Editorial opinion
During World War II Americans
operated under constant vigilance
because “loose lips sink ships.”
Residential Life has instituted
another kind of vigilance this term
for Resident Assistants in the
dorms "criticism will get you
fired.”
This injuction is specifically
directed at a case now under ap
peal within the University.
As RAs students may protest
the firing of Tony Carozza, a for
mer RA who has filed a
discrimination complaint, but only
during his appeal. The RAs, though
disquieted by Carozza’s rather
mysterious and sudden firing, may
be out of jobs if they repeatedly
criticize the administration,
Residential Life, the area coor
dinator involved in the case or
perhaps even general University
policy after the case is settled.
Your money and the University
By KERRY HIXENBAUGH
10th- anthropology.and history
and
JOHN HARRIS
State College resident
The new school year is already well
upon us, and for the benefit of all
students, new as returning, we of the
University Coalition would like to take
this opportunity to utilize this limited
space to make known the purposes and
perspectives of our organization.
The University Coalition is a fully
democratic, fully participatory
.assemblage, comprised of all segments
of the University community. We are
committed to full democracy in practice
as .well as theory. The structure of the
University Coalition is as open and free
as possible. Anyone attending has full
recourse to discuss and vote upon any
matter that concerns them. There is no
formal membership, nor are there
obligations of any kind, and all work is
the result of voluntary, cooperative
action.
One of Penn State's most inviolable
traditions, which has been around longer
that anyone who has ever been here, has
been you guessed it football. But
there’s another one, equally Inviolable.
It’s the one that's even nearer and dearer
to the hearts of Micheal Baker, Jr., the
Board of Trustees, and their “boy," John
Oswald. And that is the annual, just
like-clockwork tuition increase.
In the last seven years, the tuition at
Penn State has more than doubled. This
loathesome fact seems compounded
further when we see a new-expensive
airplane,.valued at more than a quarter
million dollars each, (that makes two of
them now) sitting in the University Park
airport, awaiting the bidding of any of
the University’s prefects, with which to
take jaunts that make the notorious
Congressional junkets look halfway
legitimate. Whose money pays for this?
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Gag order
Residential Life has graciously
allowed RAs to retain their rights of
free speech as individuals. They
may protest as students only,
without the weight of their title, af
ter the case is decided.
RAs, the University’s grass
roots representatives to all stu
dents living on campus, have been
told that they may not speak out in
dividually or in groups in their of
ficial capacities on RA issues once
they’ve been decided.
Now, employers do have the
right to request loyalty from their
employes. Along with that loyalty
comes pressure not to make the
boss look bad or to divulge secrets
to th 6 enemy. But Penn State dor
mitories are a far cry from (foggy
Bottom. We don’t have to, worry
about slipping the opposition vital
information because, in the ideal,
Think of that the next time you send
your: check .to Shields‘(ormaybe walk
there with it in the nasty weather.)
However, there will be ample op
portunity later on for us to bring you all
kinds of sordid details of how our money
is squandered by those annointed who
have given us one of the most expensive
state schools in the entire nation.
Stayed tuned. The fight is just begin
ning.
Much has been said of late about the
University's new alcohol policy. Not
only are students over the age of 21 not
allowed to have or-consume alcoholic
beverages anywhere on campus but in
their dorm room,but we think no one's
room is safe from arbitrary searches and
seizures and cardings, based on pure
speculation. This is a full frontal attack
on the civil rights of every student on
campus, and we of the University
Coalition have no alternative but to find
any way to bring this matter to the fullest
possible attention of as wide a spectrum
as we can, and to take whatever direct
steps are necessary to rectify this
situation. This can only be done with
your valuable help and co-operation.
But the corporate honchos who
comprise most of the Board of Trustees
don't stop there in their assault on
students' rights. Take into consideration
the case of a South Halls RA whom we
feel was fired on the basis of sexual
preference. Most recently when a group
of South Halls Resident Assistants tried
to exercise their rights to free speech
and collective action to protest this
blatant discrimination, they were
contemptuously informed by director of
Residential Life M. Lee Upcraft's un
derlings that they had no right to do so.
But they.don't want to push things too
far with the students. The reason is
simple: they have plans for us.
As many already know, the Univer
sity’s employes, Teamsters Union Local
lot
JAMWA
iff'
we are all working for the benefit
of students.
And the idea that once a
decision has been made, there can
be no turning back and no dissent
allowed is too regimented for any
University. People who are
dissatisfied with a decision do not
close ranks and follow the
leader they speak out and try to
force change.
By anticipating a protest,
perhaps the University is an
ticipating the outcome of Caroz
za’s appeal. Perhaps it is already in
accord with the original decision to
fire Carozza and will not*give the
case an adequate and fair hearing.
RAs can speak out as RAs now,
but once the case is decided, the
lid is on and the lock step march
begins.
Don't let
Jerry Ford's image, one can safely
say, is his premier asset. He is honest,
fair, good and somewhat naive. Any
president who would allow his wife to
speak of sex or his son of pot must be
honest, fair, good and naive.
Unless that president has been around
Washington as long as Ford has. As
every presidential moon passes, Jerry
Ford acts more like Richard Nixon.
That’s what Jimmy Carter justly
claims. Like Nixon, Ford is using his
incumbency aptly. He even seems
demonic at times.
References to Nixon remind us of his
"non-campaign”, victory over George
McGovern in 72. Nixon remained --
secluded in the Oval Office, insulated by
scores of public relation experts, kept
body and mind from media coverage and
scrutiny. When Mixon did venture from
Washington it was to greet pre-ordained
crowds. The whole mess Was so staid
and uneventful the entire press flocked
to the only real campaign in town (for
that McGovern paid dearly with the
Eagleton affair and guaranteed national
income issue).
8, is currently negotiating with the ,
administration for l a J new contract, and, f
not surprisingly, is having an ex-
ceedingly difficult time getting a fair
living wage offer. Unless the situation
chages between this writing and press
time, the most the administration has
offered the workers is a 7.5 per cent
increase over one year. Taking into
account inflation, this is no im
provement whatever over their current
measly wages. (It must be pointed out
here that the payroll of these workers is
not derived from tuition.) If a strike
should develop, the Administration is
making plans to us students as strike
breakers plans which are doomed to
failure.
The University Coalition gives its full
support to the workers in their struggle,
and we, the student, will not allow
ourselves to be used as scab labor in the
administration’s niggardly designs.
There are many more far-reaching
issues to be dealt with here, more than
the spacial limitations may at ( this time
allow us.
For a long time we have seen one after
another ostentatious scheme designed
to keep the sudent body off balance and
made to look like midless children. Not
only are personal rights of every
catagory coming under fire from the
administration, v but our right to an
education in being threatened by
massive tuition increases.
We, as students, should not and
cannot continue to let these in
fringements envelop us like a tub of so
much dirty water. The time to do
something has finally arrived.
Come to our meetings every Thursday
night at 8:30 in 75 Willard. We’re seeing
more new faces all the time, and we
sincerely hope yours will be among
them.
Join us: The University Coalition; we
are you
What Nixon succeeded in doing to
McGovern in 72 coercing the media to
cover George’s campaign rather than his
Ford is doing to Carter in 76. While
Ford “non-campaigns," Carter runs
about the land. restating ill-stated
comments like the ones to be published
in next month's "Playboy.”
W ™ John
> | . Harvey
* ' ’
Meanwhile, Ford rarely leaves the
White House; his “Oval Office" is the
rosy Rose Garden. The comfortable
surroundings awe reporters, shield the
President from inquisition and allows
him the opportunity to command media
attention at any given moment.
Like Nixon, Ford’s campaign strategy
is to make the President seem
Letters to the Editor
' ■ • ' " V.C ' ' 1 ' ‘ '
Prophetic fan
TO THE EDITOR: Then a football fan said to Almustapha, the
Beloved, "Speak to us of winning and losing." And The
Prophet said, '"Until you can stand losing, don’t go to the
playing field!”(with apologies to Kahili Gibran)
Perspectives
TO THE EDITOR: Ms. Pavelko is to be congratulated on her
trenchant criticism of the Board of Trustee’s decision to spend
;' $4.5 million to enlarge Beaver Stadium seating, and on her
more general comments concerning the place of football on
1 our campus. There is’no cow more sacred than the football
Lion, and we are in need of Intelligent, forthright criticism
such as Ms. Pavelko treated us to.
One -point in her argument deserves particular emphasis.
She has clearly shown the .fallacy behind the reasoning heard
all to often, that the institution of football at Penn State is
justified because the receipts from the games pay for the
operation of the University’s athletic program. As Ms. Pavelko
noted most pertinently, if that program is worth supporting,
and it surely is, it should be paid for in its own right—just as is
the case for programs in the areas of the arts and music: we do
not expect these to be financed from admission charges to the
many fine plays, concerts and exhibitions organized by these
departments.
Obviously, if admission is charged for football
games—itself a questionable policy for an educational iin
stitution—the money collected has to be spent on something,
and it Js reasonable to apply it to some part of the athletic
budget. But to apply that money to the enlargement of the
Stadium, so, that eventually, if the crowds keep coming in the
future as they are now, even more money can be collected, is
clearly a case of the tail wagging the dog.
Inside the Carozza case §
As a concerned former Residential
Life professional staff member and
resident of the dormitory house in
which Tony Carozza was the Resident
Assistant, i feel ethically compelled to
support his cause by making public my
first-hand knowledge of his job per
formance.
I worked as an Assistant Coordinator
in South Halls during Fall and Winter
Term of the past academic year and was
responsible for the supervising of all the
RAs in Beaver Hall.
Soon after Chris Horn (the new
Coordinator of South Halls as.of Spring .
Term) told Tony that his employment
would be terminated at the end of Spring
Term, a South Halls RA informed me of
the unexpected dismissal. He said the
RA staff felt Mr. Horn’s decision was
grossly unjust with no real support.
Tony also contacted me at the time for
my opinion on the matter because he felt
I could be objective, not fearing reprisal,
since I no longer worked for Residential
Life.
*76
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CouAtiftl
After Tony's appeal to Director of
Residential Life, M. Lee Upcraft, that he
had been discriminated against on the
ABAILERINA. defected,,,
'PENACHESSFU&ER n ,
AND NWAMIO PILOT,.
WHAT NEXT 9
Ford's
By FRANK SALVATINI
Penn State Graduate
image fool you
"presidential". He need not actually be
presidential, he must simply seem that
way.
.Like Nixon, Ford refuses to give in
terviews, unless in controlled situations.
Carter, on the other hand, gives in
terviews liberally (he might do better to
cut off such communication with the
public, as Ford has done).
Like Nixon, Ford misses no op
portunities to "nail” his opponent,
though those nails may be rusty and
bent. In last Thursday’s debate surfaced
two examples of Nixonian statements
nailed by Ford.
To begin with, Ford misquoted
Georgia Governor Busby saying Busby
found Carter's Medicaid program in
Georgia “In shambles.” Ironically, Busby
was referring to the federal Medicaid
program, not the Georgian one.
Then Ford shrewdly mentioned an
Associated Press story in which Carter
was misquoted on the issue of taxes. "In
that interview,” Ford said, “Governor
Carter indicated he would raise the taxes
on those in the medium or middle in
come brackets or higher.”
Robert Boyer
Campus Minister
basis' of his sexual orientation, another
South Halls RA asked me to read Mr.
Horn’s written reasons for terminating
Tony’s employment. Upon reviewing
that statement, I strongly question its
validity; specifically, his allegations that
Tony’s job performance was "minimal”
at the beginning of the past academic
year. Mr. Horn’s manipulation of
student evaluation statistics is
questionable at best; while much of his
and Carol Butler’s (Tony’s immediate
supervisor) commentary borders on
character assassination and slander. I
am morally outraged when I consider the
adverse inferences the reader who does
not know Tony personally could possibly
draw from such an account.
As a professional colleague who
worked very closely with me, Miss Butler
never indicated to me in any way that
Tony was anything but a competent RA
who was effectively dealing with a
difficult house. I was under the im
pression that such was the consensus
of both she and Tom Broltman, Coor
dinator of South Halls at the time. As I
recall, the only thing which Miss Butler
ever said to me regarding Tony’s job
performance that even approached some
semblance of professional criticism was
that he was perhaps too strict in his
mri
What we need at all levels, from students to trustees, is the?
kind of sense of perspective concerning the place of football..;,
or any'sport, on a University campus, that coach Paterno
consistently exhibited, and that Ms. Pavelko showed in her«\
article
Horse play
TO THE EDITOR: It was very good to see the Theater-Dancer
season begin so resoundingly with yesterday's production of*|
“Equus” by Peter Shaffer. I have no complaints about the play,
play, but I have a very irritating complaint against
evening’s audience which snorted, coughed, sniffed, and"
spluttered its way through the entire play. The volume of
dramatic hacks and wheezes was so great that many members ..
of the audience were seriously distracted from the play. As far
as I can see, the problem can only get worse as we approach’;
winter, unless some measures are taken. The following«i
suggestion can only be partially successful, but it will beJ!
better than nothing: I suggest that the-management affix ajj
message to the program asking patrons to please muffle theirs
coughs by placing a handkerchief over their mouth, instead
ostentatiously coughing for all to hear. '
sheila mccauley
Editor
disciplinary role. Based on my first- m
hand observations in Tony’s house,
there was absolutely no doubt in my
mind that he was indeed highly effective
in all respects. Actual feedback which I -
received about Tony from his students -
supported my evaluation and was ~
consistently positive. ”
•ft
In all the job-related interactions I had ■■
with Tony, he exhibited highly
professional behavior. We interviewed V
RA applicants together and he often --
discussed specific concerns in his own ~
house as well as broader, system-wide ~
issues. I must add that I always found ~
Tony to be highly knowledgeable and.ji*
interpersonally skilled. I was par- «
ticularly impressed with his deep sense =
of personal committment to understand “
and help others. What more could
possibly be asked of a Resident j
Assistant? »
Actually, that question has already
been answered by the residents
Tony’s house the people to whom any
RA is ultimately responsible. When
those men learned of his dismissal, they
immediately circulated a petition stating
that Tony had lived up to all their ex
pectations in his role as RA and
demanded his reinstatement.
What Ford failed to mention was thavf'
the interview was a misquoted one/-
Insiders in Ford’s camp say the"
President knew in advance it was, a 1 "’
misquote.
Nevertheless, Ford used these quotes
to hurt Carter politically. They were* 1
cheap shots in line with Georgq>
Atkinson’s cheap shot at Lynn Swarm"
three weeks ago.
But they were legal, within the “rules ;
of politics." Experience told Jerry Ford
long ago he had better use all his
to beat Carter. ’*■”
The point is that Jerry Ford is not
nearly as honest, fair, good and naive afy
his image makers make him out to be.
When it comes to politics, he can be
ruthless, devious, callous, deceptive and
devilish.
Indeed, that’s how he got to be House
Minority Leader and, eventually,,,
President. The voters didn’t put him'
there, his left hooks and
jaw-breakers did. Anyone hanging
around Washington long enough will
learn to throw a few punches, even if he
is honest, fair, good and naive.
' -II
Joachim FT WohlwilM*
Professor of man-environment relations^!
Kathryn Derouniani -
State College resident^
tOi
u
**
*>n
NADINE KINSEY »
Business Manager «
"71