opinions
Who are you kidding?
The University had done everyone who
ever "waited until finals to cram" a big
favor. It scheduled two reading days be
tween final exam period and the end of
classes.
Yes, last semester Penn State students
were treated to an idea that is a feature of
most other respectable institutions of higher
learning. Given the extended nature of,
semesters, these extra catch-up days cer
tainly were a welcome relief from the usual
hurried routine of read-as-you-are-on-the
way-to-finals.
And just like fall semester, the University
has scheduled two study days for the end of
spring classes. However, in its infinite wis
dom, the University's generosity happens to
occur on .a weekend namely Saturday
May 5 and Sunday May 6.
Of course students should be expected to
study the weekend preceding finals. Or
should they?
The University's reasoning, one can ar
gue, is based on logic. After all, it is kind
enough to give us every weekend off during
the school year. A quick calculation shows
the lucky students
. are given roughly 60
daily Collegian
Thursday, April 5, 1984
©1984 Colleglan Inc.
Alecia Swasy
Editor
The ailly Collegian's editorial opin
ion is determined by its Board of
Opinion, with the editor holding final
responsibility. Opinions expressed
on the editorial pages are not nec
essarily those of The Daily Colle
gian, Collegian Inc. or The
Pennsylvania State University. Colle-
.reader opinion
iCommunicating concerns
As a clerical employee of Penn State and a member of
'.Nittany 9 to 5, I believe it is important for me to clarify for
:the benefit of University employees and students the
:eobjettive of the petition circulating at this time which is to
.recommend the establishment of a clerical advisory
committee.
The following is an excerpt from a letter to Mr. Fortuna
to dated March . 27 from Nittany 9 to 5: •
The membership of Nittany 9 to 5 would like you to know
that we are not at this time seeking recognition as an
employee representative for collective bargaining pur
poses as implied in your memo.
However, we do advocate that clerical employees of
Penn State need some way of communicating concerns
which affect all clercial employees. The petition now
circulating on campus addresses this problem by recom
mending a Clerical Advisory Committee— not made up of
Nittany 9 to 5 members, but comprised of clerical employ
ees elected in each college or administrative unit (elec
tions similar to those conducted for the Faculty Senate).
In order to facilitate understanding-and communication
between the University and its clerical community, we felt
it imperative that central administration and/or person
nel administration should be included in this advisory
committee so that advising (not bargaining) could be a
two-way proposition.
We are sincere in our efforts to, be instrumental in
finding a suitable vehicle to improve
,communication
channels between Personnel Administration and the cleri
cal employees at Penn State.
It is my understanding that we have a right under
. the
Constitution and Pennsylvania law to recommend the
formation of such a committee without reprisal, and that
clerical position, indeed any Penn State employee posi
tion, should not be jeopardized for signing this petition.
Again, let me reiterate that many clerical employees at
Life's acting doesn't end, roles keep getting bigger and better
I'm nominating myself for an Academy
Award. Two weeks ago I starred in a movie
called "Job Interview," playing the role of
"graduating senior ready to conquer the
newspaper world," which actually trans
lates to "student groveling for job." Techni
calities. Here's a clip:
Scene: Dressed uncomfortably in conser
vative business suit, our star is racing over
perilous mountain roads. She has only a half
an hour to get to her interview, which is
another hour away. In the pouring rain, she
pulls off the road twice to fix windshield
wipers that won't stay on the windshield.
Star arrives at interview with five min
utes to spare. She is soaked, hair flat, make
up streaming down her face. Looks like
Janet from Rocky Horror Picture Show,
gian Inc., publishers of The Daily
Collegian and related publications,
is a separate corporate institution
from Penn State.
Susan M. Melle
Business Manager
) 4tsl
414f/P
extra study days during the school calendar
(30 weekends times two).
And everybody knows students
those weekends nose-in-book in
obscure section of Pattee right?
But in all seriousness, by scheduling the
study days on the weekend, the University
forfeits its apparent good-will and defeats
the purpose of the idea.
The purpose, one surmises, was to give
the students two other days to study days
that they don't already have. Whether stu
dents would have used the weekend in
question to study anyway is extraneous. _
The fact is that May 5 and 6 would always
be available if needed, but should some
other weekend activity get in the 'way
such as a spring wedding or an interview
then it's back to the cramming ,board.
The University deserves some credit for
instituting the idea, but in trying to slip a
fast one by the students, it has forgotten
what its intentions were.
Luckily for the University, it's still not too
late to blame this scheduling problem like
the rest on the semester switch.
Complaints: News and editorial
complaints should be presented to
the editor. Business and advertising
complaints should be presented to
the busin,ess manager. If a com
plaint is not satisfactorily resolved,
grievances may be filed with the
Accuracy and Fair Play Committee
of Collegian Inc. Information on
filing grievances is available from
Gerry Lynn Hamilton, executive sec
retary, Collegian Inc.
Penn State would sincerely welcome the opportunity to
discuss with administration officials problems that affect
all clerical positions.
Catherine A. Gohn, secretary-College of the Liberal Arts
March 30
Why take_ a back seat now
Why should prayer in the public schools of the United
States be a controversial question? Or, for that matter,
why should we consider it improper to speak to our God,
the almighty God, anywhere, anytime, anyplace?
After all, wasn't it He, God, who directed our Pilgrim
Fathers as they sailed a stormy sea to reach a place where
they could worship him?
Wasn't it almight God who directed our forefathers as
they fought to win freedom from a tyrannical mother
country?
bidn't God guide the hands of those brave men who
signed the Declaration of Independence from that coun
try?
Could our men, regardless of how courageous they
might have been, saved our Union if God had not lead
them?
Since almighty God has always been our guide, the
central figure in all our national affairs, why should we
ask him to take a back seat now?
Let us, take such great men as George Washington,
Abraham Lincoln, Thomas Jefferson and Sir Winston
Churchill as our examples. They depended largely upon
God to help them in national affairs.
Let us have prayer in our public schools.
Grace Harris
Moshannon PA
April 3
when she first gets to the castle.
Editor: "Glad you could make it, Sherry.
How are you?" (God she's a mess. What a
waste of my time.)
Star: "Couldn't be better, ma'am. Nice to
meet you." (Look lady, I know I'm a mess.
Make one smart comment and I'm out of
here.)
Editor: "Why do you want to be a report
er?", (Because she flunked out of beauty
school. Snicker.)
Star: "I want to be a reporter because I
like to write and I enjoy meeting new
people." (What a dumb question. After four
years in journ school, my parents would kill
me if I become a beautician.)
Editor: "Do you think you're dedicated
enough to be in this business? Let me tell
you about dedication. If I hear a fire alarm
while I'm making love, I stop everything to
check out the fire." (Did I shock her with
that one?)
Star: "Hire me and I'll give you 110
percent of my life" (Stop everything? I
know I'm not that dedicated. Bet your
husband hates fires, snicker.)
My Oscar is the job, and I don't know if I
got it yet. The point is, the editor and I
tiptoed around each other, playing our roles.
She saw my formal, businesslike act, which
Letters Policy: The Daily Collegian
encourages comments on news cov
erage, editorial policy and University
affairs. Letters should be typewrit
ten, double-spaced, signed by no
more than two people and not longer
than 30 lines. Students' letters
should include the term, major and
campus of the writer. Letters from
alumni should include the major and
year of graduation of the writer. All
writers should provide their address
and phone number for verification of
the letter.
The Collegian reserves the right to
edit letters for length and to reject
letters if they are libelous or do not
conform to standards of good taste.
I don't play well at all because I don't do it
all that often.. ,
It seems ironic that a job interview has to
be an act. I've heard that hiring is based 90
percent on personality during an interview.
So if this editor likes my businesslike act
and hires me on that basis, am I trapped
into that role? One of us is in for a rude
surprise.
People act everyday of their lives, con
stantly slipping in and out of different roles.
In one day, I play a student, semi -athlete,
roommate, occasional partier. Next year, I
might be a reporter. Someday I'll star as a
wife and mother.
I know I'm exaggerating. We're not schi
zophrenics. All these roles combine to make
our total personality and while our acting
isn't really lying to each other, we're also
not being totally honest either.
Sometinles you act because you can't say
what you're really thinking for fear of
offending someone. That's called tact.
Imagine going to your high school reunion
and being totally honest.
"Candy, how are you? You're not looking
good at all, kiddo. Putting on a few pounds
or are you pregnant again? Sure wouldn't fit
in that old cheerleading uniform anymore."
And sometimes you have to play a role to
spend
some
Radio ga-ga
In the ARHS report in last Wednesday's Collegian, it
was mentioned that there was a dispute between Mr.
Diano, president of the West Halls Residence Association
and my organization, the West Halls Radio Organization.
This is true, but the subject of the dispute is not how to
operate WHR West Halls Radio. It is whether to operate
WHR. Mr. Diano closed the station, and recalled all the
keys, after the burglary on Feb. 28. He made it plain that
he did not wish WHR to operate, at least for the rest of the
•
year.
My organization was formed in response to this, to
operate WHR. The station has two extra turntables which
could have been restored to service cheaply. WHR could
have been back in operation after semester break I
know this because, as Chief Engineer, it is my job.
Had Mr. Diano wished WHR to continue, he would not
have closed the station; he would not have denied the staff
access to the station; and he certainly would not have
vetoed the 'appropriation for the money to put it back in
operation.
I wish that the reporter had contacted me, before
putting my name in the paper, to learn my side of the
dispute. In any event, the West Halls Radio Organization
is holding a meeting in McKee Lounge on Thursday at 9:00
p.m.
She, and the public, are invited.
Reginald Arford,'West Halls Radio Organization
April 4
Home sweet home
(Concerning Glen Berman's letter about life in Atherton
Hall.) It is evident in hisietter that his view of . Atherton
Hall is limited. Contrary to Mr. Berman's belief, there are
graduate students who are not preoccupied by the imper
fections of Atherton Hall and enjoy the living conditions.
- AT HART el. FIRMOWERS
suit a situation. For example, it's not kosher
to play a Klu Klux Klan member at a
Catholic wedding (only the bride can wear
white.) If we were totally honest all the
time, we'd live in an obnoxious world.
Kids learn to act at an early age. They
know who the soft touches are and just how
to stroke them. We all know the "grandpa
rent act," the one where you cuddle up on
your grandma's lap and act adorable, know
ing she'll slip you a 'five or a chunk of
chocolate cake when your mom's not
looking. God supports child actors. That's
why he gives them things like china blue
eyes, innocence and the phrase "I don't
know."
Your acting improves with age, because
it's more challenging when you grow up and
you have to juggle the roles in your past and
the few in your present.
I remember an afternoon at my house. A
certain father looks' out his kitchen window
and sees his daughter motorcrossing her
bike through the neighbor's flower garden
the same neighbor whose dog visits his
yard three times a day.
Now, because he's a parent, he throws
open the door and yells, "Stop that and get
over here right now!" But the real person
inside of him is wishing that the kid knew
The Daily Collegian
Thursday, April 5, 1984
Let us "put the cards on the table:"
1. You find it desirable to live in a building which is not
ultra-modern. You do not favor the standard campus paint
color nor the furnishings within the "ancient ruin" of 40
years. In fact, the atmosphere at Atherton Hall is quite
conducive to study.
2. You 'would rather complain about common inconve
niences of life than cope with them. Reading lamps, of
which one is provided in' each room, assist the overhead
lights in providing , adequate lighting for reading. Win
dows, of which one is provided in each room, provide cool
fresh air to lower the temperature.
3. You unsubstantiated exaggerations provide evidence
of your limited view. A whisper from 75 yards heard as a
holler? Temperatures of 80 to 90 degrees with the windows
open?
4. You find the dining services below your palatal
desires. You resent the fact that you do not have the
convenience of apartment living 'which include a kitchen.
You resent the unfamiliar odor of someone preparing
something to snack on; a similar odor emanates from
your room when you make your special garlic popcorn.
5. You wish immediate improvements. When such
action was taken in refinishing the bathroom door, you
were disturbed. Housing is taking your advice and is
waiting until after May 14 to make the needed
im
provements.
As someone who copei with inconvenience and enjoys
the many conveniences, my view of Atherton Hall is not
limited to only the difficulties. My advice to you is to wake
up and see reality. Atherton Hall is a pleasant place to call
home while in a graduate program at Penn State.
Charles Baylor, graduate-communication disorders
Francis Arlinghaus, graduate-math
Robert Davis, graduate-environmental engineering
April 3
how to run the lawnmower
The kid bikes over, working herself into
the strange-voices-in-my-head-told-me-to- ,'
do-it-act, sees her father's face and knows
the old man will be glad to perform an
exorcism. So she simply whines "I don't
know.why I did it, Daddy." The kid wimped
out and used the old standby. No originality.
Meanwhile, laughing at memories of his
own youthful vandalism days, Dad has to
play tough and ground the kid for 30 years,
still wishing he had taught her about lawn
mowers. Another paternal Oscar.
To borrow a cliche, that was then and this
is now. Where does all the 'acting end?
That's the joke it doesn't. The roles just'.
get bigger and better and people get more
experienced at seeing through the acts.
In the meantime, I'm going to brush up on
my businesslike, interview routine in hopes
of using it again. If by some chance I do get
the Oscar for my , role in "Job Interview," I
think I'll hand it back. The editor is a much
better actress the fire alarm line was the '.
clincher. See you at the Awards.
Sherry Albright is a senior majoring in
journalism and a columnist for The Daily
Collegian. Her column appears on alternate
Thursdays.
MIMI
; opinions
Shortsighted view
I was• disappointed in your editorial of March 30 ("A no
;.; win situation") in which you took a pessimistic view of a
recent court ruling on zoning, particularly the occupancy
standards of the Borough's zoning ordinance. Your edito
rial makes some assumptions that I believe are faulty.
Assumption No. 1: The Inserra brothers were pros
ecuted because they were students.
The fact is the Inserra brothers are property owners in
the Borou i gh of State College and are expected to follow the
law just like any other property owner, including lawyers,
doctors and faculty members. I believe that if the Inserra
brothers had been stonemasons, you wouldn't have spent a
dime's worth of ink on the story.
Assumption No. 2: Enforcement of the law is an attempt
(to quote you) by "State College residents to dictate the
actions of their student neighbors."
The fact is enforcement of the law is an attempt to
ensure that our neighborhoods are reasonable places for
everyone to live in. The law protects each member of the
neighborhood. I can't believe that the 35,000 students at
this campus would rather scream the night away than
study. Your own editorial page for many years has carried
letters from students complaining about noise in the
dormitories noise so loud it interfered with study habits.
OSCRW0190t1P11*11*1160:40.41.
FRITZ MONDALE EXPLAINS 10 GARY MART
THAT RE'S A VERY PEACEFUL GUY...
Phi Psi 500 • Phi Psi 500 • Phi Psi 500 • Phi Psi 500 • Phi Psi 500 •
David, George and Phil:
Ao's are out to win the race and we'll
show the Phi Psi's who it is that sets the
pace!
A
0
0
Ln
Love, The Alpha Phi's
Phi Psi SOO • Phi Psi 500 • Phi Psi 500 • Phi Psi 500 • Phi Psi 500 •
Edward Anchel '6O
President and Chief Executive Officer,
Sparkomatic Corporation, Milford, PA
on campus as a guest of the College of Business
and the Penn State Alumni Association
meet Mr. Anchel' today at the
College of Business. Career Day
"Insight 'B4"
HUB
12:30 to 5:15
105 OLD MAIN, UNIVERSITY PARK, PA., (814) 865-6516
Penn State Alumni Association
The
welcomes
Alumni Fellow
pepn state
alumni association
Why do you assume that misbehavior is the norm?
Assumption No. 3: The bad actors are the students;
students are bad actors. If you can prove that, you'll force
me to throW away nine years of positive experiences
with students. All I'm saying is that every time there's a
complaint in a neighborhood, don't assume a student is the
source of the problem.
Assumption No. 4: "A strig of unrelated events con
strued with a few assumptions an easily be molded into a
false accusation.':
The fact is the people who developed the evidence
against the Inserra brothers didn't do it overnight and
didn't collect it without cause. Nobody's going to take the
time to accumulate evidence against a neighbor who
doesn't provide a reason. People have more constructive
thingt to do with their time.
So, please, cast the situation in a positive light. We are
all neighbors and we all have a stake in a good commu
nity. If we could start from that basis and agree that we
are striving for an "everybody wins" situation, we'll have
more room to talk. To say it's "no win" without first
playing the game is shortsighted.
R. Thomas Berner, Member of State College Borough
Council
April 1
AX• AX• AX•.AX• LX• OX• OX• OX• LX• tX• IX• x
0103
AX • AX • AX • Ax.e. AX • AX • AX • AX • AX • AX• AX•
It'S Here!
The 10th Annual Delta Chi Marathon
April 13, 14, 15th
Registration ends April 11th
Sign-up in dorm areas or at the HUB
For more information call
237-9157 or 238-9944
Cutting through the election hoopla
Every four years we go through
the sacred right of the presidential
election, with debates, primaries,
and conventions. Everything is
built up to be exciting and suspen
seful until the decisive day in No
vember arrives.
One false move or comment
could send a candidate plummeting
in the all important polls. Each
candidate's public and private life
is examined under a microscope to
the satisfaction of the media. We
are all subjected to intense scrutiny
of our own ideals and that of the
candidates in the name of our ulti
mate ideal of democracy.
Actually, the tremendous amount
of campaigning and arguing is
starting to get to be a little much for
me and its only April. I don't mean
to be cynical and sarcastic, after all
I am a political science major who
is supposed to understand and re
spect the workings of American
politics. Yet every once in a while
all this election hoopla gets to me.
I can only watch Gary Hart and
Walter Mondale yell and scream at
each other for so long. After a while
I can't get interested in the Demo
cratic debates which have come to
be so predictable by now. Mondale
knocks down Hart, Hart retorts
back to Mondale and Jackson
laughs at both of them. Democracy
in action.
The sad part is that to understabd
the real issues at stake you must
look beyond the campaign rhetoric
of the candidates. But this takes
time and effort something which
The Penn State Alumni Association
welcomes
Alumni Fellow
Executive Director, Opportunities Academy of
Management Training Inc., Philadelphia
on campus as a guest of the College of Education
and the Penn State Alumni Association
meet Dr. Hutchins, keynote speaker at the
Minority Career Awareness Day
today, April 5 at 12:15
White Building
Room 104
105 OLD MAIN, UNIVERSITY PARK, PA., (814) 865-6516
the average American does not like
.to give up.
Understanding the policies and
platforms of candidates is not an
easy thing to do. You must shuffle
through the "talk" and try to find
the real stance.
Most Americans have little to do
with politics and regard all poli
ticians as corrupt or stupid. This
used to bother me a lot, I could not
understand how people could be so
unaware and disinterested in their
own government which they
have the right to control. Yet sud
denly I am beginning to understand
their reasoning.
Why pay attention to a bunch of
bumbling politicians who all seem
to believe they have the answers to
America's problems if they could
only be elected?
I became very interested in the
Democratic presidential race after
Gary Hart's win in Maine, hoping
that this campaign would be excit
ing and competitive, one that would
not be of all things predictable. If
this campaign has not turned out
predictable in the sense of who will
be the Democratic candidate it has
become predictable in other ways.
eAood
eAcotltt
We all can be assured that Mon
dale will continue to throw cliches
out at us such as asking Hart
"Where's the Beef." We can also
rest easy on the fact that petty little
things will always enter into a
campaign, such as Gary Hart's real
last name and the real reason for
him changing it.
Why do such shallow things al
ways come to the surface in cam
paigns while the real issues remain
hidden underneath a thick fog? Are
we really afraid to face the real
issues of a campaign, only to resort
to insignificant details which we
feel we can relate to easier than the
budget deficit or foreign policy?
I don't think I am stretching the
truth too far to say that most Amer
icans care little about the workings
of the American government. We
Robert C. Hutchins '7og,
pepa state
Miami aSSOCiatiOn
The Daily Collegian Thursday, April 5, 1984-9
our only kidding ourselves to be
, lieve otherwise. This is something
which aggravates me the most
when the majority of the United
States citizens vote on irrelevant,
media blown issues instead of the
underlying, important issues.
Few of us are immune to losing
sight of the important issues in an
election year. It is very easy to just
forget about the whole mess instead
of trying to unravel it all. Many
times I wish I hadn't gotten in
volved in it myself and find I am
tempted to turn the channel when-
ever I see a presidential debate on
tired of seeing and hearing the
same rhetoric. Yet I'll keep the
channel tuned in hoping to gain
further insight into untangling the
campaign talk.
And as the campaign winds down
in Pennsylvania, we can only won
der what kind of campaign tactics
we will become subject to. Many
people are even asking if Pennsyl
vania really matters at this stage
after Mondale's win in New York.
Let me tell you it does matter.
It may not matter in the total
outcome of the Democratic race or
even the presidential race in No
vember. But it will matter to you
and whether you care enough to
make yourself more aware of the
government which is a an integral
part of your life.
We cannot disconnect govern
ment from our lives because it
intertwines with our everyday life.
The only way we can possibly hope
to improve government is to at
least understand it better. The next
time you see a debate on television
watch it. You may learn some
thing not only about the candidates
but about yourself and your own
views. And a little knowledge never
hurts.
Carol Frank is a junior majoring in
political science and a columnist
for The Daily Collegian.
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