opinions
editorial opinion ;vv- v
New ideas to recruit and retain
Sometimes it takes a little push to get the
ball rolling.
For the University, the push to increase
minority representation may have come
with a federal judge’s decision to include the
state-related higher education institutions
in a federal court order to eliminate dis
crimination in Pennsylvania’s education
system. -
In response to the federal court order, the
University has formulated a proposal that
will be forwarded to the federal Office of
Civil Rights. The proposal includes new
suggestions for increasing the University’s
enrollment of black students, with the goal
of 5 percent black enrollment in five years.
It took p federal court order for Penn
State to get serious about developing a
comprehensive plan to increase minority
recruitment and retention.
And the order for the plan could be just
what the University has needed all along.
Penn State is now being required to take a
thorough look at why its retention rate for
black students is so low and to re-evaluate
the programs it offers to recruit black
students to the University, and even more
difficult, to keep them here.
Among the recommendations offered in
the ordered plan is more centralization of
support services for minority students.
Robert J. Scannell, vice president and
dean of the Commonwealth Educational
System, and a member of the plan’s draft
ing team, said centralization would help
avoid problems such as those some students
face when trying to juggle admissions offers
and financial aid forms. Instead of having to
deal with both Shields and Boucke, minority
students could find assistance in one cen
tralized office.
While care must be taken that the fine line
between service and segregation is not
crossed, a centralized office or administra
tor for minority student services would
provide the benefits of administrative com
munication and easy access for black stu
dents.
Additional services may also be provided
at some of the Commonwealth campuses,
although only those that have potential for
daily Collegian
Friday, June 24, 1983
Suzanne M. Cassidy
Editor
The Daily Collegian’s editorial opinion is determined by
its Board of Opinion, with the editor holding final
responsibility. Opinions expressed on the editorial
pages are not necessarily those of The Daily Collegian,
Collegian Inc. or The Pennsylvania State University.
Collegian Inc., publishers of The Daily Collegian and
Space travel more than a Ride in the Shuttle
I have been following the adven
tures of the space shuttle for a
couple of days and I figured I
should write a column about Sally
Ride, America’s first woman in
space.
However, after doing some think-
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SRN3 I TEIiYOU. ITS A OMMUNIST PLOT TO SUBVERT OUR BASIC VALUES /'
©1983 Collegian Inc.
Judith Smith
Business Manager
ing about the subject, I decided that
it would be a tremendous waste. It
would be a waste not because
Ride’s achievement is not signifi
cant, but because relatively speak
ing, it is not all that important.
There is a much greater event that
significant increases in minority enrollment
will be targeted.
And the plan does not stop at the under
graduate level. Minority enrollment at the
University’s graduate and medical schools
may also be increased by the plan, especial
ly in cooperation with the state’s traditional
ly black institutions, Lincoln University and
Cheyney State University.
The University has so far attempted to
meet the requirements established by the
government, but the state and the federal
Civil Rights Office must be willing to pro
vide financial support if they intend to see
the plan fulfilled. The University is already
suffering a severe financial crunch and it
would be wrong to hurt the entire student
population minority students included
by having to increase tuition or cut other
programs to implement this plan.
In its proposed plan, the University did
not focus on increased black representation
in the administration, faculty and the Uni
versity’s Board of Trustees. The University
already has an approved affirmative action
plan for the former two and because many
of the trustees are elected, it has no control
over those positions.
However, those groups that appoint trust
ees have been advised to consider qualified
minority representatives. The groups would
do well to heed the advice, for diversity is
something sorely lacking in the board and
would provide support for changes at the
University, including demographic ones.
Whether the University will be able to
make that demograpliic change will be a
matter of commitment from the University,
state and federal governments and students
themselves.
Once the immediacy of the court order
has blown over, that commitment to im-
prove, create, streamline and encourage
must continue and even intensify to ensure
that the University’s land-grant mission is
fulfilled.
And perhaps someday consistent black
enrollment will be so embedded in Universi
ty tradition that the extra effort will no
longer be necessary.
related publications, is a separate corporate institution
from Penn State.
Board of Editors Editorial Editor: Marcy Mermel; News
Editor: Rosa Eberly; Sports Editor: John Severance;
Photo Editor: Thomas Swarr; Arts Editor: Ron Crow;
Assistant Arts Editor: Ron Yeany; Campus Editor, Alecia
Swasy; Town Editor: Mike Netherland; Copy Editors:
Dana Buccilli, Tom Sakell; Weekly Collegian Managing
Editor: Brian Bowers; Weekly Collegian Assistant Ma
naging Editor: Lori Musser.
Board of Managers Assistant Business Manager:
Valerie Plame; Office Manager: Colleen Waters; Sales
Manager: Terri Alvino; Layout Coordinator: Kimberly Fox;
Creative Director: Lori Hitz; Marketing Manager: Beverly
Sobel; National Ad Manager: Kimberly Fox.
is being glossed over in the process.
With the landing of the Space
Shuttle Challenger today, another
era of space travel will have come
to an end.
No longer is Man in the explora
tion stage where fearless crews
"Wat % x SAY UEf R6A6AM BB 'RGhGteX ~ . Al \V U6T VOLCKER VDUCKeR*
Be a columnist!
Don’t waste your summer.
While other students are lying in the sun and watch
ing the world go by, you could be expressing your
thoughts, observations and opinions about Penh State,
State College and the world beyond.
We need talented, dedicated students to write colum
ns for The Daily Collegian’s editorial page. This is your
Write to us
We want to know what’s on your mind.
The Daily Collegian’s editorial page is for some
students the only opportunity to be heard at the
University. And the page is here for other members of
the University and State College communities as well.
Letters to the editor and forums may be written
about topics as far out as the space program or as close
to home as the residence halls. The issues raised may
affect many or just a few, but if they’re on your mind,
they deserve to be heard.
To insure that your letter is published, please limit it
braved the unknown to bring back
information only dreamed about.
No longer is Man in the prodding
stage, where he dared go into alien
environments, taking small steps
at a time, cautiously trying to find
his limits.
Man is now in the look and learn
stage. His current limits have been
found and practically speaking,
Man has gone as far as he can go on
the existing technology.
gjj*£
Now it is time to expand, to gain
the technology that will not only
help on earth, but will also help in
the future of space exploration.
Man no longer relies on “astro
nauts”; now there are “mission
specialists” filling the spacecraft
bringing back valuable experimen
tal data.
And no longer is reaching out into
space a so-called “man’s job.” The
stage has been reached where what
is more important is breaking the
traditional stereotypes and sending
the most qualified people, be it man
or woman.
Wtf.wi'u
fttWHHG
wWLi
gc»^-
Man is not only learning more
about space with the Pioneer satel
lite that recently left the Solar
System, but now he is also learning
to one page (typed double space). Forums should be
three to five double space typed pages centering on a
theme.
All letters and forums should include the name, ID
number and phone number of the writer. Students
should also include their term standings and majors;
University employees should include their titles; and
alumni should include their years of graduation and
majors with their letters
Letters may be brought or mailed to The Daily
Collegian office in 126 Carnegie.
Write a letter to the editor and let Penn State know
what you’re thinking about.
how to use it,
Many of the great advances dur
ing the past two decades have been
a direct result of space exploration.
Many great advances for the next
few decades to come will be a direct
result of space experimentation,
including those that are currently
being carried out in the Shuttle.
The last ‘prodding’ experiment
was done Wednesday, when mis
sion specialists released a satellite
and then successfully recaptured it
the current limits have been
reached. Now things such as the
production of drugs to combat dis
ease and of experimental gardens
that may lead to increasings food
supply are being tested in space.
Not only is Man learning a great
deal, but he is doing it with a
greater efficiency than ever before.
With Congressional cutbacks in the
the space program budget, the Na
tional Air and Space Administra
tion found the importance of
economy.
It took NASA and the United
States budget $24 million to reach
the moon with $355,000 just for the
trip itself. The current inventory of
four reusable shuttles costs approx
imately $l2 million, that is, without
counting monies received from pri
vate industry, foreign governments
and the Defense Department,
which rent space aboard the Shut
tle.
No longer are the millions of
dollars available. No longer is the
mass popular backing available,
inspired by President John Kenne
dy. The only thing that is not only
still available, but available in
The Daily Collegian
Friday, June 24, 1983
chance to have your work published on one of the most
read pages in one of the nation’s top college newspa
pers.
But first you have to apply,
To do so, you’ll need an application which can be
picked up in the Collegian office, 126 Carnegie. Sum
mer Session is short, so please submit your completed
application by Saturday, June 25.
Would you rather have a column.than a sunburn?
massive quantities, is the learning
potential.
Based on the amount of knowl
edge gained during the Apollo
years, the possibilities for the Shut
tle are not only more varied, but
are endless.
Not only does Man’s knowledge
increase, but also his self-image.
There is no other time when so
many people band together with so
much pride within themselves than
when those engines roar and the
spacecraft goes flaming upward. It
brings about a spirit that can never
be broken. It is the type of spirit
that knows no race, no nationality,
no sex. It is the “We are Mankind”
spirit, and that achievement is too
valuable to have a price placed on
it.
So you see, conquest of space is
not just a conquest of space, but
also a conquest of the earth and
some of its major problems. Soon,
Man will be able to reach out be
yond the limits he is working to
understand.
When that time comes no one can
predict what life will be like here on
earth, although one thing is sure:
the more we learn about space, the
more we learn about earth.
The old philosophers who dream
of Man living in space, leaving
behind a devastated world are
wrong. Not only is space being used
for Man to stay here on the earth,
but it is also being used to make it
better.
Dean Longo is a 14th-term com
puter science and math major and
a columnist for The Daily Collegian
reader opinion
Swim test necessary
Last June, while adjusting to hiy new dormitory home
here in Happy Valley, some commotion arose among
students, orientation leaders and Resident Assistants
concerning information that was printed in the Orienta
tion Express information which pertained to a suppos
edly “required" swim test.
The swim test to which these students were referring
lasted a brief 10 minutes and consisted of one lap around
the sides of the natatorium pool. The remaining time was
used to test the students’ abilities to stay afloat, with the
students either treading water or floating on their backs.
The Physical Education Department in cooperation
with the University first employed this test to take notice
of and be attentive to those students who may have
difficulties with basic swimming sills skills which may
include simply staying afloat
Despite what many students are led to believe, this
swim test was never mandatory nor did it invove threats
of being exempt from graduation ceremonies. Objective
ly, the test offered students a better understanding of their
physical capacities. Those few students who failed this
test were not forced, but encouraged, to enroll in a
beginner swimming course as one of their physical educa
tion requirements.
Penn State traditionally had provided for this test with
no complaints from students. Hostility, however, arose
when a small minority of strong-voiced students felt, in a
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sense, belittled and humiliated when it was suggested that
they take this test so they worked to eliminate it.
After much debate between the Physical Educaion
Department and the University’s Faculty Senate, a deci
sion was made to abolish the swim test. I am proposing
that a swim proficiency test be not only offerred, but
mandatory for all University students.
Swimming essentially is a survival skill which someday
could make one very grateful for having been taught. A
swim test would provide only benefits for students, for it
would be during this test that well trained, highly skilled
instructors could take note of a problem swimmer and
could then encourage that student take beginner swim
ming
According to a poll given by the Physical Education
Department in reference to the swim test when this
subject was most controversial, of the students who were
asked if they thought a swim test should given at the
University, a surprising 78 percent agreed that a swim
test should be given.
If it is possible to prevent just one drowning accident
to. save one life because we were able to recognize an
incompetent swimmer during a 10 minute swim test
then a swim proficiency test should be mandatory and
immediately put into effect, not only at Penn State but at
other institutions.
Lynn Sebold, 4th-
May 13
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