Pete Rose
Rose sentenced
to 5 months
Page 11
Joab Thomas:
By MARK E. JONES
and STACY NIEDECKER
Collegian Staff Writers
When the University Board of Trust
ees votes Monday on presidential
finalist Joab L. Thomas, it will vote on
a man who accomplished much as the
former head of the University of Ala
bama.
"He was like Bear Bryant, an aca
demic Bear Bryant," said Carl Wil
liams, Alabama's coordinator of
admissions and graduate recruitment.
"He was like a student and a president
at the same time."
Colleagues credit Thomas, president
of the University of Alabama at Tusca
loosa from 1981 to 1988, with improving
that university's relations with legis
lators, the community and industry.
"I don't see how we could have asked
for much more unless he developed an
anti-gravity machine," said Robert
Barfield, dean of Alabama's College of
Engineering. mean, sure we'd like
somebody to wave a magic wand and
have an endowment to match Har
vard's. But what he did, in the time he
had to do it, it's miraculous."
Romanians
president's
TIMISOARA, Romania ( AP ) More than 10,000 people
yesterday demanded the resignation of President lon Iliescu
during a demonstration in this western city that gave birth
to Romania's anti-Communist revolution.
The protesters, who equated Iliescu with communism, also
called on his government to step down and urged the release
of a jailed activist.
In a main square of Timisoara, the demonstrators accused
Iliescu and his government of a new form of totalitarian rule.
They cheered "Down with Communism!" and "Down with
Iliescu!"
Iliescu, a former Communist official, won free elections
in May, but opponents demanded he step down because of his
hard-line past. He has repeatedly said he favors democracy
and a free-market economy.
Timisoara is the Transylvania city where street protests
touched off a revolution in December against Communist dic
tator Nicolae Ceausescu. Heand his wife Elena were exe
cuted Dec. 25 under orders of a revolutionary tribunal.
Big Ten students to meet
University hosts student association's session
By MARC HARKNESS
Collegian Staff Writer
Student leaders from Big Ten univer
sities will meet in State College this
weekend their first official meeting
with peers from the conference's newest
member.
At the request of Penn State's Under
graduate Student Government, the Big
Ten Student Association will hold a
work session today, tomorrow and Sun
day at the Atherton Hilton, 125 S. Ather
ton St.
"I pushed for it," USG President
J.P. Muir said. "It's a good opportunity
for us to show that we rightfully belong
in it."
Among other things, the association
will vote on a chairperson and a logo.
Muir said he hopes student represen
tatives will emerge more united and
with a better understanding of student
governments at other universities.
University presidents from the Big
Ten formally invited Penn State into the
conference in June. The conference's
main academic body, the Committee
for Institutional Cooperation, extended
its invitation to Penn State two weeks
ago.
At the work session, USG Executive
Assistant James Marino, who organized
Churcheserrt" *icize advertisement
By MARC RANKNESS care aboutkpeople, but you're doing The letter, signed by 727 people,
Colleglangtett Writer. . .
.. something that hurts people," said protested a Penh State advertisement
Michael LaPlara, ponticalendirector depicting LGSA membersthat ran in
Centre region churches that took of the Lesbian and Gay Student AM- January. The January ad said gay
out a full-ppge advertisement eritkis- ate. men and lesbians should not have to
the University for promoting Eight mirfuters representing sta pretend to no heterosexual
lag ,-
homosexuality have little understand- Bible and Baptist churches in State "we proteit this promotion of
lag of issues facing gay men and kg- College and surrounding COMMO - nomorrususow , as an acceptable life
-Mans at Poop State, said an LGSA eh. tittles, bought a page of Sunday's style an several grounds," the min- .
dire Centre Doily Ilmas to publish an opal asters said in their mown* citing
"yes, you're doing this henna* you letter to the Board of Trustees. Please roe LEITER, Page I-4.
Joab L. Thomas
One of Thomas' notable achieve
ments was the formation of a part
nership between Alabama and
Rochester Products Tuscaloosa Plant,
a General Motors facility on the verge
of closing.
demand
resignation
In an open letter to the government, the demonstrators yes
terday also urged the release of Marian Munteanu, the leader
of a 53-day round-the-clock opposition rally broken up by
police last month.
Munteanu was later badly beaten by rampaging miners
answering an Iliescu call for help against anti-government
rioters. She was arrested on suspicion of involvement in the
Earlier yesterday, Iliescu promised university students
he would contact the prosecutor general about Munteanu.
But he told students seeking Munteanu's release that "it
is the task of justice to take a decision" in the case, the state
Rompres news agency said.
Munteanu's detention ignited a mass protest July 13, when
20,000 demonstrators marched in Bucharest to demand his
release.
The world community harshly criticized Iliescu for the
miners' rampage, and the United States and other Western
nations cut off all non-humanitarian aid to Romania.
J. P. Muir
the work session at University Park,
will represent Penn State, Muir said.
"James, from the outset, has worked
very hard on this," Muir said. "He's the
most knowledgeable on the associa-
Muir represented Penn State when
~..„ Pa. Centre Stage
r
44
4 ``e.‘ 4 Sleuth: A 'who done it' English mystery
i: '. 'll. play ends theater season
~
ir Page 11
to
111
aily Collegian
An 'academic
Thomas: only nominee to board
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. (AP) —Joab
L. Thomas, announced Wednesday
as the finalist for the University pre
sidency, said yesterday his appoint
ment is "a done deal."
am the only one the search
committee is recommending to the
board and I have been told privately
that the board will vote unanimously
for me," he said.
The University Board of Trustees
will vote Monday on Thomas'
appointment.
Thomas said the University took
the initiative in approaching him and
Collegian File Photo
When he suggested the partnership
between the plant and the Colleges of
Business and Engineering, workers
were already tearing up the equipment,
Williams said. The plant had already
reduced costs and was unable to main
tain a profit.
Thomas promised that if the plant
didn't reduce its operating costs by
"I pushed for it. It's a
good opportunity for us
to show that we
rightfully belong in it."
the association met in April at the Uni
versity of Minnesota in Minneapolis.
Students, the press and the public will
be able to attend a reception at 3 p.m.
today in the Hilton's Regency Room.
The group will meet at the hotel's Van
derbilt Room and may vote to hold a
news conference after business is com
pleted Sunday, Muir said.
Marino said the association may also
discuss publishing a magazine for stu
dents at Big Ten universities.
Although Marino will be the only vot
ing representative for Penn State, Muir
and USG Vice President Susan Wil
liams will be present and will confer on
the vote.
Collegian File Photo
Michael LaFlam, co-director of the
Lesbian and Gay Student Association,
said he looks forward to discussing the
Please see CONFERENCE, Page 14.
that the process was a fast one.
"They first made contact in late
fall and said I had been nominated,"
Thomas said. "They didn't say who
nominated me and it came as a com
plete surprise. They asked for a
resume and that was the last I heard
of them until last month when I
interviewed in State College.
"I interviewed a couple of times
and then last Monday, the search
committee contacted me and said I
would be their unanimous recom
mendation to become the next pres
ident," he added.
$1.5 million, Alabama would pay Gen
eral Motors that amount, but it was nev
er necessary. Thomas' program saved
202 jobs and $8 million in taxes.
"We're demonstrating in a very prac
tical way that knowledge has enormous
value," Thomas told the Atlanta Consti
tution Journal in 1984. "I wanted to show
the genral public that universities can
- J.P. Muir
USG President
University not affected by English fluency law;
teaching assistant evaluations already required
By MARIBEL CRUZ
Collegian Staff . Writer
A new state law requiring universities to guarantee instruc
tors' English fluency will not have much impact at Penn State
because the University has been evaluating fluency since
1981, said C. Gregory Knight, vice provost and dean of under
graduate affairs.
The law, signed by Gov. Robert P. Casey two weeks ago,
imposes a $lO,OOO fine for each course taught by a faculty
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Fireball
A huge fireball explodes over the BASF chemical plant in Cincinnati, Ohio. The explosions yesterday killed one person
and injured at least 63 others while shattering windows in houses and businesses up to a quarter•mile away. There were
reports of a second death but could not confirm it and at least one person is missing.
Bear Bryant'
play a significant role in commerce and
business and economic development."
Today, the plant is one of the most pro
ductive in Alabama, Williams said.
"Dr. Thomas' programs were so suc
cessful, why would we change them?
That's not what we did when Coach Bry
ant left," Williams said. "We didn't
change the name of the team.-
Thomas also raised funds from the
legislature. That might present a chal
lenge in Pennsylvania, which ranks 47th
among the 50 states in funding for public
universities, according to 1986 statistics.
"His personal relationship with the
legislature was the best I've ever seen,"
said Billie Fulmer, Alabama's budget
director.
Thomas was able to clarify for the
legislature why and where funds were
most needed, Fulmer said. Although the
university's budget was open, that had
little impact on state funding, he said.
The legislators were most interested in
Thomas' explanations of expenditures.
"(The legislature) seemed to under
stand how all of these things would fit
together," he said.
When Thomas began his tenure, Ala-
Weather
Partly sunny, hot and humid today,
with scattered thunderstorms in the
afternoon, high 89. Partly cloudy
tonight, low 67. More clouds and cooler
Saturday and Sunday with scattered
showers, highs in the mid 80s.
- Mike Hopkins
Friday, July 20, 1990
Vol. 91, No. 26 14 pages University Park, Pa. 16801
Published independently by students at Penn State
, cm 1990 Collegian Inc.
bama's state appropriation was about
$4O million; now it is just over $BO mil
lion, said Harry Knopke, Thomas' for
mer assistant.
In 1981, Penn State's appropriation
was $133.76 million. Now it is $252 mil
lion.
"We had very poor relations with our
legislature, when he became president.
When he left, it couldn't have been
much better," Barfield said. "We had,
frankly, an uncomfortable relationship
with the city in which this university
resides. But when he left it was very
comfortable."
His talent for fund raising allowed
Thomas to expand a number of student
programs, Williams said.
For example, the number of students
in Alabama's scholars program qua
drupled during Thomas' time at the uni
versity's helm. Qualified students were
never turned away because the pro
gram had run out of money, Williams
said.
Some of that funding went into build
ings, including a new fine arts facility
dedicated to music and expansion of the
university's libraries, now ranked
among the top 100 research libraries.
member or teaching assistant not certified in English fluency.
Currently, the University does not require professors to
take a fluency exam before they begin teaching, said Karen
Johnson, assistant professor of speech communications and
coordinator of the teaching assistant program.
But departments do evaluate the fluency of those applying
for faculty positions at the University.
"Normally they have to give a seminar or an oral presen
tation when they are applying for a position," Knight said
Please see FLUENCY, Page 14.
AP Laser Photo