Kel/y-Weinberg.• the 'no platform' platform
'What do you consider the most important issue in this
campaign? • '
By talking to students, I find their greatest concern is
tuition increases and what can be done about them. Also
how we can put pressure on the Board of Trustees and
' , where our powers lie in relation to theirs. A lot of people
' have been talking about the effectiveness of USG,, how
•: much power it really does have and how does it appeal
to the average student.
how What is the most important item in your platform and
) wdo you intend to implement it?
We don't have a platform no official platforms. The
fact that we don't have a platform leaves us leeway to
get student; input, to hear what they have to say and to
. , see w h at their major gripes are.
• Do you think the faculty should be unionized?
• I don't think the question is whether we think the
faculty should be unionized or not. I think if the faculty
does unionize, • it's the students' concern to deal with
that union. It's up to the facility whethei they want to
unionize. USG doesn't have much control over that. And
I think USG will hive to be a strong enough organization
to get the students together to deal with the faculty if
/
they do unionize.
Do you see any problems arising from unionization?
I see' problems. If the faculty does unionize, I think it
could protect poor instructors, it might cause strikes
and I think it could affect our education. I think it could
limit students'• roles in bargaining with the faculty
members.
. How do you intend to treat Old Main? •
• I hope have a good rapport with them and we'll
be influential in their decision making. I don't know how
much power I'd want to have than the present USG
president he has a lot of power. I don't think he's
supposed to be part of the administrative staff of the
University. Mainly, I'll set up good communications
and good understanding between the administration
and USG.
Would you like to see any changes in USG's
relationships with the Board of Trustees?
Yes, we would. I would like to see the president of
USG as a voting member of the Board of Trustees. He's
invited to all their meetings anyway. He has a
tremendous power of persuasion and given the
knowledge he has and the experience he has with the
student - position, he should-be given the right to be a
voting' member. I don't know what his legal rights are
but I'd like to see that happen.
, What methods would iou take to open Trustee
committee meetings?
Part of ,USG's greatest ability is their power of per
suasion and their influence. If there was a student
demand if it showed a great many students had a
concern instead of being apathetic, I don't think the
administration could ignore it. I think there's a
Augustine-Kelley promise open USG office
USG puts
in voting
Joe Augustine
Interviews compiled
by Mike Mentrek
and Marty Smith
mobilization towards cut downs, I think maybe they can
be influential in what would be spent, but I don't think
it's a student's final decision.
In working for lower tuition, do you favor sit-down
negotiations or do you favor student rallies and
demonstrations?
First of all, I don't think it's possible to lower the
tuition, to decrease it. Itiou have to understand as long
as there's inflation, tuition is going to rise, but it
shouldn't increase any more than the inflation rate is. It
seems to me that both methods, if you're going to use
any methods, you have to use both to try to be effective.
Do you support NIT or the University Coalition?
I'm not a member of either one. I think what they're
trying to do is good.
Do you support a tuition strike?
No.
What do you think of the present discipline system?
How would you change it?
It's pretty good. I don't think there's very much of a
discipline problem at Penn State. I don't think I'd
change it. -
How would you achieve more student input into
University decisions?
First of all, what we should do is have an increase in
publicity about what USG is doing so students would be
aware it's a functioning organization. I think there
should be forms where students could come in and fill
out things that they'd like to see done and considered.
USG should probably take away some of the president's
power. The power of the hierarchy and the com
munication with the hierarchy —there's a breakdown
with the senators and the residence associations. They
should go back to the students to find out what's going
on. Possibly, they could work closer with residential life
and the RA's for their information. We'll publish a USG
newsletter.
As soon as students realize USG is an effective and
powerful organization, they're going to want to get
involved as they realize the importance of it. Mainly,
it's just.publicity, informing the students of what they
can do and they'll do it.
What changes do you foresee in USG as an
organization?
I'd like to strengthen the USG Senate. I'd like to get
senators who are willing to put a l lot more time into it
and I'd like to stress the importance of their jobs. We'd
hope they'd put more time into it than just an hour or
two a week and a meeting. We'd want them to go out
and work with the students because it's the senators
mainly that bring student input into the USG. We'd just
stress communication between students, senators and
the USG executives. There's probably a lot of hostility
and different factions in USG. I think we should just
consider ourselves students.
union
booth
What do you consider the most important issue in this
campaign?
To me the most important issue is better com
munication and more leadership for the students. I feel
better communication is essential for working toward
the goal of the students at Penn State. I feel that USG in
the past has taken big steps to be a more political
organization and I don't think USG should be a political
organization. 'lt "should be' a stuck& organization
working with' the administration in order to support the
students more strongly. In order for us to do this, we
have to have an open-door policy in USG and have an
open mind in order to look and hear student opinion and
listen to student feedback. This is essential in a better
working USG for communication and understanding.
USG in the past has played too much the part of the
big time politician. They're out there really trying to
change the whole world and they're sitting in central
Pennsylvania in a college town. USG is too pi:ditically
oriented. '
What is the most important item in your platform and
how do you intend to implement it?
I think the important part of our platform is working
with the students, trying to get their link back into USG.
Having our office open to have anybody come in and
talk to us about problems.
Not only this but we want more than our office door
open we want students to feel that we're there. I
mean, you can call us any time and you can ask for us
any time. We're willing to and expect to work a lot with
the students.
Our major concern is to support the students to the
best of our ability and to work with our University Park
administration to better support the students on an
equal basis. .
Do you think the faculty should be unionized?
As I've stated, faculty unionization could help or hurt
the students in a number of ways. For example: if
there's something the students felt was necessary, the
faculty as a unionized body could support the students
against the University in order to better accomodate
the students. There's also another side to it the
instructors might not be satisfied with their salafy and
walk off the job. The students would have to go to school
all their summer. As college students looking forward
to graduate school or else job opportunities, I don't
think we can afford to take a chance on teachers
walking out on us.
How do you suggest students obtain input into the
bargaining process?
We do definitely need a student or a number of
students in the bargaining system for faculty
unionization so that they can get our views across.
You'd have to go through the committee set up to
organize the whole unit. In turn we as the USG, we could
carry the authority or power to have them put into the
bargaining table just as student participants to hear
what's going on. Since Penn State is for the students, we
feel students should be on a lot of their committees,
especially the bargaining.
How do you intend to treat Old Main?
I intend to treat Old Main as my advising body. I also
intend and hope to work with Old Main and other ad
ministrators as equals. The people at University Park
as a whole don't come down on the administration that
By KEITH BARNES
Collegian Staff Writer
A referendum question on the faculty
unionization issue will appear on this
year's Undergraduate Student Govern
ment election voting ballot.
The referendum, sponsored by the
USG Department of Labor, will ask "Do
you favor faculty unionization?"
Doug LaLama (9th-liberal arts), the
new director of the USG Department of
Labor said the purpose of the referen
dum is to find out student opinion and
will not determine, the department's
stand. But the department of Labor will
consider the results of the referendum to
be the official stand of the students,
LaLama said, and if unionization does
occur, USG will know how to react, pro
or con, he added.
The department also took a student
opinion survey Jan. 23 and 24 at the
What changes would you make in the constitution?
We haven't really looked into it. There's probably a
lot in it that's outdated. We have no definite plans.
How will you improve USG's credibility?
Well, through the newsletter. I think that would help
us out a lot, if they're first aware that it's a functioning
organization. Through the different programs stress the
fact that USG sponsors so many programs that help the
students. I think a key to it is the business manager has
a great deal of potential to run programs that will ac
tually reach out to many of the students. USG has many
functions but a great part of increasing its credibility
would be actually to do things that would affect the
students such as Date Match. _
What do you think is the main problem for students in
the financial area?
I think too many students here are getting financial
aid for one thing. I believe if they're going to get a good
education and they can get it here, they. should be ex
pected to pay for it. I think if they made a closer study
of who needed financial aid, more students who weren't
able to come would be able to. I think three-fifths of the
students get financial aid and I don't think that many
really need it.
Do you support rent control?
I do. I think the students should attempt to have as
much influence on setting ceilings on rent prices as
possible. I think part of it has to come through political
mobilization in town and getting students to go out and
register. The community would be more concerned
about how the students feel if they realize we're their
constituency in the elections. We should be much more
politically active in Centre County. And that will have a
good effect on getting rent control.
What changes would you push for landlord•tenant
relationships?
Mainly I'd like to see the students more active in the
policies because we have no choice we're out here
and we have to take what we get here. I think students
should have have much more say as to what goes on in
town than they do. The town's centered around this
university, it's not the university centered around the
town.-
What do you see as the biggest problem on campus?
What steps would you take to solve it?
I think student apathy is the biggest problem
presently. I think it affects student involvement in USG
and just' about every other organization. Students will
participate in USG through things they're expressly
interested in, but overall, there's too many students
who are here for four years and don't get involved in
anything other than taking their courses. I'd just like to
see them get more involved in the workings of the
University and in what the University has to offer.
HUB, questioning 300-400 people,
•LaLama said.
Two unions are vying to represent the
faculty at Penn State. The Permyslvania
State University Professional Asso
ciation ( PSUPA ), an affiliate of the
Education Associations, has received
"election consent cards" from more
than 30 per .cent of the faculty and
professional staff and has petitioned the
Pennsylvania Labor Relations Board to
/ hold a representation election.
The local chapter of the American
Association of University Professors is
intervening on the PSUPA petition,
having collected cards from at least 10
per cent of the faculty. Hearings are
presently going on to determine the
makeup of a voting unit that will decide
whether to accept one of these two
unions as a representative collective
bargaining agent.
much in terms of things that they do wrong. I think that
the administration doesn't get credit for things they do
right.
Would you like to see any changes in USG's
relationships with the Board of Trustees?
Yes, in the past it hasn't been very good. Mainly in
changing relationships between USG and the Board of
Trustees theie has to be more respect and cooperation
between USG and the Board. I feel ' the Board of
Trustees is open to students input as long as its feasible.
The Board doesn't seem to understand the students.
What methods would you use to open trustee com
mittee meetings?
The main issue on this is to use the Sunshine Law. But
in order to use the Sunshine Law, we have to pressure
the administration to make a decision whether we are a
public or private institution. This is the main question.
If we are a public institution, we have all the rights to sit
in to any meetings. If it's a private institution, they can
go without letting us sit in on these meetings.
It is our right as students to sit in on all meetings
because it affects us as students and anything that
affects students I'm going to push for in the utmost
efficiency for representation in the student body.
In a fight against tuition hikes, do you favor sit-down
negotiations or student rallies and demonstrations?
Sit down negotiations. I don't feel you can really
accomplish anything by mass rallies or protesting. I
think the administration seems to resent it. If you just
sit down with them and reason with them, I think you
can accomplish a lot more.
Do you support HIT or the University Coalition?
I support HIT and the Coalition for one main reason:
they are a group of students who have organized their
attention to fight for a common goal for the benefit of
the student body. _
Do you support a tuition strike?
I don't think it would work. It would only hold back a
student's graduating date. It wouldn't do anything but
hurt the students.
What do you think of the present discipline system?
How would you change it?
The system as it stands is basically pretty fair. I don't
see any reasons to change it.
How would you achieve more student input into
University decisions?
The big thing here is to get more students involved in
USG. That's our main plan to bring USG back to the
students. We won't make promises because people don't
look for promises. They look for qualifications, Students
wants a candidate that will support them.
What changes do you foresee in USG as an
organization?
As we said before, our plan is to work with the
students and for the students. Right now, USG is too big
on the political side. We're going to give the students
and USG more unity, more cooperation, more input
from students and more results. .
What changes would you make in the USG con
stitution?
I would change it to make it mandatory for the
president to have at least a 2.5 average, at least a 2.5 It's
a proven fact that once you get in office your cum goes
down at least one point.
Sharon Kelly (left) and Audrey Weinberg
A choice of "no representation" must
also appear on the ballot. The hearings
are not expected to end for several
months yet and an election before
Winter Term 1977 seems unlikely.
The polling booths, open from 9 a.m. to
7 p.m. today and tomorrow, are at the
following locations:
—North Halls, Warnock Union Build
ing .
West Halls, Waring
East Halls, Findlay Union Building
—Pollock-Nittany Halls, Pollock
Union Building
—Centre Halls, McElwain (Wed
nesday), Simmons (Thursday)
—South Halls, Redifer
—Fraternity; Phi Kappa Psi, 403
Locust Lape _
—Town, HUB (for sure), Willard
(maybe).
The Daily Collegian Wednesday, March 31, 1976
How will you improve USG's credibility?
By showing students some results. A lot of times in
USG things happen and no one ever hears about the
results. We have to build interpersonal relationships
with students. Again, it goes right back to that open
door policy. Give students an internal part in USG,
that's what we want. Too many students first don't
know what USG is or what it does. I don't want students
to read about USG in the Collegian. There's too much
politics. In past USG's it's been a thing of prestige for
the participants. They were politicians they weren't
for the students. It's time for someone to work for the
students.
Do you support rent control?
Yes, we support rent control. I feel this is a student's
only protection against landlords. Most landlords try to
rip students off for everything they can get. Students in
town are at the mercy of the landlords. Students should
be protected from these people, legally protected.
What steps would you take to improve conditions for
student workers?
Each employer should lay out guidelines for what
student workers are supposed to do. This should be done
by the employers before any hiring goes on. They don't
explain anything to the students, they capitalize on the
students.
Do you support PennPIRG?
I support PIRG, but with mixed feelings. A Penn-
PIRG could provide students with better legal
representation. But with a good USG, students really
don't need PennPIRG. If it wants to exist, it must act in
coherence with the constitution.
Do you support PSORML?
I'd have to give it more consideration. People use it
marijuana if it's legal or not anyway.
Do you support canvassing?
That's a decision open to the dorms. There is a danger
to canvassing permitted in female dorms where
someone might make foul advances to females.
What relationship do you see between Harrisburg and
USG?
I plan a very slow and cohesive approach to
Harrisburg with compromise and talks. We don't have
any harsh plans in dealing with Harrisburg, we'll let
them know we're coming.
What are the main things you would like to see ac
complished on the state level for the students?
I'd like to see more - money got to financial aid to
students. In any legislation from Harrisburg, I want
more than a "no" without an explanation. I'd also like
to see some action on marijuana and drinking age bills.
What do you see is the biggest problem on campus?
Apathy no matter where you go, it's there. With
student clubs there's enough to suit and satisfy each
student's desires. That's one solution to apathy. OK,
that's fine. But in the meantime, tuition is going up. I
for one am going to try to stop it. Anybody who doesn't
show an interest, the hell with them. We can't support
anyone who doesn't want to be Supported.
How will you deal with the problem of overcrowding?
Get rid of the temporary housing in the dorm study
lounges. Don't cram people into smaller and smaller
places, just tell them, "We have no more room." This
temporary housing cuts down on access to study areas.
Accomodate the students who are already enrolled.