the
daily
collegian
No more teasing for Diane
By CINDY COX
Daily Collegian Staff Writer'
She appeared physically different from
children her age as she was growing up,
but inside University graduate Diane
Bockoras had the same needs
friendship, acceptance and love.
Bockoras's differences resulted from a
rare disease called leukocytoclastic ar
thritis, a crippling disease that left her
fingers and hands twisted and her joints
tender.
During her elementary school years,
Vockoras's peers were less than under
standing of her handicap. They taunted
hi r, calling her "jelly belly" and "fin
gers," making fun of the way she looked.
"People would tell me to ignore the
te.miing, that's OK if it's only now and
,ben," Bockoras said. "But it happened
,111 the time. It affected my self-image
mid it took me a long time to overcome
that.
"It wasn't until late in high school that
the teasing stopped. By then, I started to
believe I was ugly and not worthwhile."
But Bockoras had the courage to con
tinue her education after high school and
graduated from the University with a
degree in education in 1977.
Her experience with teasing and intol
erance because of her handicap resulted
in the 1980 publication of a book for
children, "Please Don't Tease Me . . ."
"I questioned God and I realized there
was a purpose for my pain," Bockoras
said. "Someone else can learn from my
experiences through this book and may
be this is one way to help people."
The idea for "Please Don't Tease Me
. . ." resulted from a teasing experience
Bockoras had at the University during a
class with Jane Madsen; associate pro
fessor of education. Madsen saw some
adult students making fun of Bockoras
behind her back and approached her with
an idea for a book. •
USG senator serves students despite handicap
By SHARON TAYLOR
Daily Collegian Staff Writer
Tom. Morris (9th-biology) ran for an Under
graduate Student Government denotorial position
for the same reasons many stUdents run Id
student government to becoxne
sit involved and•to
c
help students. 4. \t
But Morris, a handicapped student, since
becoming a Pollock-Nittany senator, plans to go
beyond the normal confines of the office by
pushing legislation to help other handicapped
students.
Morris said he wanted to, be involved, and
becoming a Undergraduate Student Government
senator•was one way to actively participate at the
"I felt I didn't look at humanistic aspect of
College life, so I decided to get my stuff together
and to see things (that were happening at the
University, )" he said.
Morris, a Porter Hall resident, said he became
interested in the senatorial position when the
University decided the fifth and sixth floors of
Porter Hall would be turned into an interest house
without the knowledge of the, residents.
"The interest house situation sparked the
flame; the other things fell into place," he said.
Because Morris is a handicapped student who
can identify with the problems these students
have, he plans to be active this fall initiating some
of his ideas to help handicapped students, espe
cially in the area of housing.
"Since I was just elected four weeks ago, I
want to learn procedure before I begin to do
anything," he said. "I'll learn the ropes and next
year, kick off with a bang."
Although Morris does want to initiate bills to
help handicapped students, he does not want to
push for only this type of legislation.
"I don't want to just push for handicapped
students; I want to serve all my constituents'
reeds," he said.
Bill Cluck, USG president, has agreed to try to
provide a desk for the Association for Barrier-free
Living Environment and Design.
Pr • 1 3 4 . , 41/ I. f .
:14 . 41k iC 1,0
e
articipating in the handicapped swim program is helped into the Natatorium pool by willing assistants
.4. A swimmer
Alumna bears handicap well
From Bockoras's autobiography, Mad
sen also wrote the small children's book,
detailing experiences during childhood
and giving children guidance for dealing
with others who are different.
At the end of the book, the message
says, "Please do not wait until you are
older before you are kind to handicapped
children. They need your understanding
now."
Through this book, Bockoras said tea
chers and parents can help children to
understand people who are different.
Teachers should discuss with students
how people are different in size, color
and physical abilities, she added.
"It's also important for parents very
early in life to help their children develop
self-esteem," Bockoras said. "They
must let their kids know they are worth
while even if they are different."
Response to the book has been very
rewarding, Bockoras said. While speak
ing at schools, she discovered that older
children were surprised at her experi
ences and a little reluctant to discuss
them at first.
Diane Bockoraa
Even some of Bockoras's family mem-
"A desk may become available; but this is not
definite," Cluck said. "If one does become avail
able, they (ABLED) will have first crack at it."
Because of renovations taking place in the
HUB, Cluck said office space for ABLED may be
available Fall Term 1982.
Some of the most common problems hand
icapped students have are difficulties with hous
ing arrangements and getting to classes during
the winter months. Morris said the housing situa
tion causes a lot of unnecessary hassles.
"I requested a suite last spring because I was
living in Hamilton Hall which reminded me of a
hospital it was dark and dingy," he said.
"Eight weeks later I went back to (the Office
of) Housing to find out what they had .accom
plished. They said, 'We lost your name off the
suite list, there are vacancies on second floor
Porter and in Hamilton.'
"I'd rather live anywhere than in Hamilton
r view
bers had a hard time accepting that she
bad put her real name on the book
instead of an assumed one.
"The book is more effective because I
can go out and talk about it," she said.
"If I didn't it would be like I was
ashamed, which I'm not."
Bockoras's experiences are illustrated
in the book by Kathleen Brinko. While a
student at the UniVersity, Brinko worked
as a graduate assistant for Madsen who
asked her to work on the book.
"When she told me who the book was
about, I was sure I knew Diane," Brinko
said. "It turned out that we had met on a
bus to Pittsburgh a few years earlier."
From working on the book, Brinko said
she became more aware of the details of
a handicapped person's life.
After drawing a picture of Bockoras
sitting alone with her lunch box in the
cafeteila, Brinko said she learned, that
Bockoras could not hold a lunch box
because of her handicap.
"I was already aware of some of the
major problems of the handicapped,"
Brinko said. "But knowing Diane has
made me aware of 'the fine tuning of
having, arthritis in everyday life."
Being aware of these details of hand
icapped life will help children and adults
understand handicapped people, Bocko
ras said.
"Kids are smarter, but the teasing
problem can still go on," she said. "My
book is geared to adults too. Sometimes,
they need as much education about the
handicapped that children do."
When not working part time as a child
care worker at the Allegheny Mental
Health Center, Bockoras spends her lei
sure time dancing or riding a bike in her
home of Lower Burrell.
"I love dancing; -it's a great release for
me," Bockoras said. "I'm just glad I can
still laugh."
Hall, so that is how I moved to Porter and got
involved in the interest house deal," he said.
Morris said Housing needs a better arrange
ment for handicapped students. At present, Hous
ing offers single rooms to handicapped students
as a compromise to a suite because there are not
enough suites available.
But because the single rooms have limited
space, the suite provides greater conveniences for
handicapped students.
"Because there is more space in the suite, your
wheelchair doesn't get in the way and you can put
things where they can be reached easily," Morris
said.
Though he could be housed in a suite during
Summer Term, Morris said sororities occupy the
majority of the them during the remaining terms.
"Being handicapped, I need a suite —it would
be more livable," he said.
Another housing problem is showering. Be-
,:. ~..~
=SE
Photo by Steve Shaw
By JACKIE MARTINO
Daily Collegian Staff Writer
Shaking a makeshift noisemaker made
from an old juice can, to lead a blind
swimmer through the waters of the Mc-
Coy Natatorium is Robert O'Brien, coor
dinator of a water safety program
designed for handicapped people.
"These are water safety courses that
are sponsored by the Red Cross and the
YMCA," said O'Brien, who is qualified to
teach swimming to the handicapped.
"Safety is absolutely. the first consider
ation."
Two water safety courses are held
every Tuesday and Thursday, and are
comprised of 55 swimmers and 39 volun
teers.
People of all ages are enrolled in the
swimming classes and all are hand
icapped in some way, some more se
riously than others.
One person enrolled in the class, Caro
line Olsen, said she took up swimming
four years ago after she retired. Olsen's
handicap is a lateral spinal curvature.
"She is a very diligent swimmer who
has made remarkable progress," O'Bri
en said.
ior ...5 1.... .„: -v.
1V: v' f l we • k se .4
qe 'e` .6. +7.* '.. 0 '?
ii yr JP M 4 . :' , F
e 4 ,I ~.1. e: :.
1•.1. 1 ,.....-......--- 7 --: •,.. 4.
• -4 •`-•-•: i •
co. .: r .- • ._
(..`"'
...4 . " . e .. 4- ' ~., r :: '' •:. '.
•v .
' , V 0 • 1 ' r -; ' a .4
- .. 1 ., ' '4 , .". 4 •
'4. ' ...! r •
An illustration from the book "Please don't tease me. . ."
cause suites are equiped with bathtubs and have
more space, Morris said they would be a more
comfortable place for handicapped students to
reside
"Showering is ridiculous first you have to
find a chair to sit on and even then, it isn't very
comfortable," he said.
Morris said although many handicapped stu
dents did not support the semester change, he did
because terms are too short for professors to
teach the material effectively. •
"The weather will probably cause Problems
the. 13th week of the first semester and the first
couple weeks of the second semester. The solution
to the weather problem is adequate transporta
tion. If the crews would clean the walk areas,
there wouldn't be as many problems," he said.
"The University does provide vans, when the
weather is blizzarding, but when the weather is
not bad they don't. Icy sidewalks are the biggest
swim time at Nat
Water safety for handicapped
'4*
.4{
k.gr,
i -- t 4
V. Y , •
Illustration by Dan Vogeley
Donna Dufalla, like Olsen and many of
the other better students, serves a dual
function within the program as swimmer
and volunteer.
Dufalla is an amputee, who, in addition
to swimming, jumps rope for exercise.
Because many of the swimmers are
elderly, Defalla said she would also like
to see some younger people participate in
the program.
She added, however, that the program
serves a positive function in bringing the
yOung and old of the community togeth
er.
"You have college students coming out
to help your elderly citizens," Defalla
said.
Even though many swimmers are el
derly, handicapped children are wel
come along with their brothers and
sisters.
"There's quite a variety (of people),"
said Debbie Ponzo (7th-recreation and
parks) and a program volunteer.
Another volunteer, Yan Raybaud
(graduate-nuclear engineering) said he
volunteered so that he would meet peo
ple, adding that he was involved in social
work in France, his home country.
problem —you find yourself hitting ice patches
and doing 3605,"
Morris also said because some buildings do irk
have wheelchair access, he has to schedule his)
I;' 4 'clgsses 'around , that fact.
"Chr -tbr
cambers is a pretty nice building,
better than the Forum, I'd like to take some
classes there, but I can't because it has steps
leading down into its lecture rooms," he said.
Although he does think the University needs: to '
provide better accessibility to some buildings and
needs to improve the housing situation, for haqd
icapped students, he does think the University
made some positive changes to make the hand
icapped students' lives easier.
"The curb cuts are very helpful and I don't Nei
they have hurt the scenery," he said.
However, other services, such as elevatoFs,
must be managed properly to provide accessibili
ty when ramps cannot.
"Elevators must be kept in tip top shape all the
time. It's very frustrating to go to Willard Build
ing and find you have to skip class because the
elevator is broken and you can't get to the third
floor to go to class," he said.
Because the physical plant of the University
Park campus makes it difficult for handicapOd
students to "get around," Morris said many
students go to the Commonwealth campuses.
"It's not easy (to get around at University
Park), but it's not' insurmountable," he said. "If
you really want to get somewhere, you're going;to
get there at any cost."
In serving the interests of all University stu•
dents, Morris hopes to make the University aware
of the problems faced by all students.
"I think the University should allow professors
who are not good teachers to do their research
without teaching. It's hard enough for students'to
survive in classes, let alone with a prof who
teaches directly from the text," he said. ' ii
"I also think alternate food plans could be usell
at the University; they are used at other universi
ties and I see no reason why they could not be user:
here," he said.
Swimmers with other handicaps in
elude a woman with curvature of thel
spine and her blind son, who is guided
the water by the rattling of a can.
"My theory is the water can be used to:),
a great advantage by the average human!
'You have college
students coming out
to help your elderly
citizens.'
—Donna Dufalla,
program swimmer and
volunteer
being by learning to swim, or learning to,
swim better," O'Brien said.
He identified four advantages to the
handicapped people ' involved in the
swimming program survival, exer
cise, recreation, and competition.
Friday, May 15
Reagan budget may affect aid
`z. - By JOHN SCHLANDER
4 Daily Collegian Staff Writer
Proposed 6 federal budget cuts for
• 4.)
4 education may force changes in stu
-1 tient aid programs, but it is too early to
:t tell what and when these changes
would be, a congressional official said
• yesterday.
William Blakey, counsel to the
House Subcommittee on Post Second
ary Education, said much work re
mains to be ,done by Congress and
congressional committees before a
final concurrent budget resolution for
fiscal year 182 can be made.
According to financial aid officials
quoted in The Chronicle of Higher
Education, proposed changes will
probably not be made in time to affect
this fall's Guaranteed Student Loans
and Pell Grants —.two major sources
of student aid.
President Reagan proposed a $661
University to provide 'essentials' Memorial Day
By BRIAN E. BOWERS and ANNE CONNERS
Daily Collegian . Staff Writers
The , University will provide essential services on
Memorial Day, the last day of finals, but will limit other
services, the assistant vice president for business told
the Student Advisory Board yesterday.
George R. Lovette said the University will make
some sort of arrangements to have trash collected fioni
residence halls on Memorial Day.
"We do provide essential services, and in my mind
'that is an essential service," he said.
Undergraduate Student Government President Bill
Cluck said because residence hall maid service and
other services would not be available Monday, 'uncol
lected trash would present a hazard.
Cluck said the volume of trash would be greater than
normal because students would be discarding unwanted
items before leaving for home.
Lovette said the Campus Loop will not run on
Monday because it is a University holiday; however,
USG and the Association of Residence Hall Students will
pick up the cost of running an hourly Centre Area
Transportation Association shuttle bus.
CATA ridership has ( been less than expected and is
usually even less duri4 finals, Lovette said. He said
CATA negotiates its contract without consulting the
University calendar.
THE COMMUNITY CENTER AT HERITAGE OAKS
Planned to be finished early this summer, the community
center will include a sauna bath, large hot tub, fantastic
kidney shaped pool, outdoor sun deck, showers & locker
room areas, tennis court, basketball hoops, volleyball
area, food service area, laundry area, and much more.
\ 'aim Boulevard
Live the good life at Heritage Oaks Apartments.
Professionally managed by Benchmark Realty Inc.
million appropriation to meet ex
pected shortages in the Pell Grant
program and the House Appropria
tions Committee has agreed to this, so
this fall's Pell Grants probably will not
be hurt.
Regarding GSL's, the May 11 issue
of The Chronicle quoted James A.
Jung, executive director of the Wiscon
sin Educational Arts Board, as saying,
"We've received sufficient informal
assurances that any changes in the
GSL program would not occur prior to
Oct. 1." •
However, loan agencies in Michigan
and Ohio have stopped processing GSL
applications until they get a clearer
view of what Congress will do.
John Brugel, the University's finan
cial aid officer, said many variables in
the budget process complicate mat
ters.
"The timetable is quite uncertain,"
The CATA bus will run from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. It will
follow the same route as the evening shuttle. Cost of the
ride will be 50 cents.
Cluck said a time and route schedule will be sent to
every professor who has a class with a final on Monday.
Approximately 22 percent of the finals will be given on
Memorial Day.
Van service for the handicapped will not be available
Monday due to the lack of use during the term. "We only
had one student use the van for the handicapped this
term," Lovette said.
In other business, the board discussed repairs to be
done on the outdoor pool at the Natatorium. Lovette said
repairs on the pool would cost about $1 5 0,000 if the pool
were closed and complete repairs were done before
reopening it
The University has the option of hiving temporary
repairs done for $40,000 but it would still cost an
additional $150,000 to complete the repairs after the
recreational swimming season ended, he said.
He said Intercollegiate Athletics operates the pool so
it will decide what is to be done. The pool needs gutter
curb and tile repairs and removal of deteriorated
concrete, Lovette said.
*Lovette said if the temporary repair option were to
be taken, the pool could be open almost on schedule.
He said a possible strike by the Teamsters Union
RITAGE
KS
Brugel said.
Blakey said the first step of the
budget process was President Rea
gan's proposed budget to Congress.
The second step where the budget
is now requires the House and
Senate and their respective commit
tees to set targets and propose modifi
cation's of programs to reach these
targets.
The final step is passage of a concur
rent budget resolution by a joint con
ference committee of the House and
Senate.
"The only thing that" has happened
so far (in Congress)," Blakey said, "is
the House and Senate have passed
budget targets. We don't even have
final targets yet."
Blakey said the Subcommittee on
Post Secondary Education has not yet
begun work on finding measures to cut
back on aid programs.
Monday-Friday 9 a.m.-8 p.m
Saturday 9 a.m.-5 p.m
Sunday 1 p.m.-5 p.m
237-8201
The final concurrent budget resolu
tion, Brugel and Blakey said, will
probably be passed before Congress
recesses in August. This step requires
House and Senate approval, often lead
ing to two or three proposed concur
rent resolutions before one is adopted,
Blakey said. •
This resolution could drastically
change student aid programs, includ
ing GSL's and Pell Grants.
Legislation introduced by Sen. Rob
ert T. Stafford, R-Vt., chairman of the
Senate Subcommittee on Education,
Arts and Humanities, is one of the first
to propose specific changes in the aid
programs.
Stafford's plan would limit GSLs to
families earning less than $25,000 a
year, trimming an estimated $566 mil
lion from the federal budget, accord
ing to The Chronicle.
Local 8 would not affect the pool repairs because the
University can hire outside contractors to do a big
project like the pool repairs.
In a press conference following the SAB meeting,
Cluck said the decision to have finals on Memorial Day
should have had more student input.
"The calendar is a primary example of the general
need for student input into administrative decisions that
affect students," Cluck said. "Students are always the
lowest priority."
While USG and ARHS are willing to provide a bus
service for students, Cluck said he did not think it should
be a concern of student government.
"We're (USG and ARHS) delighted to be able to
provide a much needed service; CATA is very pleased
to provide a needed service," Cluck said. "I guess I
question why the service ever had to occur."
Cluck also said he was concerned that trash would
accummulate in the dorms on Sunday, May 24 and
Memorial Day, creating a possible fire hazard.
ARHS President Chris Calkins said a matter like this
should not be the concern of student government.
"Why are we the ones to bring this up?" Calkins
asked. "They've had five years to plans for Memorial
Day finals."
Calkins also said he wished the administration would
tap student resources more in decision making.
Office Hours
Police satisfied with Bash
By PAT HUNGERFORD
Daily Collegian Staff Writer
Although a 15-year-old was taken
to the hospital from overindulgence
of alcohol, the State College Police
Department was generally very
pleased with this year's Briarwood
Bash, Police Chief Elwood G. Wil
liams Jr., said.
As far as the police know the
minor was not seriously injured, he
said.
Bill Bartholomew, Briarwood
Bash committee chairman, said
problems occur every year with
minors drinking.
The committee invested $6OO in
hospital bands given to participants,
he said, so that minors would not be
served. People who bought a hospi
tal band were carded before given
the band, he said.
"I'm the one who gets in trouble
and I'm the one who goes to jail if
minors are served," he said.
As soon as he received a call from
the police he went to the stage and
announced that minors were being
served and that whoever was serv
ing them should stop, Bartholomew
said.
He said about 100 kegs of beer at
individual apartments were not un
der the committee's control. The
committee controlled its own 150
Porter Hall furniture stolen
• Andrew Petkac, senior housekeep
ing supervisor, told University Police
Services yesterday that furniture was
taken from Porter Hall sometime before
May 6. Police estimated the value of the
furniture at $1,071.
• An employee of the Weis Market,
560 Westerly Parkway, reported a forged
check Tuesday, the State College Police
• Jeffrey Bock, graduate assistant, Department said yesterday. Police said
told University police yesterday that four the amount of the check was $68.41.
wheel covers were taken from his car
The Daily Collegian Friday, May 15, 1981—.
kegs of beer.
The management is not responsi-
'ble for any problems that occur
during the Bash since the land is
leased to the Briarwood Bash com
mittee, Candee Evelhoch, manager
of Briarwood, said.
The committee has already paid
the BriEFviood management for
damages, Bartholomew said.
Evelhoch said the committee has
paid $7.47 for a broken fence railing.
The police said there were a few
extra complaints from the neighbors
about noise, vandalism and drunk-
enness. Williams said there were a
minimal amount of complaints.
Brian Clouser, State College police
crime prevention specialist, said the
committee and the police cooper
ated more this year.
Williams said the committee was
late in contacting the police about
the Bash and has requested that
there be better contact between the
police and the committee in the
future.
He said he was pleased, however,
with the committee's organization of
the Bash. Patrol cars cruised the
area but there were no walking
patrols.
"We put the responsibility on the
people organizing the event," Wil
liams said.
police log
while it was parked in Green Parking Lot
F. Police estimated the value of the
wheel covers at $2OO.
—by Rebecca Clark