18—The Daily Collegian Monday, Oct. 5, 1981 Spring Bigler residents to get deposits back By SHARON TAYLOR • Daily Collegian Staff Writer The University will be returning general deposits to students who lived in Bigler Hall during Spring Term and graduated in May or August, the assistant vice president for housing and food services said. William H. McKirm9n said the University held the students' $5O Spring Term deposits because University Police Services was investigating a March 14 fire which occurred in a fourth floor study lounge. After the controller's office confirms the names of graduated students whose deposits were held, the money will be sent to them, said George Lane, deputy contoller. Although Lane said that process had not started yet, McKinnon said the money may be sent to the students in two to three weeks. Those students living in Bigler during Spring Term who have not graduated will not be receiving any money, because housing "never took any money away from them," McKinnon said. The fire started sometime early Saturday morning March 14, while many students were waiting in line for their dormitory contracts, he said. Officials decided in a Sept. 28 meeting that they would release the deposits to the students because the police determined that Bigler residents were not involved in the fire, which caused an estimated $4,800 damage. Ralph E. Zilly, vice president for business, said the police were not "currently active" in the case. "We suspected the case was arson to begin with," McKinnon said. "We doubt that we will recover the money (for the damages) but we decided it wasn't fair to charge the students." Because the Office of Housing and Food Service Operations has no insurance to cover "that level of fire," McKinnon said, the money to repair the damage to the lounge came from Housing's budget. McKinnon said it is Housing's policy to hold students' general deposits until the matter is revolved when any damage to , the residence halls is done. "First we try to identify the individual who did the damage," he said. "If we can't determine that, then we decide if the students should be charged as a floor or by the building." Sue Ann Nusser (Ist-nursing) and Dean Loder (6th-nuclear physics) rock away.at this weekend's Beta Theta Pi Rock-A-Thon. Cathy Boyle (sth-nutrition) stands by collecting funds for the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation. Rock-A-Thon raises S 5,700 for charity By DIANE L. ROWELL Daily Collegian Staff Writer The eighth annual Beta Theta Pi Rock- A-Thon raised $5,700 and surpassed the original goal set for the three-day fund raising event, Michael Mulhern, Rock-AL Thon chairman, said. The goal set for this year by the frater nity and the two participating sororities was $5,000, Mulhern said. "We 'raised $5,700," he said. "We thought the weather would be a problem, but luckily it came through." The Rock-A-Thon is Beta Theta Pi fraternity's nationally recognized philan thropic event that benefits the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation. Members from the fraternity and the two sororities, Alpha Chi Omega and Pi Beta Phi, rocked on rocking chairs and solicited donations for 58 continuous hours in downtown State Collegq. Mulhern said the public and the State College merchants were very responsive throughout the three days with their overall support and donations. "We were lucky because it was a home football game and All-University week end, so there were a lot of people," Mulhern said. The two 12 foot rocking chairs were' placed at two locations downtown. "The people were very responsive and cooperative," said Maria Warfield, Pi Beta Phi co-chairwoman for the Rock-A- Thon. "Especially the college students, they were the most responsive. Photo by Larry Bllotto "People seemed to be very interested in what we were doing," Warfield said. "I thought the people were very nice and very generous," said Mary Beth Purcell, Alpha Chi Omega co-chairwo man. "Especially with the football week end. After we won, everyone was in a great mood." As hundreds of passersby returned to the comfort and warmth of apartments, homes and dorms, the rockers kept on throughout the night and the early hours of the morning with the help of heavy blankets and the sound of the radio. Purcell, who had the Friday shift until 4 a.m., said except for the usual late night partiers who frequent the down town area, it was very quiet. "We just snuggled under blankets," Purcell said. "People would stop and talk to us and ask us about what we were doing." The two sororities were given some additional incentive by members of the fraternity who promised to award a trophy to the sorority who raised, the most money. "We worked real hard to get the tro phy, but it was so close they declared it a tie," Purcell said. Most participants agreed it was nice to work with and get to know the members from the other sorority and the fraterni ty. Mulhern said the sorority co-chairwo men and sorority members did a great job in working together.
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