although the legality was vague, I
was more concerned with the ethical
question," Lichtig said. "I felt the risk of
someone raising questions wouldn't be
helpful. Too much was in jeopardy to
keep serving on the board."
It also came down to a question of how
much time Lichtig could put in. While
working for the University, Lichtig
expects to be a part time graduate
student in public administration
beginning Winter Term.
USG supports
busing service
Undergraduate Student
Government President Mark Jinks
told the Council of Government's
Transportation Committee Friday
that USG was prepared to put up
$4,200 to help subsidize a bus system
on campus.
Jinks said these funds would be for
*, a temporary system which would
only last until sometime around June
of next year. Jinks explained there is
a chance an on-campus transit
Student leaders want changes in SAB
By STEVE OSTROSKY
Collegian Staff Writer
Members of the Student Advisory
Board told The Daily Collegian this
weekend the SAB needs changes.
The SAB was formed in 1970 by
University President John W. Oswald to
provide him with student input on
various student issues. The SAB consists
of - various student leaders and
Frank Muraca
Jeff Wall
Colleiati
daily
leaves bard
Lichtig said he was unable to keep in
touch with University officials because
he worked during their office hours.
"I felt there should be an
unde4raduate student on the board, or
at least a full time student," he said.
Lichtig said he was assured by State
Secretary of Education John C.
Pittenger that Gov. Shapp will appoint
another student to the board.
"MY understanding is that Pittenger
will contact Mark Jinks (Undergraduate
Student Government president) and ask
Mark to set Up a selection committee
process. 7
This is how Lichtig was chosen.
In 1971, a committee composed of the
USG Executive Board, student members
of the University Council and two
student assistants to the President
interviewed candidates and submited
five nominees to Shapp.
After all five were interviewed by
ShapP, Lichtig's name was sent to the
Senate for confirmation. Gov. Shapp
signed his appointment on Dec. 31, 1971
and Lichtig attended his first board
meeting on New Year's Day_
BeCause Lichtig was appointed
between sessions of the General
systein would be eligible for federal
funding by then._
COG Ekecutive Secretary Ron
Short said ridership on the Centre
Area Transit buses has increased
sharply now that students are back in
town for Fall term. He said the main
problems now are "trying to
determine the. manner of operations
and management" of the bus lines.
Short also said the Committee has
discussed enlarging the CAT W route
to include Toftrees.
administrators and meets three times a
term.-
This opinion was first voiced at a
meeting Sept. '7 after the Encampment,
when a group of student leaders
discussed ways of improving
communication with University
administration.
The l meeting resulted in various
propoials on how to improve the
Assembly, he had to be reappointed by
Shapp in Dec. :1972. Lichtig ended up
barred from two board meetings in early
1973 due to what Shapp called a "paper
work foul-up."
Lichtig's tern} was due to end in July
1974. •
As coordinator of the Student
Employment Office, Lichtig will develop
programs to increase the number of job
openings for students, and head a staff of
seven work-study students.
'But Lichtig is still keeping his hand in
University affairs.
Lichtig has a one year membership in
the Alumni Association, and in June was
elected to the' Human Development
Alumni Assodation.
This weekend Lichtig sent out another
letter, to 'Board President Baker. He
"requested an opportunity to stop by at
the Sept. 28 meeting" to express his best
wishes to the bOard.
"I enjoyed serving on the board,"
Lichtig told The Daily Collegian. "I hope
it will be easier, for the next student."
Snags arise in BOG program;
lack of fundp creates. problems
The Basic Educational Opportunities
Grant, the newest federal student aid
program has run into a few snags.
BOG was partof the Higher Education
Amendments passed by Congress in
June, 1972. The Nixon Administration in
January 1973 prbposed to fund BOG with
$622 million while eliminating other
federally funded student aid programs.
According to BOG's manual, this
appropriation would have_ been
sufficient to provide awards of up to $6OO
to about 1.5 million students.
But Congress reduced BOG's
appropriation to $122.1 million while
continuing to fund other student aid
programs.
•
According to the manual, this
students' power in affecting
administrative policy.
At a meeting held Tuesday night in
Kern Graduate, Center, about 20 to 25
student leaders discussed plans to
improve student- power and
communication; with the University.
Dion Steward, a graduate student on
the University; Senate, led the open
discussion.
Stewart said' there were two ways
students could I work to influence the
administration.'He said one way was to
work within the system by setting up a
student committee and the other was to
work from -outside by lobbying.
He said, the conclusion from the
Encampment workshops was students
do not have enough power in affecting
the administration.
Lack of co-operation between student
groups was mentioned several times.
Dean Phillips, Free University
representative,; said "None of us know
What the other groups are working for
and this hurts! our effectiveness. We
should work foi a group committee."
USG Vice President Frank Muraca
agreed with Phillips - and added, "The
reason for student apathy towards USG
and other student organizations is the
administration doesn't listen to us. They
know this so they don't vote. How can we
expect the students to stand behind us if
we can't stand together?"
Muraca said student organizations
must obtain a unified group.
Mark Singel of the University Council
said, "The first goal's of the group should
be more interplay between students and
administrators!"
Some students said they felt a new
group should be formed, while -others
wanted the SAB revamped.
Stewart said,! "One reason I don't like
SAB is it is more controlled by Oswald
than a new grnup would be."
"Oswald has I indicated he listens and
gives weight to; statements made by the
SAB and University Council. We must
respect this kind of, interchange before
we change format," Singel said.
Stewart suggested the possibility of an
outside lobby. I
But Single said the first option to be
tried should be working through the
system.
Stewart said, "I'm. leery, because
even as 'we talk I can see Oswald's
influence on you."
Jeff Wall, president of the Association
of Residence Hall Students, said, "I
think SAB is !ineffective because we
don't talk before meeting."
Wall suggested haVing a caucus which
would be open to all students before the
SAB meeting.
The proposa's decided upon at the
meeting were to work through the SAB
I
1 ~,
1 '2O
ff Carol Horne, Jim Vaughn and Bruce Connelly take time out
"Prepare ye the way of the lor d betwen performances of "Godspell" to relax on the mall and
discuss the play and their parts in it. See review and story,
page 3.
appropriation will assist an estimated
400,000 to 500,000 students with average
awards of $250.
Jesse L. McMannes, associate
director of the Office of Student Aid, said
under the original proposal a student
would receive $1,400 minus his expected
family contribution, which , is
determined by a needs analysis test.
McMannes said because of the funding
decrease, the maximum award a
student can receive is $452, even if his
family is expected to contribute nothing.
Because of the funding decrease,
Congress also passed a rulewhich allows
only "first-time, full-time" students to
receive grants.
to improve student influence of the
administration, improve
communication between the students
and the administration and to have open
caucuses before the regular SAB
meeting.
At a Thursday meeting of SAB
members, issues were discussed and
several problems solved, Roger
Richards, Graduate Student Association
president, said.
Patricia Stewart, editor of The Daily
Collegian, said among the issues
discussed were putting the Encampment
on the agenda, future SAB (meeting
topics on the discipline system and
student participation in University
decision-making.
SAB members this weekend discussed
the accomplishments and changes of the
SAB.
Richards said, "I think the goals of the
SAB could be.summed up by saying the
members want to communicate,
cooperate and coordinate."
Association of Women Students
President Doreen Robotti said, "The
SAB is potentially productive, but it is
'frustrating that the organizations are
not aware of what other organizations
are doing. We already have taken some
steps to making a coordinated effort and
after Thur. May's SAB meeting, we will
know what effect they will liave."
Bruce Kelly, Organization of
Independent Town Students president,
said, "The SAB is a forum for students to
bring up problems. It gives Oswald a
chance to keep the students informed in
areas which they need to be."
Kelly said the first way the SAB should
be changed is already being done.
"Getting rid of the lunch will help. It
rushed us too much. Now we will have
time to bring up more problems."
Previously, SAB meetings were
conducted at a lunch with Oswald.
Kelly agreed the caucus would help
student organization cooperationatut he
said the caucuses would be open to SAB
members only. •,
Undergraduate Student - .Government
President Mark Jinks said the caucuses
probably would be open to all students.
He said he believed the SAB had been
hampered by meeting over lunch, but
eliminating it would help:
Among the accomplisluhents made by
the SAB were changes in the Student
Handbook and the Encampment, Jinks
said. But he added, the SAB had been a
disappointment in time.
Panhellenic Council President Carol
Cabrey, said one problem was that the
agenda for the SAB meeting was given to
the members too late to study and
prepare before the meeting.
Kelly said the SAB would request
Oswald to present his agenda to the
, ..
Monday, September 17, 1973
Vol. 74, No. 28 8 pages University Park, Pennsylvania
Published by Students of The Pennsylvania State University
, ,•'" •
.4,44 t
For University students, this means
only freshmen admitted this fall as full
time students who have never attended
another college are eligible for a grant.
McMannes said the University Office
of Student Aid has received between 700
and 800 BOG applications so far. "All
truly needy freshman are expected to
apply, and this office hopes they will,"
he said. .
McMannes said the Office of -Student
Aid is processing applications as fast as
possible. But McMannes said, "It's my
personal opinion that the funds for this
year may not be available until Winter
Term."
McMannus said if this occurs the
awards for Fall Term will be combined
members several days in advance so
they could prepare for it.
Jinks said on the agenda for the
ThurSday SAB meeting are the'subjects
of the Encampment and campus
transportation for students.
SAB includes the president and vice
president of USG, the president and vice
president of GSA, the presidents of
ARHS, OTIS, the USG Academic
Assembly and AWS.
Also on the board are the presidents of
the University Union Board, the
Panhellenic Council and the
Dion Stewart
Dean Phillips
with the awards for Winter Term.
McMannes said the Office of Student
Aid does not determine the award. The
Office of Education publishes a
reduction schedule, which the student
aid office uses in making awards.
McMannus said he does not know of
any proposed changes in BOG for next
year, but added, "An awful lot depends
on . the funding."
This spring President Nixon requested
over $9OO million for 1974-75 BOG
operations, but no decision has been
made yet on the size of next year's
appropriations.
BOG applications are available in the
Office of Student Aid. The deadline for
filing applications is Feb. 1. 1974. —SO
Interfraternity Council.
Four representatives from the
University Council, a black
representative, two representatives
from the Commonwealth campuses and
the editor of the Collegian are also on the
SAB.
Besides Oswald, other representatives
from the administration include
Raymond 0. Murphy, vice president for
student-affairs. Robert E. Dunham, vice
president for, undergraduate studies,
and M. Lee Uperaft, director of the
residential life programs.
Photo by Ira Joffe