opinions
editorial opinion
Talking about sex is almost as
much fun as having it. Locker room
banter and late-night dormitory can
you-top-this? sessions are as inte
gral to sex as the act. But as Ameh
ca's sexual mores become less
strict, discussing sex in a frank,
factual way is not only healthy —,it's
neccessary.
The University's United Ministry
realizes this and has sponsored a
five-day program in the HUB this
week, "Straight Talk About Sex."
Far from ministers droning on about
the evils of petting, the programs
feature University professors and
psychologists from the Ritenour
Health Center, offering straight talk
and the opportunity for open dis
cussion.
Over the past years, the United
Ministry has sponsored programs on
dating, courtship and marriage.
Campus Minister Robert C. Boyer,
of the United Ministry, said some
campus religious groups prefer to
avoid getting involved with sexual
Zippidy-do-dah, zippidy-day, oh my gosh what a beautiful day!
Even as I write this, McGough is on his way to
Happy Valley. He'll be staying in the area for a
couple of weeks. Even as I write this I'm antic
ipating "Good things will happen to me."
McGough's a strange character; 20 years old
and a fuller 20 years than most people could fit in
• 80. We met at Ogontz and hit it off right away
when he caught me forging his name onto one of .
his comic strips. He was pessimistic about every
. thing and I was a budding cynic. We had a lot of
good times.
Good things happen to me. s
Somewhere in last summer "Good things will
happen to me" started to pop up. I met the phrase
itself in a bar in Wildwood, N.J., where I was
looking into a mug of beer, bummed out because I
wasn't, blond, tan and muscle-bound. Think posi
tive, I thought. So I ran through all the ways I had
.a good life and how even the bad things had
Worked out in the end.
reader opinion
But below- acne
As a former resident Shunk Hall's Tioga
:House, the same house that was threatened by
.the Engineering Interest House located in Porter
:Hall's Warren House, and as a current resident
of Beaver Hall which is now the designated
location for that very same interest house, I can
truly attest to the fact that interest houses are
somewhere between gangrene and leprosy on a
list of independent student favorites.
My quarrel, however, is not with the rights of
interest houses to exist. The interest house option
is important to many students, and that option
should not be denied to those people who seek to
live in such an•environment.
My quarrel is directed at (University) Presi
dent Oswald, the innovator of the interest house
:option at the University. The president decided
:in 1970 that interest houses were a good idea
after having observed the success that these
louses were enjoying at Oxford and Cambridge
in England. Fine. But where is the mandate from
:Heaven that grants interest house students the
right to coed living and the right to guaranteed
rooms?
The implication is that we independent slobs
'are too banal and immature to fully understand
and appreciate these privileges. And the irony is
that the president KO'd coed housing to indepen
dents implying that the educational environment
was and is not enhanced by the "distractions"
presented when males and females cohabitate,
yet the "educationally stimulating" interest
house environment contains those very same
"distracting" mixes of male and female!
Does this mean that interest housing students
are different in that they can rise above and
handle responsibilities that independent peons
cannot?
The matter of guaranteed rooms to these
students can be even more irritating. We inde
pendents brave Plutonian cold for many hours
just to be granted the privilege of living on
campus, while those very rooms that we froze for
may be ultimately denied us owing to the whims
of the committee in charge of locating interest
houses.
Is there something genetically superior about
these students? Perhaps the "careful screening"
process undergone by interest house applicants
filters out the instincts that make coed living and
guaranteed rooms impossible for independents?
Is that why they get it all up front while we only
get it in the end? I don't think that it is too much
to ask the president why these conditions pre-
Vail.
I am reminded of South Africa and its absurd
"Parallel Development" concept for whites and
non-whites. Whites are guaranteed education
(dorm rooms) while non-whites stand in line for
the privilege. Whites are also able to eat, sleep
and defecate where they please (coed housing)
while the non-whites may not.
Talking about It
"Straight Talk About Sex" is a healthy idea
topics, because they think "that's
not the way to be holy." But he said
the United Ministry thought that it's
time for people to be confronting
sexuality more, and thus was born
"the most ambitious thing we've
ever done" on the subject.
Graham B. Spanier, professor of
human development and sociology,
opened the program Monday morn
ing with the discussion "Pre-Marital
Sex and the Sexual Revolution" and
a seminar that night.
Programs Tuesday and yesterday
featured Associate Professor of Bi
ology Edward W. Wickersham.
Wickersham, who teaches an excel
lent course in the biology of sex(4th
period, 108 Forum), spoke Tuesday
about masturbation and led a semi
nar last night using —gasp! expli
cit films as teaching aids. Steven
Crain, clinical psychologist at the
Ritenour Consuling Center, spoke
yesterday morning on "Sexual
Dysfunction" and offered private
discussion sessions.
It was a good mental drug and I danced to good
music with strange girls shortly afterwards.
Later, in the car, I mentioned it to McGough
and Bill. McGough began to chant, "Good things
will happen to me" hoping to pick up his evening
and soon we all joined in. The Toyota's headlights
picked up two girls with 'their thumbs out.
Good things happen to me.
It was an action-packed summer, lots of blur
memories, but McGough was always there at the
peaks with his eyes crinkling into a smile, point
ing out, "Hey, Good Things!" And we'd all stop
for a moment and appreciate.
McGough told me how a stupid phiase out of
nowhere changed his life. He was a lot happier.
He trusted the future.
During break we were driving around talking of
"Good Things" of all things. There was an argu-
So come on Mr. President, answer these ques
tions to the satisfaction of myself and my Beaver
1 floormates. Either the independents be granted
the same rights that the interest houses have, or
scrap the interest house concept altogether.
Francis X. Walsh, president of Ist floor Beaver
Dec. 8
Dear Penn State Bookstore
I wish to ask why my "Digital Principles and
Applications" textbook by Malvino & Leach
costs $2 more than my "Physics" textbook by
Beiser. The digital book is 434 pages long, and is
almost seven years old, even though I bought it
yesterday. The physics book is not quite three
years old, and has 888 pages. I recently discov
ered the digital book isn't even the latest edition
in print!
While I'm on the subject, why did this book
cost $7.45 more than my "Introduction to Me
chanics" textbook, which has 346 pages? Yes, I
know it's smaller, but 8 1 / 2 cents a page smaller? I
don't beliqve it. To top it off, I have another book
by Malvino ("Electronic Principles"; 1979) from
the same publisher (McGraw Hill) that is 742
Good things will happen to me.
It spread. McGough just droned it into us
55N10R C1TZ14,5 1
'ALLOP - THE - P DAY RESIDEtii
BIKING Youß o\NN STICK
~~
y~ -
What gives?
Today, Assistant Professor of
Health Education Robert A. Walker
and Ritenour psychologist Annette
Ranck will discuss "Sexual Values
and Guilt." They will speak at 11:30
a.m. in the HUB main lounge and
hold a seminar at 7:30 p.m. in 317
HUB.
The program ends on Priday, with
all the speakers converging on the
HUB main lounge for an 11:30 aim.
panel discussion.
These programs represent the
right way to deal with the so-called
sexual revolution; the United Min
istry has displayed a keen sense of
keeping up with the times. Much of
people's sexual problems come from
lack of understanding, often of sim
ple matters. Open discussion, while
potentially awkward at first, is a
healthy way to become more com
fortable with your sexuality.
The Daily Collegian's editorial opinion is
determined by its Board of Opinion, with the
editor-in-chief holding final responsibility.
ment over whether the "will" should be in there. I
said I didn't likelhe "will" because it put it in the
future and McGough said "will" captured the
inevitability of it all. We decided we liked both
ways.
Good things (will) happen to me.
See, it's sort of a philosophy with no deep
thinking involved. In a way, it's a religion; but
pageS long, and cost $4.15 less than, the digital
book!
Just what the h— is going on around here?
Stephen Jones, sth-EET
Dec. 7
Rather rude
In reference to the Dec. 8 letter from M
Roosevelt:
Evidently you did miss one of the lectures on
certain fundamental truths, namely the one
which teaches that no person is better than any
other. Whether you can speak two and a half or
50 languages has no bearing on the issue at hand.
Yes, the procedures at the library circulation
desk, leave much to be desired. Yes, it would be
nice if there was a little bit more efficiency. But
NO, NO, NO!!! You do not have the right to
ridicule these women because of their so-called
lack of education. Any one of these ladies could
be your sister, your mother or maybe even your
grandmother!
Possibly you have run into a string of bad luck.
However, the main reason why these women
insist that you find your own books is that usually
/(ctii
====IIRM
I'M MAD AS HELL AND I'M NOT GONNA
TAKE REAGANOMICS ANYMORE!
"Good things happen to me" is the only ritual, the
only liturgy, the only prayer. It's sort of an
inexplicable thing.
You got your unusual good thing:
Like at the beginning of the summer when I
decided to take a part-time job even though I
needed full-time money. I was thumbing it home
after taking the first job when a car pulled over.
The driver had turned me down for a job the day
before. ,
"I'm not going to give you a ride," he said. "I'm
going to give you a job."
"I just got a part-time one."
"We'll work around that," he said.
And you got your everyday good thing:
Like a smile or someone taking time out to start
a friendship with you or a good egg roll.
You even got your bad/good thing:
Like McGough lost $2O during the summer and
said, "Well, what the hell. Someone's going to find
that and think, 'Hey, good things happen tome!' "
most students are looking in the wrong places.
They have no idea how the library operates and
never take the time to find out. Then, two hours
before a major paper is due, they come into the
library in a frenzied state. At this time, they
expect the library staff to fetch the books for
them. The students haVe the responsibility to
learn the library system and not depend on the
staff to do their slave work.
Secondly,
,the workers do not misplace the
books, students do. Perhaps you should strike out
at all the students who find such activities as
putting books in trash cans, hiding them behind
other books, and hiding them under radiators as
great fun.
This is not to get off the point that some of the
library staff are less than cordial. However,
their possession or lack of skills has nothing to do
with their personalities.
I am not denying the fact that you gave a valid
point to make. However, your presentation rots.
Perhaps after you have eliminated your blinding
prejudices, you should sit down and write a more
mature and thoughtful letter.
Denise Dick, 11th-psychology
Dec. 8
SMMI=CI
Oid arl
`9SSI,ZIJ'AV-
The Daily Collegian,
Thursday, Dec. 10
Good things will happen to me.
We were at Gimbel's Thanksgiving Day parade.
It was a "good things" day all around; from the
bum who stopped to talk to us and made us laugh,
to the point where we found ourselves running
after a bus full of cops down the Benjamin
Franklin Parkway (our string of six balloons was
tied to the rear bqmper).
Somewhere in between, Mark Henry was trying
to explain "Good Things" to some people. He was
really 'getting in-depth with it. I pointed to him
and told - McGough that we had a "Good Things"
theologian.
"Nah, nah," McGough shook. his head. "He's
more like a 'Good Things' PR-man, You can's
explain it, man, you got to live it."
Mark Green is a 10th-term journalism major and
a staff Writer for The Daily Collegian. His column
appears on Thursdays.
Puffin' it in
Listening but not hearing.
It's a problem at the University, one that
many say obstructs communications between
students and administrators.
But is that the real problem? Do students
really have input into administrative deci
sions and don't use their power properly? Or
is student input a farce, an illusion?
On Tuesday, Dec. 15, and Tuesday, Jan. 5,
The Daily Collegian's Op-ed page will exam
ine the question: can students really ever
have an effective voice in the workings of this
University? And if not, why not?
Part One will represent the student point of
view, Part Two the adminstrators'.
If you feel you have something to contrib
ute, bring your letters lone page, typed and
double-spaced) and forums (two to three
pages, typed and double-spaced) to 126 Carne
gie. Part One material must be submitted by
Sunday, Dec. 13, at 5 p.m. Part Two material
must be submitted by Saturday, Dec. 19, at 5
p.m.
:Collégian
Thursday Dec. 10, 1981—Page 2 ©l9Bl Collegian Inc
Paula Froke
Editor
BOARD OF EDITORS: Managing Editor, Phil Gutis;
Editorial Editor, Becky Jones; Associate Editorial Edi
tors, John Allison, Tom Boyer; News Editors, Cindy
Deskins, Dave Medzerian; Sports Editor, Mike Poor
man; Assistant Sports Editors, Ron Gardner, Pete Wal
dron; Arts Editor, Elaine Wetmore; Assistant Arts
Editor, Judd Blouch; Photo Editor, Stelios Varias;
Assistant Photo Editors, Janis Burger, Renee Jacobs;
Graphics Editor, Lynda Cloud; Wire Editor, Maryann
Hakowski; Copy Editors, Cindy Cox, K.E. Fishman,
Karen Konski, Jackie Martino, Iris Naar, Leslie Zuck;
Campus Editor, Joyce Venezia; Assistant Campus Edi
tor, Sharon Taylor; Town Editor, Justin Catanoso;
Assistant Town Editor, Mark Featherstone; Features
Editor, Scott McCleary; Weekly Collegian Editor, Neil
Axe; Assistant Weekly Collegian Editor, Laurie Penco.
ABOUT THE COLLEGIAN: The Daily Collegian and The
Weekly Collegian are published by Collegian Inc., a non
profit corporation with a board of directors composed of
students, faculty and professionals. Students of The
Pennsylvania State University write and edit both papers
and solicit advertising material for them. The Daily
Collegian is published Monday through Friday and dis
tributed at the University Park campus. The Weekly
Collegian is mailed to Commonwealth campus studtpts,
parents of students, alumni and other subscribers_who
want to keep abreast of University news.
Debby Vinokur
Business Manager
opinions
In South Halls, the little guy ain't got a chance
By KEVIN MOSLEY
Former resident of sth floor Beaver
Former Resident Assistant for 4th floor Beaver
Once again Residential Life has given us se
rious reason to believe that those residents of the
dorms who do not belong to special interest
groups sorority, fraternity or interest house =—
are numbers and nothing more. (That goes for
RAs, too.)
I ask you (Residential Life,) didn't you hear us
(the RA advisory board) last year? We told you
that most independent dorm residents think:
• Sororities rarely interact with independent
dorm residents.
• By giving sororities ektra spaces on "off"
floors you are‘making it harder for independent
women to get spaces in South Halls (which is close
to town and the fraternities.)
• Interest houses are a poor substitute for coed
• The interest house program should not be
expanded especially when it costs others their
rooms.
It was poor judgment on the part of Residential
Life to place all ? sororities in Pollock and South
halls. Sororities have their own social life; which
revolves around the greek system. Subsequently
(naturally) they schedule most of their functions
with fraternities and attend fraternity parties. In
the dining hall, the sisters eat in large groups and
basically stick together, which is reasonable
because they have 60 to 70 other sisters to keep up
with.
Result: The sorority sisters in South Halls don't
know many independent male residents. Sorority
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social life excludes most independent male resi
dents. Sororities which comprise 45 to 50
percent of the female population in South Halls
don't attend many independent dorm floor func
tions or parties.
Consequently, there is a reasonable amount of
tension between sororities an d male independent
dorm residents. Last year, 'sororities asked for
and received more reserved rooms (not spaces)
on "off" floors, because they, had an agreement
with Residential Life that guaranteed them more
rooms if sororities grew.
Result: In South Halls, sororities now comprise
60 percent of the female population..
This not, only reduced the number of female
independents in South, but I think it's fair to state
that sorority and, female/male independent rela
tions were further strained. At this point I will
deviate from sororities to interest houses and tie
the two together later.
Because University President John W. Oswald
has decreed it, Penn State does not have coed
living. (Penn State shall c,ontinue to dwell in the
neoconservative Reagan dark ages until his ex
cellency departs, but don't count on his successor
to liberate our souls.) Therefore, interest houses
were developed as a substitute.
Result: To make a long story short, as the
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Collegian
arnegie Building
~~~
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POttlE
STEAIBOSA.
interest house program grew, Residential Life
decided to spread the program to another area
besides West and North. Much to the dismay of
and with little input from the former residents,
fifth and sixth floors Porter Hall were converted
into an interest house, partially because of the
damages the house sustained.
Little did the residents of Beaver Hall know as
they taunted fifth and sixth Porter last year with
late night shouts of, "Porter, WE'RE INTER
ESTED in you," that their number was next.
Interest houses place in the same house a group
of students who are in the same college, which
adds up to one thing: another clique of people, but
worse, who have the same classes, study, eat and
basically live together 24 hours a day with little or
no variety or change, which would be sparked by
individuals of varying colleges. Thus, interest
houses are a poor substitute for coed living,
especially when it's at the expense of another
student's room.
The classic joke among some RAs in South
(other areas had their own version) last year
came right out of Counselor Ed. 302, the infamous
RA course, and Residential Life. At times we
knew we were getting double talk if someone
responded to us as follows: "What I hear you
saying is , . ." All too often we knew that what
they heard was exactly what they wanted to hear.
Anything else they reflected right back at us, just
like we were in junior high school.
It didn't take long before we , began to realize
that, Residential Life does exactly as it pleases,
seldom listens to or solicits RA input concerning
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major (for that matter, minor) issues, and feels
that it does not have to answer to anyone, or more
importantly, the individual the independent
dorm student, for example. If Residential Life
had listened to all of the input it received'from the
RAAB last year, they would have realized the
following:
In South Halls there is a disproportionate
number of sorority members to independent
females, which makes it difficult for independent
male residents to meet and interact with female
residents.
• Because the sororities are guaranteed rooms
(not space,) it is difficult for independent females
to move into South Halls, unless, of course, they
join a sorority.
If Residential Life and the coordinating staff of
South Halls had just looked at South Halls as a
whole and Beaver Hall's history over the last
three years they would have realized the follow
ing:
• By adding two interest houses to Beaver Hall
including the one from Porter which will be
transferred, probably because Residential Life
forgot how hard it is for two separate floors to
interact effectively on a day-to-day basis you
will eliminate 65 male spaces in South Halls, thus
making it more difficult for independent males to
get space in South Halls.
e In effect, two more non-interactive cliques
would be added to an area which is already
overrun with a major set of non-interactive cli
ques (sororities.)
• Floor damages in Beaver have dropped
The Daily Collegian Thursday, Dec, 10, 1981-3
significantly over the last three years, and ex
cluding elevator out of vain service charges, so
have building damages.
• Beaver is not the perfect structure for an
interest house. Each house would have a dispro
portionate number of males to females if placed
by A and B ends (short or long) of Beaver.
• The residents of Beaver have more pride in
their building than any other, due in part to the
rumor that Beaver is the largest male single floor
dorm this side of the Mississippi, which may or
may not be true. Why else would the residents
dish out half the money for two color TVs over the
last three years?
Had Residential Life originally spread the
sororities and interest houses between areas and .
dorms, much of the bad hype that surrounds each
could have been avoided, but that was too logical
a solution. It's pretty sad when a first-term
freshman, or ninth-term junior for that matter,
refers to a sorority member as an SB when he or
she doesn't personally know any sorority mein
hers.
In the end, Residential Life, coordinating staff
included, knows that all the flak falls on the RAs
anyway. Then again, RAs and independent resi
dents individuals are nothing more than
numbers. We're expendable.
Oh, by the way, didn't Title IX require Resi
dential Life to change Tener into an all-female
dorm? Sixty-five male spaces isn't a lot, but then
again, one never knows, does one? And just what
are you goirig to do with Alpha Omicron Pi?
(Pssst: East Halls, you're next.)